Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-18

knew how contrary it is to the custom of
your country that young man should have
his wife picked out for him by his mother
you free American citizen
"A free American citizen" he replied,
with mother in the family? Let me laugh!'
which he did, sardonically.
My heart, after the momentary elation,
very-er-masterful?" I asked.
He pursued his idea "A free American
citizen-do you think Father was one? Lis
ten! I'll tell you about father. He was
crackerjack, father was. Started with
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-poice-
man wouldn't let her. But at home-Gee!
there wasn't any policeman! Say, III tell
you something remember. When was
kid at Butte, Mother joined the Woman's
Club and wanted two parlors; so she took
Fathers room and rushed plush suite into
it. And Father-where do you think she
put him? There was Toulouse in the gar
den she had papered and sent him to sleep
there. 1t 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,
morning-asi it did, mostly. That was before
he struck it rich. But couple of years later
he managed to scrape enough together to
buy the Legislature at Helena and have the
railroads brought around by the Little Hen
rietta, his first copper mine and after that
we moved to Chicago and he slept in the
house. But l guess he kind of missed the
quiet of the Toulouse"
1t was the first time had ever heard Vic
tor talk so much. And his discourse, though
rambling, had kind of awful pertinence
that told me this way was closed. Launched
on topic where huency was easy, Victor
swept on:
whole mess,-Father's will. Hang it! l
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? 1t went the round of the
world, fifty millions, disposed of in fifteen
words: L leave all my property, real and
personal, to my beloved wife, Henrietta Nc
Nabb Cobb!' A peach of will, when he
had 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 Quit 1 get.
And when she says Crawl why-darn
it"
A ND as the butler filled his glass again
with champagne he interrupted himself
to drain it to the bottom. His eyes took on
kind of dull sparkle, his voice fell to accents
of acute self pity, as he went on:
ats hard on me. That's what it is, it's
rotten hard on me! Look here, III own to
you frankly: I'm not stuck on you, Lii!
Your corking GIRL but I'm not stuck on
the idea of marrying you. I'm stuck on
Fay. She's she's bird, that's what she
is! But what's the use? Mothers got the
screws on me, for fair. I'm the son of a
millionaire; but can't pay carfare or buy
bag Of peanuts without running and asking
Mama for nickel, like two-year-o1d. So,
when she chooses to use me for her bug"
@What?" l cried.
He snorted. "Don't you know, as we'll as
I do, Mothers got bug?"
My eye went to the lady in question, i'm
maculate in her gray lace, her thin shoulders
shining under their enamel. Victor burst
out into grim guffaw.
II see you don't understand United States
yet. Mothers bug, you know. What's bit
ing her, mean. This society business, don't
you understand"
3Ah!" I nodded, understanding. Eyes,
I've noticed your mother adores the monde"
1.-THE what? Oh, yes, the society game
Adore it? She'd kill herself for it! That's
n