The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22
A Roman Father.

| intelligent and with good manners; oui
| as she was the daughter of a washer
woman. the father of John FELTON, cx-
| pressed the most decided opposition 10 a
| matrimonial alliance between her and his
| son. Mr.. FELTON, was Roman father in
| every sense of the term, and II he did not
have the rights of life and death that
| were the prerogative of the ancient slres,
| he was almost as devoid of parental al
| lection.
| Mr. FELTON, was business man, and
| looked at life from a business mans point
| OF view, which is that the weak and IN
| intelligent merely subsist by the kindness
| of the alert and strong, and are doomed
! TO determination sooner or later. Money
| is the representative of value. Just as
! loud voice is indicative of strong lungs
and good vocal organs. His eldest son
| was a child after his own heart. He took
| to business like a ferret after rats, ana
| displayed an INSCRIPTIONS capacity for
money that delighted his fathers soul
| The second son was not Tar oenino, OUT
| the third appeared to hold business almost
/ in contempt His father termed him a
weak sister" and threatened to kick him
| into the street. He, however, did not go
as far as that. but allowed John TO
moon" away his time in various inoffen-
! sive and inexpensive ways. The marriage
! project received not the slightest con-
| sideration.
ITS boys infatuation," he remarked
| to his wife, and she replied that she
| hoped John would see the folly of ii, for
| it was quite impossible"
| The Feltons entertained occasionally.
| and one evening had quite number OF
| guests to dine with them, men and wom-
! en- of social Importance, men and women
/ OF less conspicuous position, business
men, some artists, and a lion or two OF
the literary jungle.
The host was properly hattered, and II
he was trife ostentatious, might he not
excuse it by saying that Washington also
| liked luxury and pomp? rich man may
feel pride in seeing that his pictures. his
| bric-a-brsc. his illustrated books, are re-
garded with interest and respect. When
he saw two artists turning over the pages
of some facsimiles of water color work
by De LoLugpre. he stole gradually near
them TO hear what they might say.
The photographic necessities of the
press injure the work" said one.
at can not be avoided; the plates sug-
gest his style of work very well, how
ever.
All, haw,'' said Mr.. FELTON,, breaking
in with beaming countenance. You think
them good, valuable? Knocks your hand
work sky high, ah! And to my mind
worth any money if people did not know
they could be turned off so rapidly
1T is because pictures like these can
be turned off by the thousand that the
price is low
could you do as well?"
The artist shrugged his shoulders
1T is not a question of what one can
do, but what one is paid for. Probably
the artist could paint better than he does
if it was worth more to him not to sell to
photographers and adapt himself to their
work. You might offer him $40 900 Tor an
original painting and see"
Mr.. FELTON, pursed his lips.
Il have no money to use in such ex-
periments. I might not perceive that 1t
was better than these which only cost
s. for the set. AS said to my boy, John,
when he talked of taking lessons in paint
ing, What is there to learn? Paint what
you see. The value of thing is what 1t
Will bring in an open market. What i4
only appreciated highly by a few is fad
and folly. The test of shrewdness is 10
get ahead of Others
What did he say?''
He said this might do as rule in bust
ness, but not in art but l tole him there
are tricks in all trades, and the smooth
dealer sells pictures over their worth just
as any other business man.
Where Is your son now?"
Hes gone into the army We had 2
difference of opinion about business meth
DDS and he said he'd prefer a military
career. 1 didn't object. l thought he
might as well be plugging enemies as loaf
ing around town. I've given up expecting
that he would do anything to his credit
or mine at home, / got him captains
commission, and he's drawing more
money from the government than I ever
expected he would earn. Then if he's
killed. there's his pension
Not of much benefit TO him.
But it will be to me-"
Does the government pay a pension
to a parent if he is in affiuent circum-
stances?"
1T would be-mean if it didn't. A man
gives his son for his country. The least it
can do in return is to compensate him
for the sacrifice. I shall make a big kick
if he is killed and they try TO dispute
my claim. Isn't money worth just as
much to me as 10 another? More, for l
appreciate its value and know how to use
it"
y Ntth dtltt We iu the Two met,
and in the course of the conversation that
ensued one said:
That son Of Mr.. Feiton's is dead-died
of yellow fever"
'Ah! wonder If his father will get
pension?"
Il think not
He ought to. His heart is set on it and
he is nearest Of kim
4 believe not"
What do you mean?"
His son was married to girl, Miss
Fanny Prosper, 1 understand. on the eve
of his departure for the war. AS his
widow her claim supersedes all others"
There was an interval of silence. Then
one remarked:
What a shock for the senior. To lose
his son, his sons pension. and have his
sons widow. the daughter of a washer
woman, engrafted upon his family, Shed
tears for the Roman father. Cor he de-
serves it."-WaverlY.
Thousand Dollars for n Nights SieeD