The San Francisco call., 1913-11-06
The
Letter To Mary !"
Series
he
OerleS
No. 3. A LETTER FROM JACK

No. 3. A LETTER FROM JACK
NWR CHARLES c. HART. Crest
W Hill. Pa:
My Dear Mr.. Hart-The morn
ing mail brought me a letter from
Mary inclosing the one from you in
which you object to me for a son in
law.
You have that right, and I should
be the last to fail to respect it; but.
as it is a question that involves the
life long happiness of two. I can not
let your objections pass lightly. 1 am
willing to consider your point of view
You must consider mine
If I were to tell you WHO I am
q point which seems to cause you
much anxiety-it would not tell
WHAT am. which is more impor-
tant
AS for the WHO: am a graduate
of Cornell. which know, from your
outlook on life is not much in my
favor. You never went to college:
you achieved success with a common
school education and, like many men
of your kind, have contempt for the
rah-rah quality of finish the college
gives.
That was graduated with honors.
therefore. is not in my favor. for
overshadowing that so called distinc-
ton is your prejudice against man
who lets his father pay his bills and
keep him in school at an age when
you, by your own efforts, had laid the
foundation OF your fortune.
To have had a wealthy father was
my misfortune. Even you, who so
highly esteem self-effort, can not
blame me for that. 1t was also my
fathers money that started me in
business out here in California, but
wish TO add that in the 10 years
! have been at 1t I have paid back
every cent he advanced, and now
have an income that should make me
eligible as a husband, if income were
the only point to consider.
HIS FATHER
I could point to the long and hon
orable record Of my father in this
state. but as good men proverbially
have worthless sons, that would not
help. I could tell you that my mother
was an earnest, God fearing woman.
and that I was the greatest joy life
held for her in her declining years,
but mothers have way of finding a
blessing in children whom outsiders
would regard as a curse, so her last
letters to me, her sasr words. would
not relieve the situation
You say that Mary does not know
what my standing is in this town.
I have been mayor. but the ofice
Of mayor is often purchasable; my
name is good at the banks here for
any sum; so is the name of the
towns biggest gambler. I am a mem
Der of the Episcopal church. and give
literally but that is a sinners popu-
lar whitewash and I claim no credit
for it.
Regarding my private life: I have
done my share of blazing a trail on
the primsore path. Indeed, to speak
frankly, there was a time when I
worked overtime. I can not claim TO
have reached the age of 80 and have
remained virtuous. Would you be-
lieve me il I made such a claim?
But / say this to my credit when
all is counted against me: 1 never
started any woman wrong. and God
helping me, I never will And I have
been instrumental in reclaiming girls
who had set their feet in the wrong
direction.
1t seems 10 me. then. I can give only
two indisputable reasons why you
should accept me as a son in law:
First, your daughter loves me; Sec
ond I love her
In doubling her selection. you doubt
her judgment, her good sense and her
power to discriminate You compare
the selection Of a husband to the
choice of the doll she made as a child
forgetting that she has become a
woman Forgetting, also, that she
never chose a friend to her discredit:
forgetting, also, that she never took
TO your home any one of whom you
would be ashamed; forgetting. also.
that she has always unselfishly con-
sidered your happiness, and all she
asks now is that you consider hers.
WHAT 1T MEANS
It is & long way from Pennsylvania
20 California, and her marriage means
taking the light and joy from your
home. I appreciate your feelings. To
call your attention to the home you
robbed IN a similar IasnlOn some 80
years ago would be useless.
To prate pedantically about this be-
ing the way Of nature would not re-
lieve the gloom of your home when I
have taken my sweetheart from 1t
forever You are not a man to find
comfort in platitudes, and 1 am not
a man to give them
am sorry you object. VIII you
not reconsider, for warn you, objec-
tions or approval I intend to have
your daughter. This you may call
high handed, but these are high hand
ed times.
I love her; she loves me; but did /
not KNOW 1 could make her happy,
even Love would not count. Sin
cerely, JOHN B. HALL.