The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1918-02-16
The Father $
Helper
By o.bo.n jones

&: By o.bom Jones 81
SsSs$s.ss$sas$ssa
Copyright 1917. by the Mcclure Nswspa.
Per syndicats.)
When Dick Stoner, after a stormy
and galloping sort of seaside court
ship, had actually heard Madeleine re-
turn all his vows Of devotion he
thought his struggles to win her rs
his wife were practically over. Made
leine was visiting a 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-law-tO-be, 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 In discovering that his
share of the StOner fortune was a
large one.
80 1t seemed as II the matter was set
tied till, after sudden burst Of en-
thusinsm on the part Of Medicine. as
they sauntered In and out around the
sand dunes ut the seashore. she sud-
IDENTIFY changed her tone and her eyes
grew round.
I'D forgotten about father" she
said. "He Will never let US do any
thing we want to-we are q great trial
to him. you know. and I. don't know
how In the world can ever be mar
ried II he doesn't consent. Just
couldn't elope."
Dick didn't like this Intrusion Of an
Directing father.in-law. It was much
nicer hearing Madelelne's guideless
praise of his own many manly virtues
and good features. SO he tried to per-
suade her that the father whom he
had never seen was not such a gruff
sort after all and that 1t would be IN
easy matter to bring him around"
"You haven't any idea how strict he
u.s." Madeleine protested. "He's . pro-
fessor of psychology and this year he's
trying to write his greatest book and
and, well, 1t Is very hard to be the
father Of flvc daughters and Arthur
and Bennett and write book ON psy-
chology. It's hard to be the father Of
i've daughters anyhow. he says. espe-
cially when they gre the kind of daugh-
tiers that we are"
"Why can't he shift responsibilities
till the book Is donef" suggested Dick.
Couldn't your mother manage to keep
you within boundsf"
'Oh. mothers just as busy as she
can be mending us and darning US and
planning meals and things. She has
mothers helper to help her and still
she never seems to have time to
breathe. And poor old father said he
was going to try to get fathers
helper'-tO mike 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 dot" asked Dick, rather
amazed at the turn Of Madeleine's con-
versation.
'Oh. I 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. Ninerva's
the sumner, you know. and she has
just coolies Of suitors, and mother says
that father ought to appear once In n
while Just to show that there Is some
one keeping track Of how often they
come. But father can't stand that
sort Of thing. And I suppose the ia
Tiers helper would have to scold me
sometimes because I am 10 reckless
when l ride-mother keeps at father
to scold me for 1t. but he hates to; and
he would have to scold the servants
when mother couldn't manage them,
and sometimes, II one Of US girls didn't
have an escort to dance, suppose
the fathers helper would have to go
with us. Father ought to. mother
says, but he hates to-"
my Greek ID little rusty, an
nounced Dick, when Madeleine had I'm.
ished her monologue. 'but think I'll
take that position. You say your ia.
Their hasn't found anyone for 1t. All
right, I'll make tracks for your place
tomorrow and BY the time you have
come home ri be installed and per-
haps one Of the first things can do
will be to show father that 1t II to
his interest to let his daughter Made
leIne become Mrs. Dick Stoner."
When Madeleine reached home at
the end Of that week she found the
young man whom her father had re-
Gently employed to be identical with
the man to whom she had recently be-
come engaged, except that he was
dressed In dark blue serge and her
fiance had inclined to light tweeds