Putnam patriot., 1914-10-23
WAS HARD TO PLEASE
By MARY D. ARNoTT.

desk
 His secretary picked it up and read 1t. "No-I hadn't, senator" he said quietly.
 Amusing. isn't it? Very About the most humorous, the most heart breakingly funny thing a girl can do nowadays Is to defy her parents and eiope with some goodfor-nothing man."
 The senator's apopletic countenance became more apopletic; his pacing of the soft-carpeted library floor became more accelerated. He snatched the note from his secretary's hand 'sWhy-whyl holy mackereli she hasn't even told me the idiots name this time. That's the latest amuse- ment of her set I suppose F." He spluttered himself speeches. and sank into deep leather chair.
 John Craven stood quietly beside the great flat mahogany desk, one hip partly supporting him as he leaned against it. It was thus he always stood while the storms that ragged within the elderly senator spent them selves. They never took long. but their effects were telling.
 Miss Virginia doesn't give his name?" he asked quietly after the ticking of the clock had become mo notonous.
 Senator Alcott stretched out fee ble arm with the crumpled message in his hand. He heaved deep sigh.
 The secretary took the message, smoothed 1t out on the polished sur face of the desk, and re-read it.
 Dear Father: was sure you would not want me to marry the man I love. so I married him anyway. If you think you can be nice to us, write me a note-write to Virginia Aicott: I'll ask for 1t in that name at the post office-and will bring him home. Ar fectionately,
 VIRGINIA"
 Senator Alcott watched the secre- tary as he read the note for the sec ond time. See any clue to his name In that?"
 The secretary shook his head. NO. sir; I don't"
 Pretty independent little note from a girl of twenty-two to her father of sixty-two Well, this time she's gone too far Why-why-she never even gave me a chance to object-just took it for granted that l would. He must be entirely beyond the pale.'
 "Or perhaps Miss Virginia just nat urally knew you would consider no one good enough for her, senator ventured John Craven.
 "She just naturally knew nothing of the sort, Craven; she's just natur- ally spoiled and willful and-well. I'm done with her. She can paddle her own canoe now"
 Senator Alcott rose from the depths of the great chair, walked toward the door of the library, opened it, and passed out. His morning mail lay un- touched save the note which had caused his distress. and he left not word as to it's disposal
 Nor did he return to his desk that day. This was a most unusual pro ceeding for the statesman and his sec retary knew that the man was fight ing it out alone; that when he did re- turn 1t would be with his mind made up as to his relations with his daugh- ter in the future The elderly man had been mother and father both to his only daughter, but even the mex perienced eyes of John Craven could see that he had been a poor substitute for the latter and meager attempt at the former.
 It was not that the senator did not have sympathy with his daughter, but that he had failed to show it; and youth is not prone to search for it. He had left her to servants; he had deprived her of intimate friends, even, saying that he had no time to investi- gate the worth of those with whom she chose to associate and since that was the case she had better keep to herself He had forgotten that she was growing up-that she had been a woman for the last few years. As such he had never treated her; he had disposed of affairs concerning her as quickly and in as business-like q fashion as he disposed of his daily nail.
 When he returned 24 hours later to his desk there was no sigh of regret for what he had done, no mention e the incident of the preceding day.
 That he had written to his daughter John Craven knew from the fact that a letter addressed to her lay in the mail basket addressed by hand.
 But after his daughter was no long CT in the house, the old man grew perceptibly older. He became a trif1e more irritable each week. trifie hard CT to please: his letters took longer to write; he concentrated less easily.
 Senator Alcott," said John Craven one morning after three or four months had passed and neither of them had referred to the note Virginia had sent "I am resigning'
 What" thundered the senator.
 q am resigning my post as your secretary I-somehow I feel that perhaps you would find a new assist ant more satisfactory-som one who did not know who. perhaps. would not detect the reason fer your grow ing irritability Your daughter"
 All right accept. told you not to mention her name. It is best. Good-by." Senator Alcott walked from the room.
 As soon as possible John Craven arranged his affairs and left Even the way in which the senator haa