Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1910-11-10
Papa Smiths
Waterloo
BY STACY E. BAKER
Copyright, 1903 by Associated Literary
Press)

Il have told you" roared Papa
Smith, his face fairly purple with rage
that | won't stand for you as a SON.
in-law. The phrase may sound inele-
CANT, but it's just exactly what mean.
Exactly, precisely, and just what
meant" He brought an emphatic and
fat fist down on the desk.
Papa Smith-listed in the annals OF
business as John Anderson Smith,
architect-was at least a hundred
pounds heavier than this youth who
qualled before the arrows of his wrath.
Just now, with the color In his frown.
ing face, he summed up suspiciously
like the last mountain of flesh the de.
posed sultan of Turkey sent over to
wrestle comparatively speaking) dust
weight Americans. Furthermore, the
despot Ia the swivel chair stroked a
stubby, bristling mustachs that the
oVerwrouSht mind of a seeker of a fair
damsePs hand knew to be a collection
OF lightning rods worn to protect the
man from his own pyrotechnic vocab-
ulary.
"Wh-whwhy?" gasped the pilgrim
at the shrine Of paternalism.
"Wh-whwhy?" mimicked the fat
man, steelgray eyes flashing angrily
because, you fool, my daughter must
marry a man. A man. dye hear?
one who does things-things with a
capital IT,"
1t must not be inferred from this
remark that Tommy Briggs, the un-
comfortable reed swaying before the
wrath of this irascible old cyclone.
didn't do things. He did He led cotil-
lions. among other achievements, and.
as he had just proved, he could arouse,
on occasion, sudden rage in the
hearts Of fussy, opinionated papas.
Mammas, on the other hand-those
mammas, at least, who are always
scouting on the ramparts of society
for possible young bachelors OF fam
lily and fortune-would raise their
hands In horror at the idea of refusing
Tommy the hand of any of their
girls.
Unfortunately for the slim young
man with the moIasses-colored hair
and the pale blue eyes, the daughter
of the house of Smith was motherless.
and Smith was contented to have her
remain in the clan OF Smith until more
heady material than the Briggs scion
materialized.
Miss Eva Smith was a girl peach
pretty, and unspoiled by the very nice
society into which she had been
thrown. Tall and slim. with a mass
of waVy blue-black hair and dusky.
dream-lit eyes, the maid was essen
TALLY popular with the young men
of her set.
Best OF all. she liked young Tommy;
in fact, only the night before she had
half-confessed to him her passionate
all-devouring love, and Tommy, backed
by his million dollars and good pros
poets, had trudged manfully to Pepper
Smith for his blessing before popping
the question.
The interview had terminated in
monologue, with Papa Smith doing the
shouting. 1t was all very painful.
not only to Tommy Smith but to the
other occupants of Offices in the
block, who found themselves COM
PEELED to suspend business until the
megaphonic voice of the irate archi-
tect had calmed down.
The meek and lowly suiter asssimi-
lated a great deal of more or less good
advice, and carefully noted prognosti-
cations as to his probable future. He
never had quite realized before, his
personal failings. In the beginning, il
had been rather of a novelty, this
summing up by the old gentleman.
Then the lion-Voiced one had fright.
ened the youth. Seeing this. he had
frightened him still more Then Briggs
had waxed angry.
You can stop your silly ranting. /"
interrupted the suitor, suddenly. "It
makes no difference at all. intend to
marry your daughter, and there's an
end OF it. If you won't give your con.
sent, I'll marry her. anyway. Hear
met"
Old Smith gasped in surprise. So
the worm had turned?
oh. you will, will you?" he grunt-
ed, appreciatively. Why, you toad,
you won't get a chance to propose
to her"
I'm propose to her, all right"
growled Tommy, his eyes blazing.
Don you imagine that won't. She'll
accept me, too"
Papa Smiths fat lips curved TO a
disagreeable sneer.
Il presume"-he spoke slowly and
with scathing emphasis-"that your
idea is to sneak around and whine
| your tale of an abused love In the
girls ears when | am not at home
That, / imagine, will be your way OF
doing things. You are not man
enough to carry your battle into the
open, any more than you are man
enough to get out and earn bread by
the sweat OF your brow"
Young Briggs bit his lips. With an
effort he kept back the burning words
writhing on the tip of his tongue.
Il promise you" the youth an
swered at last, that anything | have