The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-01-15

call II the country II will be city
In two or three years"
Good graclousw the Major ex-
claimed, affecting dlsmny. $50 your
little shops are going to ruin all your
old friends, Eugenel"
UNLESS my old friends take warn.
Ing In time, or abolish smoke and get
new kind Of city government"
well, well !" the Major laughed.
You have enough faith in miracles,
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 II, Major;
ana 1t 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 authGritv who checks idle pratt
tie and settles n matter forever.
Automobiles are o useless nuls-
ance," he said.
There fell moments silence.
Isabel gaZed incredulously at
George, color slowly heightenlng upon
her cheeks and temples. while Fanny
watched him with quick cagerness.
her eyes alert and bright. But Eugene
seemed merely qulzzlcal, as IL not talk
Ing this brusquerle TO himself. The
Major was seriously disturbed.
"What did you say George?" he
asked, though George had spoken but
too distinctly.
81 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 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 inventng
them. II you weren't so thoughtless
he might think you rather offensive"
"That would be too bad" said
survive It,"
Again there was n silence, while the
Major stared at his grandson, aghast.
But Eugene began to laugh cheerfully.
I'm not sure he's wrong about au-
tomoblles," he said. "With all their
speed forward they may be step
backward in clvilization-thnt 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. 1
think mems minds are going to be
changed in subtle ways because of au-
tomobiles; just how, though, 1 could
hardly guess. Perhaps, ten or twenty
years from now, IL we can see the in
ward change in men by that ,ime,
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, apologl2ed for having an en-
gagcment which made his departure
necessary when he would much prefer
to lngeri and left them at the table.
Isabel turned wondering, hurt eyes
upon her son. George, dearw she
said, "What did you mean?"
"Just what | said" he returned,
lighting one OF the Majors cigars.
lsahers hand, pale and slender, up.
on the tablecloth, touched one Of the
fine silver candlestlcks almlessly; the
fingers were seen TO tremble. "Oh, he
was hurt w she murmured.
II don't see why he should be-"
George said II didn't say anything
about him. What made you think he
was hurtW
u know him!" was all Of her reply,
half-whgpcred.
The Major stared hard at George
from under his white eyebrows. "YOu
didn't mean him. you say, George? /
suppose IL we had q clergyman ms a
guest here you'd expect him not to be
offended, and to understand that your
remarks We're neither personal nor un-
tactful IL you said the church was a
nuisance and ought never TO have been
invented. We seem TO have new
kind Of young people these days. It's
new style OF courting a pretty girl,
certainly, for young fellow to so de-
liberately out of his way TO try and
make an enemy OF her father by at
tacliing his businoss BY Jovel That's
= new way to win womanw
George flushed angrily and seemed
about tn of'er retort, but held his
breath for moment; and then held
his peace. II was Isabel who respond
ed to the Major. "oh, nor she said
Eugene would never be anybodys
ehemy-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
what he was saying-I mean. without
realizing Its bearing on Eugene"
swell. we'll" said his grandfather,