New-York tribune., 1920-10-17

sons.
"Son," queried R. r. Farr, general
manager Of the Eastern Railroad,
what's this l hear about you want
ing to go out to California to marry
that Barrett girl?"
Dick Farr, straight, earnest, Just
out of college, did not deny it.
"Humph! I have something to say
TO you," grimly announced his
father, ignoring his gold cigar-cut-
ter and biting off the end of his cigar
with clean white teeth. Before I
agree to such an important matter
as your marriage, you've got to pro-
duce better girl than that. / don't
exactly care which one, but she has
70 pass one specification | hold
against her. 1t isn't her face or
her figure or her common sense.
Such things help a lot to make q
wife, but you can teach them.
There's one thing neither you nor I
nor anybody else can teach. It's got
to be born
He coughed and waited after this
so uncompromisingly that Dick final
~ felt that he had to speak.
What might the specification be?"
THAT she'd go through hell for
you" answered his father crisply.
He coughed again-his throaty
cigar cough. 'The girl you have,
son, isn't the girl for you. If she
cared bunch of beets about you,
she wouldn't have lit out to Cali
fornia for whole winter and left
you here with the blues. I'd rather
had her curse and swear, or eat with
her knife, or drink out Of her coffee
saucer. or never have seen the in
side of book in her life"
Dick was only human; but he
tried to speak uncxcitedly:
"If you feel that way about the
girl who is going to be my wife,
father, there isn't much use waiting
here at all. might as we'll start
right away tonight" He hesitated
respectfully. "Under those condi-
tions l don't suppose you'll want to
make a practical railroad man out
of me. Shall | try to get something
in California;"
He waited moment. His father
did not answer. Dick bowed and
went silently out Of the room. An
hour later, with two bags in his
hands, he halted irresolutely at the
open library door.
"Goodby, father" he ventured.
"Goodby, son." replied his father
"You are Of age. But don't lose
sight of the fact that your father
and mother"-
"You have no right to speak for
mother" said Dick in a low voice.
"She would tell me to go if she were
here"
Your mother" returned his
father slowly, although | wasn't
worth it, was willing to go through
hell for me. For three years she got
up at o'clock in the morning to
pack my lunch and do your baby
washing, not to say anything about
the washing for herself and me. She
darned our stockings and mended
our clothing until there were pieces
that were more darned than not.
She saved the left-overs from this
meal and that, and out of them made
some Of the best dinners I ever
tasted.
"She did without new clothes for
herself and saved here and skimped
there for three whole years. 1t must
have been hell, but she did it more
sweet and gentle than any saint Ir
the catalogue"
He coughed convulsively.
when bigger job came our way
money wasn't much use. When
had bank account to buy her silks
and furs and pretty housefurnish
ings and all the nice things l otter
saw her look at in the store windows
couldn't buy her anything but
flowers"
He coughed again, his throaty
cigar cough.
"Do you think, son, I could stant
to see anybody not half as good anc
unselfish a. she was take her place
In this house and get the benefit OF
things she never had. when she was
the one who went through hell tc
heaven to help get them?'
Hard faced, he turned his face
still further away.
"Goodby."
Dick, in the doorway, threw off
all the doubts that had tiocked upon
him. tie couldn't back down now
He had said he would go. His bags