Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-21

y
| was on the right side
- Of the grain market,
which had been unusually brisk for some
months.
| Yet no sooner had he assorted his mail
! and opened one particular letter, which he
seemed to expect than he began to look
grave, and then to frown. He ran through
the letter hastily. reread it slowly, his face
lengthening all the while; then he closed the
door OF his private Office, stretched himself
IN his chair, looked through his window at
the sky, and began muttering to himself.
| Like father, like son! 1t never occurred
10 me when 1 fell desperately in love at
| twenty-one that my son would follow in my
| Iootsteps. l made runaway match: what
II he should follow me in that particular.
too! Mine turned out we'll, as long as the
dear girl lived. Suppose. though, that my
boys shouldn't. Lightning doesn't always
strike twice in the same place; neither does
| the luck of boy who thinks he has found
| the only woman in the world. I'd had one
| love affair before; Phil, junior hasn't; so
he hasn't any experience to guide him. I
supposed he would be entirely safe when
! let him go down to Old Point with the
Merrys; quiet folks, quiet place-and dur
ing Lent, too. / might have known better.
though, if I'd thought carefully. Big hotel
! big military post within ten minutes walk
score or two Of young officers. might
have known that any number Of romantic
girls would tease their parents to take
them down thereof course. to mitigate the
rigors Of & northern spring. as well as Of
| Lent!
Trewitt wrink,ed his brow a moment or
| two, and then smoothed 1t as he continued:
anything but a heartache. He certainly
! won't get the girl. No youngster who is a
| civilian stands ghost Of show beside a
| lot of uniforms. A single brass button or
| bit of military braid will outweigh the
| finest wardrobe that young man can dis
| play himself In. On the other hand. l don't
| want my boy to get heartache-it's a
complaint that gave me great deal Of suf-
| fering when 1 was of Pills age, and it
might have done me a great deaf Of harm
| If hadn't suddenly found myself in love
with another woman-after the manner Of
the youthful Romeo in the play that is
never put upon the stage. Pshaw! I'm
! making fool Of myself, I suppose; STILL
when a man has only one son. and is
| wrapped up In the dear scamp-But let me
| see once more what he says"
He took the letter from his pocket and
looked through II, occasionally reading ex-
pressions aloud: Finest woman l ever metz
| sure you would like her'-"noble face
/ seems to understand me perfectly'-"her
| mother Is a charming old lady'-"I write
you SO fully because I've always promised
you that would never think myself in love
| without telling you''-"feel as II l ought to
secure her before some other man has sense
enough to see her Incompatible worth"
Then Trewitt dropped the letter. rose abb
| ruptly from his chair and exclaimed:
| Il shall have to hurry down there and
look after Master Phil, If don't want him
! to make a fool OF himself. l don't wonder
| that any woman should like him, bless him,
| for he's more manly than most fellows ten
! years older, and he has all his mothers
sweetness besides. But 1 intend to know
something about any woman who enchants
Aiv, Z aD,t a
can't at all spare the boy"
Trewitt took an evening train. and was
| aroused next morning by the morning gun
| saluting the colors that broke from the
| hagstaff at Fort Monroe. A few minutes
| later he was enjoying an early breakfast
| having first learned at the hotel ONCE that
| his son did not come down until late hour
| Within an hour he had met several old ac-
| Quaintances, as city men are sure to do
| wherever they go. When, finally. Master
! Phil lounged down, and sauntered to the
to see his own father in the center OF
| group Of ladies and gentlemen. An old
fashioned greeting followed. but the young
| man quickly made an excuse to drag MS
| father out to the beach, and no sooner were
| they we'll apart from every one else than
he exclaimed:
"Father! Isn't she simply perfect?"
! 'she?" echoed the father; whom do you
Mean? Why. the only young woman in
the party you were with. VINO INTRODUCED
your
| Trewitt stopped abruptly and asked:
| Whom are you talking OF, Phil?'
! "Of Marian, Of course-Miss Raybright,
mean. You were talking with her when l
happy; you were looking so appreciative
Did you ever see a finer face, handsomer
| eyes, such glorious head Of hair? Oh.fath-
| er, she's simply angelic-divine!'
Trewitt's head fell as he resumed the
walk, and asked
rs that the young woman of whom you
| ITO be sure she is; whom else could
meant What's the matter. father? Do you
| think"
Phil did not seem to know how to con-
clude his question, so there was silence for
| a moment.
'She is, indeed. a glorious woman, my
| boy; am glad that you have the discern
ment to admire her. But-why. you silly
''Oh, father!' replied the youth. in a tone
resembling groan. Il suppose she Is
little older than I. but you know never
did admire very young girls She's not
much older, though. Why, every young fel-
| low here Is head over ears in love with her.
| though she gives none Of them any en-
| couragement. As to the officers at the fort
they simply form hollow square around her
| whenever she appears and they ought to
| be good judges Of girls-they see hundreds
bs every Tay
! SO sensible, sympathetic, so radiant"
| "Oh, Phil! Philr' Twas now the fathers
| turn to groan. she appears worth q hum
| dred young girls but, really, my boy you
| mustn't allow yourself to think Of her as
| anything more than a friend. I should be
| glad for you to like each other always; a
woman like that is the best friend that any
young man could possibly have; but II you
were to talk love to her you would only Of
| fend her, and make yourself unhappy"
| Merely because she is two or three years
| older than I?' said the young man, with an
| unbecoming pout
Because she is many years your senior"
| said the father. 1.-The very qualities which
| attract you are the results Of the thought
| and experience of years-more years than
| you seem able to imagine
| There's no sign of age about her face
| or figure" Phil declared.
| You are right, to that extent, and hope
| she will keep her fresh and cheerful look
for many years to come; but, my dear boy
/ you must admit that my knowledge Of such
| matters is larger than yours"
| Phil seemed inclined to doubt this state
| ment He put on a sullen face, and kicked
| savagely at every pebble large enough to
| attract his attention. His father continued:
Don't, 1 beg. make a fool Of yourself
| merely because a mature woman has the
| discernment and kindness to be pleasant
to you. All women who amount to any
| thing are fond Of very young men who are
| decent, mannerly and clever"
| But, father" pleaded Phil, "she seems
specially fond of me. AS I've told YOU all
| the other DEMONSTRATING the handsome
| bachelor officers at the fort-are Wild about
| her; but she will excuse herself to any OF
them for the sake of strolling or sailing