The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-05-13
OUR DEFECTIVE FATHERS.

OUR DEFECTIVE FATHERS.
Having ascertained the result of the
80 race, the young man was about to
drop the paper when something caught
his eyes. He started to read it.
"Come on" said his friend, rattline
the dominoes impatientiy on the mot
tied marble of the cafe table. cts
twenty past 2 now, and we must have
one more game before we get back to
the office"
"No hurry, Dick,' said the other, "the
governors away, and I heard Benson say
he was going to have tooth out, and
mightn't be back till g." Benson was
the manager.
"Oh, all right" said Dick, lighting a
! fresh cigarette.
His friend grinned over the paper
''This is bloomin' funny he said.
"What is it 2" queried Dick.
''Why, a girl joined the Mormons and
sloped to America Her father borrowed
some money and went after her. And
when he got to New York they wouldn't
let him through. Said he'd got heart
disease and fired him back"
sHa, ha!'' chuckled Dick. "Bloomin
funny!" And they resumed the domi
noes II say, Bert" said Dick at the
end of the game, "why don't you leave
home and 60 halves in my digs?"
81 would if 1 could afford it," said
Bert. ''for I can't stand my old man."
| did he rag you about Monday night p
queried Dick.
mo, luckily, he had an attack of lum
bago, and went to bed early. Mother
sat up for me, and, of course, she would
not tell him I was squiffy. It was nearly
when [ got in.'
"What's the matter with the old man.
then?''
| "Oh, he says I ought to give mother
more money / give her ten bob as it is
How much does he think I can take home
out of two quid a week? And he was
shirty because I lifted a couple of cigars
I found on the mantelpiece, and have beer
using his razor lately. | told him mine
was blunt, the old fool
! .He gases about what he's done fol
me, and says / take everything as mat
ter of course, because asked him to lenG
me 25 bob for my season ticket. told
mother yesterday / was sick of him.
! "What did she say?'
'She said he's always telling her he's
sick of me. And what with his going
on about me and his going on about my
brother Bob, she says she's sick of hel
life"
''All Sick" grinned Dick. eve are q
merry family, we are, we are, we are
What's Bob been up tor
"Oh, he's been foolin' after some CIR
and getting into debt. Took her out il
trap and ran over some old chap, and
his relations came round and tackled my
old man. Said Bob was driving reck
| esslv. and they want ten quid compen
sation. Injured his knee cap or some
thing. So dads got the needle about
that, too. Says everything seems to fall
on him. Bob told mother straight that
with man like father there's no encour
agement to stop at home. He says
same as me, that if he could afford il
he'd clear out. And, as I say to her,
amt kid now. Pm a man, and I like
to be treated as man. Let's have an
other game"
They had another game, and sauntered
back to the office. ''See you at the Pa
vilion tonight" said Bert as they en-.
tered, "and if the old man says anything
| more to me about my money matters and
my follies, and all that much, mean to
| tell him plain that he's the sort of father
that drives sons away from home and
makes 'em so to the bad"
| Meanwhile, the fathers of England are
being uubraided by bishops and states
men. This question seems to have ex-
cited so many people lately that
thought it would be interesting to get
| the opinions of few fathers on the
subject of families.
| [ lrst addressed myself to an old gen.
tleman-very wealthy-with one SON.
what is your view of children as a
source of happiness?" I asked. He
! frowned. '.Take that boy of mine," he
said, grimly. II sent him to Oxford and
told him he could go to Cambridge, too
if he liked. | gave him means to keep
| his end up with the sons of dukes and
earls. He got into society that wasn't
good enough for, and then he went and
married barmaid.'
j perhaps it was all for the best,'
murmured the mother.
'All fer the BEST" groaned the father
| why, she hooked him like fish. anc
she drinks like one And so does he
can't do anything with him.
/ realized that the subject of children
was not popular one in that house. Sc
| went and interviewed a friend who
thought could be regarded as an author
ity-a clergyman with seven daughter:
and four sons. He said his sons had left
home, and he hoped they were doins
well. Having known a few clergymen's
sons did not press the question further
L don't wish to be PERSONAL I ex
planned. II want your views on families
generally He said, speaking generally
of course, that families involved a nat
ural anxiety. And where there were
many daughters he thought there was &
tendency to overrule parental authority
Eyes," I said, alphabetically q
know" I next visited schoolmaster
and asked him what he thought of the
twentieth century child.
"The twentieth century is the chill
dren's millennium" he said. ''Filial re-
spect and obedience are old-fashioned
Il. II.