The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-03


not a prodigal coming back from the husks.
He was a man of business. who had done
rather well for himself since he had been
asked to leave his fathers house. 1t was
on both sides. as soon appeared, to be a
marriage of Indifference.
There had never been any real occasion
for the rage of 5tarberry, senior, at the idea
that his son should marry Patience Morton.
mind of John Starberry was not at all
resolutely set on the matter. It was a mind
wholly without sentiment Of any kind.
There were in ii no depths of any descrip-
ton. He liked Patience. She was "a fine,
strapping girl" as he said. and he had Of
fered TO marry her; but If his father had
Tot put himself in the way he would not
cared more for the carrying out Of
his engagement than for the foaling of one
Of his mares.
But it was just in that way that the
trouble arose. His father did interfere, and
peremptorily. And then all the stolidity Of
a nature conspicuously stolid stood up as a
barrier to his fathers will.
He was a young man quite wonderfully
destitute of all the finer feelings, this John
Starberry. He had been motherless from
NfCA Abo dAAC OdSSs ~ HdO
brought up morosely among wealth which
had a thrifty and even ch~eeseparing side.
He had taken keenly to the mills, but even
more keenly TO the lower pursuits Of a
country life. He was shut out from the
county families by his industrial origin even
more than by his manners; but he took to
the society of the gamekeepers with far
more relish than he could nave displayed
in that of their masters. He was able, in
a way; selfish; keen as his father; logged
beyond anything. He would have been an
ideal son for Squire Western. There was,
however, nothing vicious about him but
want of taste, want of polish, and want Of
heart. Patience Morton! Why. she was
out of his mind, after that parting from his
father, before he was out of Yarebridge.
There was no communication on either
side for several years after the separation
of father and son. John had no i'll feeling
on the subject. He bore no grudge; but
he had also no interest in his fathers af-
faris or his fathers wellbeing. He was
a son without any of the natural emotions,
good or evil.
They met eventually, and by accident, In
a great Lancashire town to which Star
berry, senior, had gone on matters of bust
ness connected with his mills. John had
a mill of his own, and the father was
pleased. He had a passionate love of sue
cess, and it was delightful to find that his
son was succeeding. r = d.
There was nothing emotional about the
meeting. They shook hands with some
heartiness, like two long-separated friends;
that was all. But after some hours of each
others ompan the father said:
"You must come home again, John"
What for?'
ITO help me-" f..
"oh, you're all right. Sc am 1. Why, I
shall have a business as big as yours in a
few years time"
"Well, keep it, John, keep it. 1 like to see
you doing well on your own account; but
why shouldn't you come home and have
half of my business, too-the whole of it
by and by"
ooh, 1 don't mind" said the wholly un-
sentimental John. II should never nave
gone away if you hadn't turned out so
rusty"
"Well. but you were going to marry that
Morton girl"
''Who?'
why, IH&l MOTION girl.
81 was going 10 marry her? oh, yes, 7
remember now. So 1 was; but I don't think
1 should nave bothered about it if you
hadn't"
'Well, John, there's nothing between us
now, and we're father and son, ] suppose.
Why shouldn't we behave as such? You
come home with me and I'll turn over half
the business to you, and you shall give me
half of yours"
Not much" said John. 'You give me
what you like; be as dutiful a parent as
you please. but what's my owns my own"
"Oh, we'll, we needn't fall out about that.
I'll just write TO Wagstaff to make out the
agreement taking you into the firm"
1t happened. however. hat Lawyer wag-
staff was already abroad and that the
making out of the agreement had to be
delayed. This suggested a new idea to
Starberry, enior The father and son were
now in London on a little friendly jaunt.
Hang it all! said the father, why
shouldn't we go abroad as well as anyone
else I've never been out of my own coun-
try, or the smell of flax mills. all nay life.
Let's set of for France or somewhere
"Oh, I'm willing enough" said John. MY
0lA viii 81 81 III AI1 - Il blNf
and so Will yours, l daresay. Waiter, just
bring a bradshaw will your"
And thus was initiated one Of the most
unsentimental journeys that was ever un-
dertaken, either before Sterne or after.
The wanderings of the easily reconcil son
and father eventually took them TO Cannes,
and there they met the Wagstaffs, and an
engagement was brought about in the cas-
lest and most natural way, without the
coming into operation of any of those
forces that may have been suggested by a
conversation in a previous part of this
story. There were a few visits TO Monte
Carlo; there were a few drives along the
Cornice road: there were a few wanderings
by the sea in those pleasant evening hours
when all French people in the Riviera keep
themselves indoors, TO doze off, it may be,
:. the effects of a long dinner.
Then there was a reflection on Johns
part.
II suppose / shall have to marry some
body, so 1 may as well marry this woman
as another. She's a pleasant enough com
panion, anyhow"
So he proposed; and Edith wagstaff said
IF 1 don't take him l may never get an
other. 1t should prove a good marriage for
me-"
So she accepted
IT trust you are marrying for love, my
daors eoi1 @ba laJv u-ho No -o- l.