The Ordway new era., 1919-11-21

call 1t the country 1t will be city
In two or three years"
Good graciousi" the Major ex-
claimed, affecting dismay. $50 your
little shops are going to ruin all your
old friends. Eugener
"Unless my old friends take warn
a new kind Of city government"
"Well. well" the Major laughed.
you have enough faith In miracles.
Eugene-granting that trolleys and BIZ
cycles and automobiles are miracles.
So you think they're to change the
face Of the land. do your"
"They're already doing It, Major; |;
and 1t can't be stopped. Automo-
biles@"
At this point he was interrupted
George WINS the interrupter. He had
said nothing since entering the dining
room. but now he spoke In lond and
peremptory voice, using the tone Of
one In authority who checks idle pratt
tie and settles a matter forever.
Automobiles are q useless nuis-
ance." he said.
There fell moments silence.
Isabel gazed incredulously at
George. color slowly heightening upon
her cheeks and temples, while Fanny
watched him with a quick eagerness,
her eyes alert and bright. But Eugene
seemed merely quizzical, as If not TAX
ing this brusquerie to himself. The
Major was seriously disturbed.
"What did you say, George7" he
asked, though George had spoken but
too distinctly.
II said all automobiles were
Nuisance" George answered. repeating
not only the words but the tone In
| which he had uttered them. And he
addedi They'll never amount to any
thing but a nuisance. They had no
business to be invented"
The Major frowned. "Of course you
forget that Mr.. Morgan makes them,
and also did his share In inventing
them. II you weren't 10 thoughtless
he might think you rather offensive"
THAT would be too bad" said
George coolly. II don't think I could
survive It."
Again there was q silenee. while the
Major stared at his grandson. aghast.
But Eugene began to laugh cheerfully.
I'm not sure he's wrong about au-
tomobiles," he said. with all their
speed forward they may be q step
backward In civilization-that u, in
spiritual civilization. But automobiles
have come. and they bring q greater
change in our life than most of us
suspect. They are going to alter war,
n nd hov In 90 AIA
think mems minds are going to be
changed in subtle ways because of au-
tomobiles; just how. though. I could
hardly guess. Perhaps, ten or twenty
years from now, II we can see the In
ward change In men by that time,
shouldn't be able to defend the gaso-
line engine. but would have to agree
with him that automobiles had nc
business to be invented" He laughed
good-naturedly and, looking at his
watch, apologized for having an en-
gagement which made his departure
necessary when he would much prefer
to linger. and left them at the table.
Isabel turned wondering. hurt eyes
upon her son. George. dear!" she
said. "What did you meanT
"Just what said." he returned,
lighting one of the Majors cigars.
Isabel's hand, pale and slender, up
on the tnblecloth. touched one Of tho
fine silver candlesticks almlessly; the
fingers were seen to tremble. "Oh, he
was hurt!" she murmured.
"1 don't see why he should be-"
George said. 81 didn't say anything
about him. What made you think he
was hurt?"
II know himw was all of her reply,
half-whlspered.
The Major stared hard at George
from under his white eyebrows. 'You
didn't mean him. you say, George? I
suppose If we had clergyman as a
| guest here you'd expect him not to be
offended, and to understand that your
remarks were neither personal nor un-
tactful If you said the church was a
| nuisance and ought never to have been
invented. We seem to have q new
kind of young people these days. It's
new style Of courting pretty girl,
certainly, for young fellow to go de-
liberately out of his way to try and
make an enemy of her father by at
tacklng his business! By Jovel That's
new way to win n womanw
George flushed angrily and seemed
about to offer retort, but held his
breath for moment; and then held
his peace. 1t was Isabel who respond
ed to the Major. "Oh. moi" she said.
Eugene would never be anybody's
enemy-he couldn't and last of all
Georges. I'm afraid he was hurt, but
I don't fear his not having understood
that George spoke without thinking of
what he was saying-I mean, without
realizing Its bearing on Eugene"
"Weli. WE'LL" said his grandfather,
rising, at wasn't a very successful III.