The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1911-08-17
: Clariice,s
Father Objects

We'll. well!" said the middle-aged
man. surveying his daughter at the
dinner table. Are you going to .
party? You're all dressed up!"
NO" said his daughter. There
isn't any party. father"
"Clartce put that dress. on" ex.
planned her mother with great effect
OF carelessness. because she expects
q caller this evening""
The mtddle-aged man sat back and
stared. "Caller!" he exploded. 1.-The
idea! Clarice isn't old enough to have
callers!"
I'm seventeen" his daughter re-
piled. All the other girls"
Seventeen" murmured her father,
bewildered. "shucks! You're not
more than seven. You were rolling q
hoop last week"
Il don't see why you should be so
surprised at her having a caller" in
terrupted his wife. "You began
taking me to parties when was six.
teen! You might as well get used to
the idea"
Il don't like it," insisted the middle
aged man. 1T makes me feel that
should wear carpet slippers and carry
a cane to support my tottering foot.
steps. Besides. the boys Of today are
q pretty poor lot.
When I was a boy It was very
diherent!" went on the middle.aged
man. Everybody was In moderate
circumstances then and the young
men we're all bright, earnest fellows
with serious purpose in life! They
knew they had to get out and hustle
and make something Of themselves
and they didn't idle around with
cigarettes in their mouths and wear.
ing foolish little turned up hats and
sit up nights planning what new shade
in socks they could get to startle the
natives! That's about all they think
about nowadays. except how to spend
dads money!"
IT'S no such thing" cried his
daughter. "Mr. Dickinson is an ex-
ceptional young mani"
That's Infinitely worse!" groaned
her father. IF there is one thing I
can't stand 1t is an exceptional young
mani always feel i'll when one ap.
pears above the horizon. Either he
has a high. pale forehead with knobs
on 1t and eats nothing but desiccated
hazelnuts for breakfast or else he is
wild eyed and has fool theories about
reforming the universe! Besides, ex.
ceptional young men have souls and
aspirations and insist on talking about
them. A life size Sorolla portrait Of
my idea of nothing to listen to is
modern young mans conversation
about his soul!"
you are perfectly absurd!" de-
clared his wife. "The world hasn't
quite gone to the dogs in twenty
years. The boys I've seen aren't half
bad and this Henry Dickinson's father
has an income of goodness knows how
much year. Anyhow, they have
three automobiles and"
That's just it," cried the middle
aged man, pounding the table. That's
the kind of chap I'm going to keep
away from Clarice with shotgun!
They haven't brains enough to"
Harry Dickinson Is Just perfectly
fine" interrupted Clarice. "He was
his class president at school and he's
in his fathers office and he isn't
Silly! You Just ought to hear him
talk!"
!; II hope may be spared that in.
aiction," said her father. "At my age
my endurance isn't what 1t used to
be. You're too young tc get your
head full of boys Ind matrimony and
such things. haven't brought you up
merely to have some whippersnapper
grab you away from under my nose
before I've had time to get acquaint.
ed with you! Why, I've Just got
through walking the floor nights with
you when you were cutting your teeth
and staying home from the theater
because there was no one to leave
the baby with! It isn't fair Just as
you've grown into real human being,
for you to desert me at the call of
some whippersnapper of boy"
my goodness!" exclaimed his wife.
do you think Clarice is going to
marry the first young man '7ho calls
on her? should say no! The child's
just got to have some pleasure at her
age and that's all there Is to It! Who's
going to take her out If she hasn't
any friends among the boys? You're
foolishly set and prejudiced!"
I'm mott" declared her husband.
I'm man Of sense with a far seeing
eye and know what's coming! II
these boys today were like the boys
of my time l."
Here's picture of Harry" said
his daughter. returning from a trip,
to her room. "You Just look at It and
take back all the horrid things you've
been saying!"
"H'm!" said the middle-aged man.
you can't tell by picture! I've no
doubt that in reality he hasn't that
square Jaw at all and, of course. he
hasn't such a clear, straight saza "A
the photographer has made out! IT'S
Just an artful dodge Of the camera to
make him look as though he really