The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1914-09-17

81 8 classics.
Everyt h in 6
about Mr.. Bookman was dingy and
melancholy. The world in which
he lived was surrounded by creditors,
who merely knew him as debtor to
be continually carried forward in their
books. His children looked upon him
as man of mystery, woefully deficient
in small change; while his wife real
lied that he possessed real ability and
no income to speak OF.
The only oasis in the Sahara of the
Bookman family was Lucretia, the ED
est OF the six daughters, She was an
eminently practical girl. One day she
said to her father
Il have long been thinking of our
position, and 1t seems to me that
unless something is done at once we
shall starve. There are six of us girls,
and not one earning cent. | have
had an offer of marriage from Fred
Harris, our baker
What" gasped Mr.. Bookman.
Eyes, father; our baker He is not
a literary man, but he has sood bust
ness"
This is Terrible" exclaimed the
ph. d. What madness has seized
you, my daughter"
NO madness, father; am talking
plain sense. Listen to me for min
ute You know that we have never
been oyerred, though perhaps over
educated. ! will never marry man
connected with either education or lit
erature | have decided to marry Mr.
Harris, and. if want to read Plato
afterward, shall be able to do so
near a good warm stove"
But Lucretia, Socrates says
"Bother Socrates, father, and all his
tribe" reioined the young woman
"He would be arrested as vagrant in
these days. Fancy the poor old man
stopping people on the streets and
asking their opinion on the tariff,
bimetalism or the Filipinos. Mother
SAYS she is willing to have me marry
the baker, for it means Unlimited
bread and cake for the Bookman fam
ily."
For minute or two Mr.. Bookman
was silent. He was thinking deeply,
and along a line Of thought that was
new to him.
81 am becoming interested In what
you say, my dear" he finally re-
marked. but bread and cake are not
the only necessaries. Only this morn
Ing your mother told me we are In
need of coal again
well, father, before next winter
comes, Jennie may marry young Hart,
| the coal merchant Of South street; he
has called on her three times this
/ week"
Father and daughter continued the
conversation for more than an hour
| that dull March afternoon. Mr.. Book
| man began to see things in different
| light, and gave his consent to Lucre
! tia's marriage. That bright young
woman urged her sisters to keep g
! sharp lookout for business men, anC
before the month Of April was ovei
she led the way By marrying Free
Harris. In June, Jennie married the
| coal merchant: and Lucinda, the sec
ond girl, became the wife Of George
| Ross, a neighboring butcher, Thing!
looked brighter for the Rookman fam
lily.
In discussing with his wife the erea
change in the familys affairs, tht
head of the house thus expressed him
self:
you see, my dear, how much W.
are indebted to Lucretia's practica
mind If my father had insisted OF
me becoming blacksmith, or shoe
maker. he would have been wiser; ant
|, no doubt, would now be better of
Think of the years | have spent II
trying to lead the youth of this tow
around the moss-coyered Parthenon
getting only small fees in return. Blu
we are now connected with trade, an
although | am no politician, ! apprt
ciate a free breakfast table.
"The aucients,' he continued, warn
ing to his subject, seem to have sal
isned their hunger with dialogues, bu
such airy nutrlment as that Is no
suited either to this part of the glob
or to the present age"
t mo, indeed replied his Wifi
Only yesterday | bought some comb
from Harvard graduate. He spok
, so nicely. but seemed thoroughly di'
, heartened. He said he is not ia
enough to join the police, over az
for the army, and far too bilious
, enter the navy. | think he said h
took four scholarships, but he d.
4 clared that If he failed to sell tn
I dozen combs he had with MIN befoI
night, he would commit suicide"
. Very sad. my dear" remarked NJ
y Boolkman. Just listen to this lit
3 verse | wrote this afternoon;
, Education Is no good
To take the place OF daily food.
o Half loaf and level mead