The Louisiana populist., 1896-12-11
A CLEVER PLAY.


There! / have the satisfaction OF
knowing what it is all about, and OF
appearing dignified and firm at the
same timew
Mr.. Stanton ciruckled to himself as
he held a sealed envelope up to the
light critically.
II told him / should return his let.
tiers unopened, and there this one goes
for all the world as if hadn't an idea
Of what 1t contains"
And with another pleased little CUR
gle at his own sharpness, Mr.. Stanton
placed the letter addressed 20 Luke
Stanton, Esq, Grand Hotel, Great
Startmouth," into another envelope
and readdressed it to adrian Stanton,
Esq, Turner Studios, Ruskin Road,
Kensington." Then he rang the bell
and delivered 1t to the waiter to be
put into the London postbag; after
which he walked to the bay window
and stood looking out upon the calm
sea and long expanse of yellow sand.
Great Startmouth is not a fashion
able seaside resort; indeed, it is chief
iy frequented by convalescent dyspep-
tics, Anglo-Indians. with sallow COM
plexions and short tempers, and other
invalids. Luke Stanton had come
there partly on account of his health;
partly because he held shares in the
new hotel and other schemes for max
ing Great Startmouth little less fu-
nereal and little more profitable. But,
greatly as the financier was generally
occupied with his companies and his
schemes, at the present moment he was
thinking Of neither, as he stood gaz-
Ing blankly out on the beach, his
hands thrust deep into his pockets,
jingling the loose coins and keys there
In.
Mr.. Stanton was busy repeating to
himself the contents of the letter he
had Just sent back. Adrian Stanton
was his only son, who, by all the laws
Of heredity and advisability, should
have been his right hand. Alas, for
the crookedness Of the world! Young
Stanton had fatty declared to his
father, some three or four years pre-
viously, that he hated the city; that
he could not calculate the commonest
sum Of simple interest and that he
would never understand the intricacies
Of the stock exchange-that, in short,
be detested business" and meant 10
devote himself to art. Luke stormed
and raved, but had ended In giving in,
and, in spite of his affected indifference
and contempt, had been not a little
pleased when. last year, the hanging
committee Of Burlington House had ac-
cepted small canvas signed adrian
Stanton" True, 1t had been so hung
that 1t was impossible to see it with
out risking dislocated neck, but that
detail the old man conscientiously ig-
nored. SO far, so good. Luke Stanton
was almost reconciled to art, and was
rather given to talking about my
sons studio" when all at once the
whole fabric toppled about his ears in
the most CHASTITY fashion. Adrian
came to him one day with the news
that he was engaged to be married.
1t was unexpected, but not necessarily
disastrous until the fatal truth was dis
closed-he, Luke Stanton, the great city
man, heavy alike Of purse and moral
reputation, was expected to welcome
as his daughter-in-law-a model! There
was q scene-all the stops Of paternal
Indignation and filial ingratitude were
pulled out to their fullest, and it ended
In Adrian walking out of the house.
He made several further attempts to
see his father and bring him to a more
amicable frame of mind, but ineffec-
tually, and at last, in spite of the
threats to stop his allowance, to cut
him out Of his will, Adrian Stantan
took to himself the girl of his choice
and duly informed his father of the
fact.
II was then that the family solicitor,
at Luke's dictation. indited the young
man a letter, informing him that his
father desired to bold no further COM
mupication with him, and that any
letter addressed to his father from
Adrjan would be returned unopened
This had happened six months ago,
and MI. Stanton invariably acted as