The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-11-21


up National avenue. My relatives, the
Sharons, have sold their house and are
building in the country-at least, they
call it the country 1t will be city
in two or three years."
"Good gracious" the Major ex-
claimed, affecting dismay. $50 your
little shops are going to ruin all your
old friends, Eugene!"
"Unless my old friends take warn
ing in time, or abolish smoke and get
a new kind of city government"
swell, WE'LL" 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 you?'
'They're already doing 1t, 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 a lond and
peremptory voice, using the tone Of
one in authority who checks idle pratt
tie and settles matter forever.
|. Automobiles are "a useless NUS
ance," he said.
There fell a moments silence.
Isabel gazed incredulously at
George, color slowly heightening upon
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.
II 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'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. If you weren't so thoughtless
he might think you rather offensive"
"That would be too bad" said
George coolly. II 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.
sim not sure he's wrong about au-
tomobiles," he said. "With all their
speed forward they may be a step.
backward in civiliEation-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, 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-
line engine, but would have to agree
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 linger, and left them at the table.
Isabel turned wondering, hurt eyes
upon her son. George, dearw she
said, "What did you mean?"
"Just what I said," he returned,
| lighting one of the Majors cigars.
Isabers 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 hurt!" she murmured.
81 don't see why he should be-"
George said. II didn't say anything
about him. What made you think he
was hurt?"
II know himl" 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? 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 I'M
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
new style Of counting a 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
lacking his businessl By Jovei That's
a new way to win woman"
George flushed angrily and seemed
about to offer retort. but held his
breath for a. moment; and then held
his peace. 1t was Isabel who respond
ed to the Major. "Oh, nor she said.
Eugene would never be anybody's
enemy-he couldn't land last of all
Georges. I'm afraid he was hurt, but
don't fear his not having understood
that George spoke without thinking of