The morning times., 1896-02-09
The Prodisal Father.


Miss Kendall, sitting in her pleasant room
awaiting the caIl to breakfast, heard a
strong. resonant voice say at the door be-
low her window:
Good morning, Mrs. Carr; I've come over
as formerly to sec If eogId get some fresh
milk
Certainly, Mr.. Thorp. Come In Ana so
you are hone agdin?''
'.Yes, for a time. drift this way once
in a whiIe.''
Things look about the same here. sup
poser"
Just the same. Mrs. Carr. never knew
a place to stagnate so effectualy as Mel
ford does. People grow Old and die, but
otherwise there is no change
.'Oh, we have had several new buildings
erected since you went away. By the way,
where have you been these last four years2''
MOSTLY in China Not bad country to
live in il you don't have TO work. Things
are very cheap there
Miss Kendall peeped through the bIinds
and saw a retreating figure carrying a pitch
er. 1t was strong framed man, with
resolute handsome, dark conplexionedfaee;
he was about fifty years Of age.
who was that gentleman who came here
this morning for mIk?'' she inquired whes
seated at the table.
Mr.. Carr began TO laugh.
That's our prodigaI father; youmust have
heard US speak of him.
II think not" returned the summer
boarder,
He is of a reckless nature put in Mrs.
Carr. After time. like Robinson Crusoe
or Sinbad the sailor, he gets weary OF home
life and startsorf for the antipodes- Hardly
word is heard from him for year or
years, when suddenly he reappears''
Has he any means?''
We'll, yes, some, but his main dependence
is upon his son, who carries on the business
he started and really, think, supports him
in his extravagances."
'And so you call him the prodIgaI?' ("
Its good name. HeeertainIy is asmuch
one as the hero OF the new testament story
Il should like to know him. said the
lady, thOughtfully, and when her landlady
said, mo doubt he will drop in soon TO
"a; with HeBry,'' she ddeti. lido not mean
actually TO know him. but his experiences
must be entertaining"
That evening she was introduced tO-the
warderer. who had called over 10 learn
he news" though in reality 1T was about
, is own way Of life that the conversation
look its course.
The trouble with a town ike this
aid Mr.. Th0rp, in answer TO a suggestion
rom the visitor. lis that there is no intel
ec;ual movement II neither rises above
nor falls below certain line. At the best,
however, the average human being is not
more intelligent than dog and ought noe
O be If he has TO earn his living
Miss Kendall looked interested.
''Is not intellect the highest gift of God to
man7'' she asked.
''Oh, perhaps. It's Just as you look al t.
You can carry water in a log. for little
way. Generally, man learns Just enough
to enable him to get a living and keep his
body in shape. Most men are only body or
bodily organs. Their idea OF luxury is a
little finer clothes. Civilization means 20
carry their body over few hundred miles.
The first day / came home / was told that
Frank Brown had built a 50 600 summer
cottage on McBride's point and thatanOtbeF
rich man had bought lots should have
bought library or pictures il / had beeR
in their Places
You care for art. them"
Not at all I love landscape, because 10
seems to me the one thing permanent. Men.
civilization, intellect-they are ike the
transient light OF a fiutteriug candle Nature
IS, in comparison, immortal 1t seems to
me God despises men. but loves nature.
travel, not to see new people, but TO be
taught how much alike is nature every
! where"
That is a selfish creed-''
"Oh, think notI In general men strug-
gle against each other, seeking by cOmpeti-
! ton TO proIong their lives at the ex-
pense OF others. My rule is, Live and let
live'-and as easily as possible"
And you are never IOnely?"
what can one do if one is? There is nv
| son-an honest, prudent, generous man, but
| he has no sympathy with my ideas. he
thinks ever of what things viii cost and
whether he viii gain money by the business
he is engaged in If wrote my ideas out
and put them in a book and it sold be would
| nave a tremendous respect for me. He and
| those like him respect only what sells, no
matter whati is-good or bad. Ifit doesn't
| sell, in their ewes it has no value. There
/ fore, if I am alone 1 must put up with it
and not complain. never do complain, in
| fact
| ThecUnversation prolonged Itself and was
| renewed almost daily. Miss Kendall had
| her own theories OF life and Mr.. Thorp's
agreed with them.
s.IFs no use" he said. 'This Hfe OF
I strained civilization stultifieS me. II had
| a small fixed income I'd stay abroad al
| ways"
YOU can live cheaper there
! Infinitely In the first place you care
| less how You live, or whether your clothes
| belong to this months fashion or the last
| Athome you must do pretty nearly as others
do. Away from it you are a lIw to your
self"
! "oh, how should like thatr' exclaimed
Miss Kendall.
should you? Wen, why not burst your
bondsg Your mOney-you told ne you had
| sone-w would be a fortune abroad
II am woman. Wherever I am I must
| do as others do said Miss Kendall, with
some bitterness
Thorp looked at her thOughtfuily.
Even that obstacle could be gOt over un-
der certain circumstances he answered,
and said no more.
Really" said Mrs. Carr one day, 1t must
be that ThUrp thinks you care for his ex-
| travagances, for he has never been so COM
paniouable at other times when at home
After the first day or two he wOuld rather
avoid meeting his old friends They bored
him, he said. But with YOU he seems To
havefound his tongue again. His wife, who
has been dead these eight years, used say
that he thought it more OF an effoFt TO talk
commonplace than to do a hard days work
/ don't think he is lazy, but be certainly IS
one who would never do what hedislikedfo for
any motive. 1 believe he has no sense OF
! duty at aH.'