Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1918-08-29
The Father S
Helper
~ By Osborn Jone.

leine was visiting boarding school
chum when the romance occurred, and
for that reason perhaps, Dick had for
gotten that Madeleine probably pos
sessed parents and that those parents
might have something to say before
permitting their eighteen-year-old
beauty to become Mrs. Dick Stoner.
But Dick knew that, as parents usual
ly rated sons-in-lawto-be,h he was not
undesirable. His record at college
and in business since then, though
not actually brilliant was clean and
progressive, and any father-in-law or
mother-in-law-to-be would not have
much difficulty I'm discovering that his
share OF the Stoner fortune was a
large one.
So 1t seemed as If the matter was set
tied till, after sudden burst of en-
thusiasm on the part of Medicine, as
they sauntered in and out around the
sand dunes at the seashore, She sud
IDENTIFY changed her tone and her eyes
! grew round.
I'D forgotten about father" she
]
! thing we want tO--we are a great trial
to him, you know. and / don't know
how In the world 1 can ever be mar
ricd If he doesn't consent. l just
couldn't elOpe.'
Dick didn't like this intrusion of an
Directing father-in-law. II was much
nicer hearing Madeleine's guideless
| g t., vi
and good features. So he tried TO per-
suade her that the father whom he
had never seen was not such IA gruff
sort after all and that il would be an
easy matter TO bring him around"
"You haven't any idea how strict he
is" Madeleine protested. Hes pro-
fessor of psychology and this year he's
trying To write his greatest book and
and, well, it is very hard to be the
father OF five daughters and Arthur
and Bennett and write book on psy-
choogy. It's hard TO be the father of
five daughters anyhow, he says, espe-
cially when they are the kind of daush-
tiers that we are"
"Why can't he shift responsibilities
till the book is doneT suggested Dick.
Couldn't your mother manage to keep
you within boundsi'
"Oh. mothers just rs busy as she
can be mending US and darning us and
/ planning meals and things. She has a
/ mothers helper To help her and still
she never seems 10 have time 10
/ breathe And poor old father said lie
was going to try to get a fathers
/ helper-to make his task of being our
father easy, just as mother does with
/ her mothers helper So far he hasn't
found anyone that wants the job"
"What would this fathers helper
have To do?" asked Dick, rather
amazed at the turn of Madeleine's con-
versation.
"Oh. suppose he would have TO
help Bennett with his Greek and spank
Arthur. and he'd have To come to meals
and see that we were all there and
maybe say grace. and sometimes just
happen In the drawing room when Mi
nerva's suitors were there. Minerva :
the sumner. you know, and she has
lust coolies of sutorS, and mother says
that father ought 10 appear once In a
while lust to show that there is some
one keeping track OF how often they
come. But father can't stand that
sort OF thing. And | suppose the ia
Tiers helper would have to scold me
sometimes because | am so reckless
when | ridp--mother keeps at father
TO scold me for ii, but he hates to; and
he would have 10 Scold the servants
when mother couldn't manage them
and sometimes, il one of us girls didn't
have an escort TO a dance, | suppose
the fathers helper would have to e
with US. Father ought to, motheI
says, but he hates to-"
my Greek is q little rusty" an
nounccd Dick, when Madeleine had hin
ished her monologue, but l think III
take that position. You say your ia
Their hasn't found anyone for II. AL
right. I'll make tracks for your place
tomorrow and by the time you have
come home I'll be installed and per
haps one of the first things l can d.
will be 10 show father that ii is tc
his interest 10 let his daughter Made
leine become Mrs. Dick Stoner."
When Madeleine reached home n
the end of that week she found th'
; young man whom her father had re
Gently employed 10 be identical witt
the man to whom she had recently be
come engaged, except that he wa
dressed i'm dark blue serge and he
fiance had inclined TO light tweed
I and white fannels. Besides he spok
In voice that was subdued and TIT
q speech was free from slang-not vet.
i, much like the explosive discourse o
the man 10 whom she had recently en-
I gagged herself. And besides, the MAJ
she had known at the seashore hat
been eager TO see her alone and otter
whereas the new inmate of her fatn
er's home. after having been intro
duced TO her, seemed not to motto
. her. II was not till the following ds
/, that they did chance to come upo'
each other in the library.