The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-01-18
##MM

GENE: A small town in N orthern |
West Virginia. Parker had just |
sold the house with the grocery |
store, in which he and his wife
had lived and toiled during forty-one
years. A new grocery, containing |
many articles formerly not obtainable
IN the town, had been opened near
Parker's, and commenced to be largely |
patronized. The new concern wanted
Psrker's site and had made him such a
good offer for the property, that Par
ker, who was getting old, had sold it to
them.
Parker had made and saved money
while in business. Before his daughter
Annie had died at the age of seventeen,
the pleasant ways of the young girl had
lent an air of cheerfulness to the little
store; but, later on, the sedate, almost
morose demeanor of Parker and his
wife, both of whom tended to the store,
had changed the aspect considerably.
The Parkers had two sons Alfred,
the favorite of his parents, had been a
handsome and talented boy, who at the
age of ten, had been sent to relatives in
Philadelphia, where he attended high
school and afterwards college. He be-
came a lawyer, succeeded in getting a
good clientele, married into high and
aristocratic New York family, to which
city he then moved, and was the pride
of his parents. Tom, the younger son,
never showed much ability. He attend
ed the common school in his home
town, and even there he was most of
the time at the foot of his class, much
to the disgust and vexation OF his
mother. When he was fourteen years
old, his father wanted to make him
clerk in his store; but Tom felt no in
clination for indoor work, and begged
to be allowed to choose some occupation
at which he could work at in the open
air. After much wrangling, the par
ents, with ill-concealed aversion, told
him they did not care much what be-
came of him, and raised no obstacle
when Tom had managed to obtain en-
ployment with vegetable gardener in
New Jersey.
In the course of the years, Alfred had
visited his parents five or six times for
day or two. He came to the funeral
of his sister Annie, bringing costly
wreath for the bier. Tom did not come
but wrote condoling letter and sent
a self-made wreath of forget-me-nOts.
About eight years ago he unexpectedly
appeared at his home. He had become
a strong, healthy and good-looking
man, and told his parents that he was
about to marry a pretty but poor
orphan girl.
"You had better give up that foolish
idea," demonstrated his father. "A fine
fellow like you can always get girl
with a few thousand dollars, which
would start you in a business of your
own"
"But Lucy is such sweet and gOod
girl, father! We love each other dearly
6llU SuO uoo LILY pIOuuloO WuAOA L Oh0A
never break. There is good bu
sadly neglected little farm near oul
place, which can be bought for $25OO
There is mortgage of $4,000 on it
The owner says this can remain on thu
place, and that can have it by paying
$4,000 cash which is exactly th'
amount 1 have saved. But it wOul(
require another $4,000 to get the farm
in working order, and thought 20,
might help me-"
"Don't get that notion into you
head" interrupted the father. II an
not going to give money to son VIII
disregards my wishes. But 1 tell yo1
what will do. If you will coloe home
take charge of the store, and atten
strictly to business, shall not objec
to even a poor daughter-in-law."
Tom declared he could not do ths
and, not being pressed to remain, II
turned to New Jersey the same ever
ing, and his parents had not seen hi1
since.
The old folks had all their furnituI
removed to storage. They ha
turned house and merchandise over