Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-02-13
Miss Cations
Father
A Household Disturbed BY a
Lovers Advent
BY VAUGHN KESTER
Copyright the International Liter
airy and News Service
BY VAUGHN HESTER

N11Na Ia "
described 1t as a perpetual round Of
gayety. By what process Of reasoning
he arrived at any such conclusion Is
known only to himself. but from out
the depths of his ignorance this belief
had sprung. and 1t bore fruit In an In.
clinaton to curtail n pleasure other
than the purely domestic in which
Miss Caxton might have desired to In
dulge.
II was his custom to observe that II
n had a good home that home was
decidedly the best place for n and
on occasions when he knew Miss Car.
ton was DESTROYS Of spending an even
ing out it was his wont to introduce
this statement at the supper table as
the moral to sundry fables.
Likewise he manufactured m
Gus fictitious conversations supposed
to have taken place between himself
and others, in which Miss Caxton was
held up as a shining example Of do
mesticity. Then he would light his
cigar and saunter downtown to play
at whist until a late hour Of the night.
That there was anything incongru-
Gus In his conduct or any discrepancy
between his words and his acts never
occurred to him.
Once. when Miss Caxton ventured to
point out this apparent difference in
word and deed. he had explained that
the noise the children made wore upon
his nerves, but he was quite sure that
no man loved his home more than he
did and that when Thaddeus. Roder.
lex and Leander, the twin. grew up
n attained a decent age he would
greatly enjoy spending an evening now
and then with his family. Nothing
could have induced him to believe that
the noise wore upon Miss Cations
nerves. He knew very we'll that wom-
en- liked that sort of thing immensely.
He was not a man Of imaginative
temperament or he might have won
dered what he would have done had
there been no elder sister to look after
the children when Miss Cations
mother followed the youthful Lenders
mate out Of this world. II this thought
ever gained a place In his mind he had
put 1t aside with the convincing argu-
ment that in supplying the little boys
with an elder sister he had placed him.
self beyond reproach. Miss Caxton
was a living proof OF that forethought
that marked the serious operations of
his life, nor was Miss Caxton over
looked in this happy adjustment. She
had Thaddeus and Roderick, not to
mention the twin, and even half a twin
was better than no twin at all.
This satisfactory arrangement had
continued for some years when the
advent Of "the fool" upon the scene
disturbed the serenity of the Caxton
household OF course 'the fooI' was
not the name bestowed upon him by
his sponsors in baptism. It was an
appellation conferred by Miss Cations
indignant parent. and he made use OF
II only in his daughters hearing. He
thought It very mean that any one
should slip In and supplant him in his
daughters affection while he was
away playing whist He also was as
tonished that his daughter should seem
to care for "the fool" Though he sell
dom saw him, he was was aware tSat
most Of his ~unoccupied time was spent
Miss Cations society, and he also
knew that each night as he came in at
one door "the fooP' was taking his
leave OF Miss Caxton at another. But
the young mans departure was so
nicely timed with reference to the
charms OF whist that he had never
actually set eyes upon him in Miss Cax.
presence.
Never before having come In contact
with the inevitable. Miss Cations IA.
ther had a poor opinion Of Il. He be-
gan a vigorous campaign. In which he
was uniformly worsted. They had
Bunker Hill for breakfast, Miss Cax-
ton triumphantly crossed the Delaware
for dinner. and CORVALLIS surrender
ed at supper time and withdrew to
play whist, leaving Miss Caxton and
"the fool" in possession OF the Geld.
Miss Cations ability to keep her
temper and preserve that equanimity
which was her most marked character
istic gave her undoubted eminence in
this species of warfare. for the cloud
Of battle hung forever over the house.
Her calmness exasperated her father
more than any words could have done.
Under these trying circumstances a
or less fixed habits would have
taken TO drink as a means OF relief.
Miss Cations father took 10 abusing
the children. The little boys and the
twin began to lead a dogs life. partic-
ularly the youthful Leander, who
70 possess a great though nm
power OF engaging his par
ent far In excess OF all endurance. At
dinner and supper. the only meals
took with their father. they were
barely permitted to speak in whispers.
and then only 10 make known their
wants I'm the most direct English at
their command.
How long It would have been posi-
BILE for this unhappy state OF affairs 10
continue there Is no telling. Miss