New-York tribune., 1912-02-18

his Wltc picked out Tor MN Oy illS liIo'''N
YOU free American citizen
"A free American citizen he repheG,
with mother in the family? Let me laugh.
which he did, Sardonically.
Nv heart, after the momentary elatlon'
began to sink again. "Then your mother Is
very-cr-nasterful?" | asked.
He pursued his idea. "A free American
citizen-do you think Father was one? Lis
ten III tell you about father. lie was
crackerjack, father was Started WIN d
pick; cashed in for fifty millions, more or
less. But this was how free he WaS,-he
cast his vote as he liked because Mama
couldn't follow him into the booth-poiceI
man wouldn't let her But at homemGee;
there wasn't any policeman! Say, Il tell
YOU something remember. when was a
kid at Butte, Mother joined the Woman 5
Club and wanted two parlors; so Sne TOOK
Fathers room and rushed plush suite INTO
it. And Fathcr-wherc do you think she
put him? There was a Toulouse IN the gar
den she had papered and sent HIM TO sleep
there It was funny to see him winter nights
throw down his Evening News, and light
his lantern, and start for bed with snow
shovel-to dig his way back to the house,
YOU see, in case the snow fell heavy before
norning-asit it did, mostly. That was before
he struck it rich. But a couple OF years later
he managed to scrape enough together to
buv the Legislature at Helena and have the
railroads brought around by the Little Hen
rictta. his first copper minc-and after that
we moved to Chicago and he slept in the
house. But guess he kind OF missed the
quiet Of the Toulouse.
II was the first time | had ever heard Vic
Al flgruh
rambling, had a kind Of awful pertlncnce
that told me this way was closed. Launched
on a topic where fucncy was easy, Victor
swept on:
And here YOU strike the bottom Of the
whole mcss,-Fathcr'S will Hang it. |
oughtn't to blame him, knowing Mother.
But it was tough on me-a rotten shame,
that's what it was. Did YOU ever hear OF
Fathers will? It went the round OF the
world,-fftv millions. disposed of in fifteen
words: L leave all my property, real and
personal. to my beloved wife, Henrietta Nc
Nabb Cobb \ peach of will when he
had a son, wasn't it? But he made it
sound mind witnesses. signs, seals, and
everything. So when mother says Come,'
| come. When she says Get OUT | get.
And when she says Crawl why-darn
it"
AND as the butler filled his glass again
"A with champagne he interrupted himself
to drain it TO the bottom. His eyes took on a
kind Of dull sparkle, his voice fell to accents
of acute self pity, as he went on:
It's hard on me- That's what it is, its
rotten hard on me, Look here, I'll own to
YOU frankly: I'm not stuck on you, Lii.
You're a corking girl; but I'm not stuck on
the idea of marrying YOU. I'm stuck on
Fav. She's a-Shc's bird, that's what she
isl But what's the use? Mothers got the
screws on me, for fair. I'm the son OF
millionaire; but can't pay a carfare or buy
a bag Of peanuts without running and asking
Mama for nickel like two-ycar-old. So,
when she chooses 20 use me for her bug
"What?" | cried.
He snortcd. Don't YOU know, as well as
DO, Mothers got bug"
Nv eve went TO the lady in question, inn
macuatc in her gray lace, her thin shoulders
shining under their enamel. Victor burst
out into a grim gutfaw.
Il see YOU don't understand United States
vet. Mothers bug, YOU know. What's bit
ing her, mean. This society business, don't
YOU undcrstand;'
"Ah!" | nodded, understanding. "fcs,
I've noticed your mother adorcS the monde.
The what? Oh, YES, the society game.
NI,r, ~ Shp'I l-ir herself for IT, That's