Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-08-02
Clariice' S
Father Objects

well, Well" said the middle-aged
man, surveying his daughter at the
dinner table, Are you going to a
party? You're all dressed up"
mo-" said his daughter There
isn't any party, father"
"Clarice put that dress on" ex-
planned her mother with a great effect
of carelessness, because she expects
q caller this evening
The middle-aged man sat back and
stared. "Caller!" he exploded "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,
more than seven. You were rolling a
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 I was six
teen! You might as we'll get used to
the idea"
Il don't like it," insisted the middle
aged man. 1T makes me feel that |
shoulds wear carpet slippers and carry
cane to support my tottering foot
steps. Besides, the boys of today are
| a pretty poor lot.
When | was boy it was very
Different" went on the middle-aged
man. Everybody was in moderate
circumstances then and the young
men were all bright, earnest fellows
with a 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
can't stand it 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 it 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 a
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 a shotgun!
They haven't brains enough to"
Harry Dickinson is just perfectly
I 1ne!" interrupted Clarice. HE was
I his class president at school and he's
in his fathers Office and he isn't
silly! You just ought to hear him
talk"
Il hope | may be spared that in
fiction" said her father AT my age
my endurance isn't what it used to
be. You're too young tt get your
1 head full of boys Ind matrimony and
! such things. I haven't brought you up
1 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! 1t 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 Who 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 far seeing
eye and l know what's coming! If
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!"
HIM" said the middIe-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 gaze as
the photographer has made QUIT It's
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