Grand Forks daily herald. (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1914-1916, 1914-11-02
FATHERS
lBy E. x. Wool.x.1

~ n VVOo1Sys
Copyright. 1914. by E. X, Wooley.)
Father has got into that state Of
mind where he goes around to the
netghbors and plays variations or the
theme, o sharper than q serpents
tooth is an ungrateful child,'" re-
marked a middle-aged woman to an
acquaintance who had inquired after
the said fathers health.
H seems to think we're not treat
ing him right" she continued, though
goodness. knows we're doing every
thing in u power to make him COM
Portable. He has q sunny, warm DON
can go and come as he likes. eats
what he wants, has his own pocket
money, which I give him out of my
allowance, and is shown every con-
sideration that he will allow in our
family. still he goes around among
folks n accuse us of ill-treating
and starving him, and wishing he was
dead. I suppose it is one of the
alterations Of age" she sighed.
But when 1t ONE to accusing me
Of ungratefulness," went on the mid
dle-aged matron, ut makes ME won
der exactly what he ever did for me
to be grateful for.
He was always one Of those men
who couldn't see why anybody in his
family needed any money, except him
self. Every penny he earned he held
or to until the last minute, and then
he'd invest it in some wildcat scheme
that ate up everything put in it and
never gave up anything ! n return.
Father didn't drink. smoke nor
swear. I don't believe he ever looked
at a woman outside of his w fam
lily. As far as the accepted virtues
go, he was all right.
But from my earliest recollection
my mother was never allowed to han
die a penny. Father bought every
thing he thought she needed. and.
oh, the hideous things he used to
bring home!. l well remember moth
er's despairing look as she opened the
bundles he'd nut before her-and
how she patiently ripped and cut and
sewed together again, to get some-
thing ~presentable out of the impossi-
hle hats and dresses he provided.
Moreover, he. had to see her literally
in rags before he would buy anything
new. and many Is the time my mother
would not even run over to q neigh
boris because her shoes were so burst
out that she vas ashamed of them
and she wasn't the kind to complain
to outsiders.
I'VE children were treated the same
way. We had to buy u school books
SECOND hand, and as we grew up each
one was Suppos 1 to 8 the discard
ed books of the next one. Our clothes
were a fright. and / remember how
hard I cried one time because l never
could have any pretty hair ribbons
like other little girls. Hair ribbons
were extravaganza, my father said.
and when one kind schoolmate gave
me some Of her old ribbons he
wouldn't let me wear them.
I'VE could Join in any of the
school social things because we never
had any money. AS we got older
father wouldn't let us go to high
school because it was all foolish
ness The boys ought to go to work,
he said, and I. the only girl. could
stay home and help my mother-that
was all a girl was good for. But !
quietly studied stenography under a
court stenographer who was going
with n Of my girl friends. with the
arrangement that I was to pay him
when l got a job.
poor mother died before I ever
got that job-poor. dear mother. She
tried so hard to do for us. and we
If she had only lived until we could.
She V e tried to make us love and
respect father, but as we grew older
we couldn't help understanding his
injustice, and SO we gave all our love
to our mother. r.,
Father hasn't a penny of his own
now, and ne is grabbed and peculiar,
The boys ara. all married. and their
wives won't have him about the house
though my brothers say theyiare will
ing to support him in an institution
However, I thought 1 could bear with
father while he lives-I feel 1t a sort
of duty. you know. And as my ,hus-
band didn't object. he has been stay
ing 18th us.
"But when father goes around look
ing for gratitude from his children
I'd Just like to know why he expects
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