The new age. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1902-190?, 1902-10-04

JUST LOOk Al mi HAITI
| daughter loves me. Heaven knows
why. / am grotesquely unworthy.
With a fair field would fear no rivals,
but you are going to take her away.
You will not permit her to give me any
| promise. She must remember me as
one Of whom her father disapproved.
Is not that putting me under an unfair
disadvantage. Your influence will al
ways be against me-
mot at ALL" interrupted the judge.
II see your point clearly, and am glad
you have made II. Your mind shall be
set at rest Immediately. l will tell her
I'm your presence precisely what my
views are. and you will find them sat
isfactory."
He stepped toward the door. while
Rowan, with his eye on the umbrella in
the corner, fairly gasped at the near
prospect of deliverance. He saw for a
moment the white cameo of the judges
clean gut face against the dark oak
panel. Then the door swung open, re-
vealing the lighted hall beyond
"Prudencer' exclaimed her father.
whats the matter, child? Here is Mr..
Rowan
81 don't want to see himr' sobbed the
girl. 81 never want to see him again!
Look at my hat"
''This is most extraordinary" said
the judge. taking her hand and draw
ing her into the library. "Why, you're
all VET
"And just look at my haty'
She held it at arms length, and the
sad blue mass dripped audibly upon
the hardwood floor.
"Why didn't you come with the um-
brellaT she demanded suddenly of
Rowan.
His voice stuck in his throat. He
waved his hand feebly toward the
judge.
Father" continued Prudence, st am
going to my room to change my dress.
AS for Mr.. Rowan. am done with him
forever"
She cast one awful glance upon the
speechless and trembling youth, and
then, with all the dignity which her be-
draggled gown permitted. she swept
out of his sight.
81 will trouble you for an explana-
4 tiOn, bdiQ tue JuuHt.
He got it. straight out. without the
slightest faint of equivocation. for
Rowan had reached a point where it
was a positive pleasure to accuse him
self. Indeed he dealt with his own fol-
ly so frankly and displayed such a per-
fectly just yet obviously new apprecia-
ton of 1t that the judges resentment
was transformed into something very
near to admiration.
"My young friend" he said, 'T think
you have learned a valuable lesson. Do
not forget it. Reflect frequently upon
the extreme simplicity of the thing
which you attempted to do tonight and
the dire failure that you made Of 1t.
Believe me. every day of married life
is full of problems far more difficult.
III you could not devise way to get
my daughter out of that arbor and she
was not strong enough to bear the
calamity of a spoiled hat. how could
you hope
"One moment. sir" cried Rowan.
Tell me what you yourself would have
done in my predicament."
MY boy" said the judge kindly and
confidentially. 81 should never have got
into it. There. there is the value of ex-
perience. That is the sort of wisdom
which makes happy marriages When
you have learned not to invite trouble
But enough of lecturing. In two years
time shall find you wiser. and Pru-
dence will have forgotten all about the
blue hat. So bid you a cheerful good
night. And. by the way. permit me to
oner you this umbrella. You will find
rain without"