The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-04
BY DONALD ALLEN,
Copyright, 1911, by Associated Lit

] Copyright, 1911, by Associated Lit
erary Press)
/ MIR. John Desraw, the sturdy.
steady old broker and banker, sat in
/ the library Of his office at home
waiting for his son Perry 10 come in
for an interview. Perry was u young
man OF twenty eight and there had
| been Interviews In the past-many in
/ terviews. They had been held Tor
/ Perrys benefit. but he HAD not
seemed to benefit thereby
This was to be q sort OF farew eli
! Interview. Not that the father ex-
pected to die sooA or expected his
! son 10 die. or intended To turn HIM
! outdoors, but he had been saving up
| some vigorous opinions for a year
/ past which were to be delivered on
TINS occasion.
| II may be said OF MIR. Perry De-
sraw that he had an iucome--he be
/ longed to three clubs--he thought he
| was tast~-he had been abroad. and lie
was no masher. In spite of all he
| could do to Do a tremendous fellow.
lie Was considered TO have principles
and to be harmless. Perry waa not
u college graduate. lie had developed
no talent Tor business or q profession.
lie was Just taking things easy ana
getting ready 10 shoot tigers IA India
and elephants in Africa, The. father
had fretted and famed more or less,
but there HAD been no change
Enter the son for tho interview.
The father sat with stern look on
his face.
oh. now. governor. / say. don't
greet d felIah this way" said Perry.
who had ON his English morning sult
and WAS speaking to match the checks.
Son. said the father after IL long
look at him, you are an ass.
Bjoye, governor
"A silly ASS. Perry.
"ttve time. ten times over. You are
cipher. gu nave "a cabbage head
on your shoulders. lou would nos
know enough To come III when 1t ralned
II a policeman didn't give yoa a shove.
Am | too last. governor asked
the astonished Perry.
Too fast by. son, Yea don't
know the meaning of this word, aou
couldn't be last, You were never
+ over two cocktails in an evening. GA
never won or lost over s. on horse
race. The newspapers never refer to
! YOU as Ii higa roller"
But, Governor the feliahs all say"
Il know it. They all say that you
are wouldb be- but yon- haven / the
brains TO BLOSSOM out Sorry for you.
son--m.ghty sorry. / know Just how
you must feel
But this Ism fair, doncher kpoW,
protested Perry.
There you go with another of your
50 f. headed s.-l.t.Fa, but what
/ an empty pate. GU spent three
months in London. and you came
back with English clothes and Eng
fksA aoachsSs4 Does AZ Ems iisnnan
go back home from the States To ape
US and mako e. fool Of himself p
That's a new one on me. Governor
] must get that OF at the club. Is
the interview at an end 2"
Almost / just want to say that
the other day you quite finished Your
career as a braying ass. II has come
to my ears that you made d wager
with another of your ilk that you
would have the widow Strong In love
with you within a year"
Yes. GOVERNOR bet of ten dol
lars oomplacently replied the son.
And you have mover even been in
troduced to her!"
Nevar, Gov"
by hundred, but YOU are forty
fools rolled into one! What's a father
to do with such an offspring
"Oh. III win the wager all right.
Got me- little plan all worked out.
Its tremendous. 4ov--positively tre-
LHGHupuS. on Will pS SURPRISED WnGn
1t unfolds. You will discover that
your son, Perry. has brains after all.
B'jove. you'll pat me on the back
after it's all Overt"
The father turned away and looked
out OF the window for IL moment, and
then quietly said:
Perry, we have never had a fool
In the family that have heard OF
and l don't like tho idea 1t seems
that must put UP with It. however.
DO this much for me, please, Don't
be Just common fool. but go In for
great things in that line. Gamble.
wager. yet drunk. Get flying ma
chine. Eiope with somebody's wife.
kill three or four people with your
auto. Start for the North Pole. Go
about with. a hobhlc skirt on. Ii
you'll go In to be the biggest fool In
America I'll furnish you all the
money you can make use of it,
Sorry. GoV.-sorry--but l cawnt
do 1t. We know" was the reply "Got
my little plans to look out for. Would
Like to oblige, but must decline. No
hard feelings, ! hope. Thanks for
your kind wishes. By-by."
Mr., Perry Decraw livsd at his
clubs and appeared at his fathers
mansion only at intervals. Some
times he was seen only once a month.
On this occasion he disappeared after
the interview. and 1t was weeks be-
foer he was heard Of again. There
was a report that he was investigat-
ing the Panama Canal. but 1t was
not considered reliable. No orr wor-
ried about him, however.
The widow Strong owned and oe-
cupied manor house forty miles
from the city She WAS still Young
woman, member of the best So
ctety, and wealthy. One afternoon.