The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-10-14

eight years of age with whom he
couldn't converse. There wasn't any
thing wrong about the conversing APP
paratus of either the father or his
boy.
The trouble was that they spoke
different languages, The father spoke
English only. The boy spoke nothing
but French.
The father was a business man of
means and what is called in our set
regular Teller. That is to say, he was
a sound, wholesome American, with
common school education and very
large COB of business sense of the
money-getting kind. Also, he was
kind and generous man.
He married a girl who was consid-
erably on the kapoo side, education
ally spanking. That is to say, she'd
done the trick at Wellesley, which is
enough to say that by the time she
reached the manageable age she
knew quite a lot
After leaving Wellesley she'd spent
three years in Paris with a wealthy
aunt. She became very French in
Paris. Extremely so. In fact, it like
to have broke her heart when her
folks summoned her back to Washing
ton. Her father and mother, in sum-
mOning her back after her three-year
absence, sort o. felt that they were
quite within their rights, taking the
most kindly view of the matter. She
was their daughter, you see. She had
spent five years at college and then
three years in Paris. After eight
years her parents figured that since
they had a daughter whom they very
much liked, why, it ought to be looked
upon as only the fair thing that they
should be allowed to see her once in
a while. Her photograph on the moth
er's dresser and one on the old mans
desk didn't exactly compensate them
for the permanent absence from the
fireside of their only daughter. So
they called her back.
The joke was upon them, however
for about six months after her re.
turn to Washington she married the
aforesaid business man. The boy
heretofore adverted to was born about
year later.
The wife with the Wellesley edu,
cation set great store by the Ian.
guages; particularly by the French
language. She desired that her sor
should have the sure-'nough, honest
injun accent. She herself had it, OF
thought she had-which means about
the same thing-and she meant thai
her progeny should develop, from in
fancy, the French twang what was.
So she imported really and truly
Partisan governess for the boy wheI
/ the child began to prattle. The Pa
risian governess got right on the job
with the result that the boy natural!
fell into the wee-wee way without tn,
least bother His father was forbid
den to speak to the boy in English
He stood for the introduction because
he was an American father There!
no other country in the world where
such a thing coul happen except tn,
United States. But the American
husband and father, be he never 81
squarejawed and aggressive whe:
clashing with his mates in the con
flict of life, is VIGOROUSLY of putt!
when he enters the Vestibule of hit
own home. And so the boy grew anC
grew and prattled French, and his daC
couldn't converse with him not nont
whatever
l had known the dad all his life
but, having been away, | didn't catcl
an actual glimpse of this situation
until the boy was about eight years
old. When | did see it / found i
pretty pathetic stuff. | was invite,
to dinner. The boy sat at table witt
his governess. The wife and go,
erness ratified off the French stuff t
and at him, and he replied to then
with amazing volubility. But the da
of the boy had to sit at the head o
the table and just gaze and gaze an,
gaze at his kid. Not a word could h.
say to him. In return, the boy gaze
at his dad. There seemed to be som
sort of an understanding of the eye
between them, but that was all N
other commerce whatever. | fame
the boy rather looked down upon hi
father because the old man couldn
speak the language of the Gauls.
1t was a queer situation, and tn
mother, perceiving that l so regarde
it, felt impelled to make an explant
,