Cleveland County herald., 1919-11-27

 ly. "There's no hope of it, and al- ready the boarding house is marching up National avenue. My relatives, the Sharons, have sold their house and are building in the country-at least, they call it the country It will be city in two or three years"
 Good gracious !" the Major ex- claimed, affecting dismay. "So your little shops are going to ruin all your old friends, Eugenew
 Unless my old friends take warn ing in time, or abolish smoke and get a new kind Of city government"
 "Well, well :" the Major laughed. You have enough faith in miracles, Eugene-granting that trolleys and bi- cycles and automobiles are miracles. So you think they're to change the face of the land, do you?"
 "They're already doing it, Major; and it can't be stopped. Automo- biles-"
 At this point he was interrupted. George was 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 matter forever.
 Automobiles are useless nuis- ance," he said.
 There fell a moments silence.
 Isabel gazed incredulously at GnnrnC c,Io her cheeks and temples, while Fanny watched him with quick eagerness, her eyes alert and bright. But Eugene seemed merely quizzical, as if not talk ing this brusquerie to himself. The Major was seriously disturbed.
 "What did you say, George?" he asked, though George had spoken but too distinctly.
 "I said all automobiles were a nuisance" George answered, repeating not only the words but the tone in which he had uttered them. And he added; "They'H never amount to any thing but nuisance. They had no business to be invented"
 The Major drowned. "Of course you forget that MT. Morgan makes them, and also did his share in inventing them. If you weren't so thoughtless he might think you rather offensive"
 "That would be too bad," said George coolly. q don't think could survive it'
 Again there was a silence, 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 a step backward in civilization-that is, in spiritual civilization. But automobiles have come, and they bring a greater change in our life than most of us suspect. They are going to alter war, and they are going to alter peace. I 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, if we can see the in- ward change in men by that time, shouldn't be able to defend the gaso-
 
 with him that automobiles had no 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 finger, and left them at the table.
 Isabel turned wondering, hurt eyes upon her son. George, dear" she said, What did you mean?"
 "Just what I said," he returned, lighting one of the Majors cigars.
 Isabel's hand, pale and slender, up- on the tablecloth, touched one of the fine silver candlesticks aimlessly; the fingers were seen to tremble. "Oh, he was hurtl" she murmured.
 'I don't see why he should be-" George said. q didn't say anything about him. What made you think he was hurt?"
 q know him!" was all of her reply, half-whispered.
 The Major stared hard at George from under his white eyebrows. You didn't mean him, you say, George? l suppose if we had a clergyman as a guest here you'd expect him not to be offended, and to understand that your rema rks 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 a new kind of young people these days. It's a new style of counting 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 tacking his business! By love! That's a new way to win womanl" George flushed angrily and seemed | about to offer retort, but held his | breath for moment; and then held | his peace. It was Isabel who respond ed 70 the Major. "Oh, now she said. Eugene would never be anybody's enemy-he couldn't !-and last of all Georgie's. I'm afraid he was hurt, but