Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-06-11
On the Box
By THOMAS R. DEAN


far different from what it would mean
today. In those days the fashionable
people of the land were refined and
intelligent. Now to be ultra fashiona
Die mas questionable sound. One may
De ultra fashionable, yet devoid of or
binary breeding.
The two men referred to looked like
gentlemen and acted like gentlemen.
Shakespeare has described them i'm his
words ito the manner born" They
were always seen together on the
street, and one looking at them would
think them pair of noblemen belong
ing to some lordly English estate In
society they We're known as "Dombey
& SON.
The father, who was a widower,
drifted on, thinking that their COM
panionship would last as long as they
lived. What shock, then, was it
to hiEn when his son announced. to his
father his engagement! The older man
could not believe his senses. But when
he learned that his son was to marry
girl with 10 fortune, that the young
couple could not retain the position
in society that their ancestors, the
Van G.'s, had held for 200 years. his
desolation was complete. He could not
conceive of himself failing to appear
at the functions he had from his youth
been accustomed to attend, and to go
to them without the companion who
had always gone with him would be
worse than not going at all.
The first quarrel the two had ever
had followed. You shall not marry"
said the elder Van G., unless you
marry one of our set and one with
sufficient fortune to enable you to keep
up a position as a married man"
II have asked lady to be my wife,"
replied the son, "and | will not turn
upon my invitation"
Very well, then, you must shift for
yourself"
Harry Van G. married a lovely girl;
but, since it would have required an
income equal to his fathers to take
her in the society he had been used to
going with. he did not attempt it. But
this in comparison with the young
couples real condition was a baga-
telle. They had nothing whatever to
live on and sank rapidly into poverty.
The elder Van G.. though it nearly
broke his heart to go to functions
without his double chose what he con-
sidered the lesser of two evils and
went. He saw nothing of his sOn-not
that he blamed him or was angry with
him, but that he considered Harry out
of the chosen set who had composed
society since colonial days and it
would be contamination for him to as
sOciate with any one except the elect.
One day the elder Van G.-this was
several years since he had parted with
his son-stepped out Of his club to a
carriage that had been called for him.
| Elegantly dressed, as usual, his head
covered with a shining silk hat, his
feet with white spats, his hands with
tan gloves and carrying cane, he
stood for moment looking up and
down the street, then went down to
the cab. The coachman annoyed him,
for instead of looking straight ahead
of him he turned his face in the OPP
pOsite direction.
Mr.. Van G. got into the carriage and
told the cabman TO drive him to the
home of lady social leader. On ar
irving at the door some friends Of the
aristocrat happened to pass, and he
stopped on the sidewalk to speak to
them. When doing so he happened to
cast his eye to the coachman and rec
ognized his son. He was too well bred
to show surprise or shock at even this
contretemps. Nor did he in any way
recognize the Slct that his own off
spring was his cabman. When his
friends passed on he went into the
house before which he stood and after
making a call came out, directed the
coachman to drive him to his home,
tipped him and went inside.
The next day the same cab was
called at the same club for the same
man. On this occasion Mr.. Van G.
was dressed in his most ordinary cos
tune. As he entered the cab without
looking at his cabman he gave his d.
rections as to where he wished to be
driven.
The cabman started. He was direct
ed to take his fare to his own humble
domicile. He whipped up his horse
with as much sang froid as If he had
been directed to drive to a railway sta
ton. considering as he proceeded what
he should do. 1t was evident that his
father had recognized him and was go
ing TO see him and his wife, but what
for he did not know. Harry and his
wife lived i'm n small suit Of rooms In
cheap hathouse. On reaching 1t his
father without the least unbending
said:
Can you direct me to the rooms Of
Harry Van G.|
Certainly. sir" said the coachman
touching his hat respectfully. and he.
leading him to his rooms, rang, and the
door was opened by Mrs. Van G.
Once across the threshold, marked
change came over the visitor. Taking
his sons hand in one of his own, his
daughter-in-aw's in the other. with
wet eyes. he said: