The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-08

by whom the book is copyrighted.)
1r RIFLES sometimes hold the seeds
of tragedies. A disagreement
over SO slight a matter as family
Il finances where economy is wholly
unnecessary m ay permanently
wreck the happiness of many. Such a
tragedy is that portrayed in "The Bal
ingtons,' the novel of Mrs. Frances
Squire Potter, of the department OF
sofa, just published by Little, Brown
& Co., of Boston.
Ferdinand Ballington, man Of
wealth, but selfish to the last atom Of
his being, marries Agnes Sidney, the
daughter of Puritan, but generous
parents, and girl Of fine character.
He provides literally, if not lavishly,
children, Stephen and Estelle, when
they come, but allows his wife to spend
nothing except with his consent. She
is deprived thereby of the opportunity
to aid her mother to save her home and
of assisting a needy sister, Mrs. Pleas
ant Mabie. Ferdinand himself gets
control of the Sidney home. Finally
the situation becomes uncomfortable, and
Agnes seeks to change the course of
affairs in talk with her husband. This
results in the dramatic scenes given in
part below. Beatrice of the second
scene is Mrs. Fred Sidney, a cousin by
marriage of Agnes, and the very an
tithesis of Ferdinand, generous to a
fault but given to hereditary extrava-
gances of expression and conduct. Aunt
Margaret is the aunt of Ferdinand and
has also suffered by reason of his
Medean household rules. DR.. Quinn is
an intimate friend Of Agnes family.
"Aunt Kate,' mentioned by Beatrice.
is Agnes mother. The second scene i'm
mediately follows the first in the Sc
quence of the story:
!. !. +
Ferdinand, I cannot have the re-
spect you think owe to your general
view OF life, nor can I acquiesce in
the way you live that view. Since I
do not eand cannot think as you do,
considering the parental responsibilities
we share alike, we must arrive at a
cries and mine.'
49, What are yours, at presentS' asked
Ferdinand, in the tone Of endurance
that he had preserved in since his
wife BEGAN talking.
There was a scarcely perceptible
pause, after which Agnes went stead
Il" 9 %on and T a;trsr nr,n .r,,1 ~ ...
attitude toward the rights Of others.
This would not matter so much if we
were not both under responsibilities to
the same people; Estelle and Stephen
first, my mother, Aunt Margaret.'
Since when have Estelle and
ality9" Interrupted Ferdinand with
covert satire. "What philosopher have
you been reading this week9''
Agnes went on without noticing he1
husband g question.
.,"1 think we should recognize that
Che chi11ran houo Individual
think we. should not, be, arbitrary II
treated with the same self-control ant
reasonableness which we exercise to
ward our equals. If Estelle is fright
ened in the future as she has been il
little fault, she will become hysterical
and Stephen sullen and sly" A note
Of anguish in Agnes voice marked of
the last statement from the preceding
ones. She was putting an almost in
tolerable memory into words as she con
stana from e m9 ew H you anHm u botl
Of these states Of mind. t required al
myself from the sin of deceit. How
can I expect my little boy to resis
It when you put an equal strain upo1
self, and, if 7 do, you say am train
Ing him to disregard you. You fore
me to leave him without it, or to Civ
it to him behind your back, or to lie
the children see that we disagree
Ferdinand rose and stood before hi
wife, looking down upon her. "If M
children have. had the misfortune t
inherit hysteria and slyness,O he sale
reused to the short, metallic voic
which the men at the shops dreaded
ct do not intend that 1t shall be fos
tered by environment. [ refuse t
listen longer to your womanish whir
ings. You are carrying it too far.'
+ 4 +
Agnes, too, rose, fighting down tn
grief and despair in her heart. He
hand rested upon. the table with tn
knuckles pressing hard against the pin
boards.
az think, too. that our children mus
have some religious, training, Ferd
\ nand. I had it, and, if your mothe
had lived, you would have had it. HOY
can you think it right to let our chi
dren grow up unguided in their mos