The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-15

.6 Draft on EIi~~ Trtend
 f1~e Ig~Ah

r FEE had no problems for MT Ham,
 ilton Laidlaw Ward except at such AA irregular intervals as it became necessary for him to interview his respect ed sire Then the panics that brought convulsions to the rest of the Worlu' po ltical upheavals, strikes and Varlous cat aclysms affecting capital and lapor, were of minor importance compared Wltn ms personal affairs. The old man stormed and ragged threatened and scolded for days or possibly a week-and then sur rendered. Whereupon Ham proceeded to make up for the lost time and to plot from his memory the penitential period.
 Ham had no particular vices. He was an engaging and companionaple person. Probably if he had not had rich fatner he would have been useful human being. But he had done nothing except enjoy life according to his own sw0t will. He had lots of friends and few enemies. He had a nimble wit and was a great practical joker. He could keep roomful of people rocking with laughter over his innumar- able stories, and was even thought well of by his valet. He dressed well, knew ev- erybody, had a wide acquaintance in Lon don and Paris and had almost a genius for spending money. He had been ex- pelled from two colleges and was proud of it. What he lacked of book learning was more than offset by experience. He was, in short, altogether charming, his smile so engaging, his disposition so say and happy that nobody could be angry with him for long. His father would make the gravest resolutions to put an end to the young mans folly, but Ham would toy with him. would smile and tell a story or two and before the old man knew it he was signing the usual check.
 It was a mystery to Hamilton's long suffering father and to his doting mother how he acquired his spendthrift habits and his insoucance. His father had mar red twice-once to his business and once to his wife, and he was devoted to each. The old gentleman had hoped against hope that Ham would settle down and 20 into business, but Hamilton had no such intention or desire. He was perfectly con- tent to let things continue as they were.
 If it had not been that the elder Ward had suffered some reverses, and also some indigestion, his son might have pursued the even tenor of his way to the end. But when Hamilton Laidlaw was 30 he got the shock of his life. When he went on his ulual pilgrimage of plunder the l old gentleman said "No!'' He said it in voice quite different from that he us- ually employed. He spoke in a cold tone he never had used to his son before. He told the young man some unpleasant truths He told him he was a parasite and a waster: that he never had earned an honest dollah and never had done a worthy deed. He told him his foolishness would have to cease then and there, for he would get no further aid to pursue his evil course. However indulgent the father had been in the past he could not be the same in the future, simply because he had not the means.
 q am,'' he said, probably as much to blame for your present bad showing as you are. I realize the fault is not alto gether yours. But you are not going to squander any more of my money. You will have to go to work. You are starting pretty late. You will have to earn your own living from this time on. You arc unfitted for ordinary business, but there are few lines In which you may succeed if you apply yourself. A lot of no account persons have fattened through you here tofore. at my expense. It will be neces- lsary for you now to fatten at their ex- pense. If you fail you are the one to suffer Now there are two or three branches to consider'
 According to the elder Wards ideas, his son might sell bonds, sell life insurance, or sell diamonds. In either instance it would be necessary for him to use to ad- vantage the acquaintanceship that hereto fore had proved so costly. Father and son discussed the three lines in detail Then the young man, with fine discrimi- nation and some presence of mind, con sidered the mental shock he had received, selected the diamond field. It looked most like ready money. He always had liked diamonds. anyhow. It would not re- quire any r.oney to launch him as a bond seller or as peddler of life insurance, whereas there might be an anchor to windward in the proposition the old man set forth in regard to the diamond busi- ness. The elder Ward was willing to put up S25,000 to establish his son as partner With rather staid and steady person aemed Hodgins.
 It was dreadful experience for Halnil- ton for the first six months or so. To get down town at 10 o'clock in the morning was absurd. if not actually brutal, in the light that his retiring hour for years had been when the milk wagons come out It was difficult to see why he should allow