Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-11-18

mo. You are not sorry!" re
: Erted Grismer tartly. You rejoic'
secretly in your defiance of YOU
parents! You have been demoral
lied by the license permitted yo,
by absence from home. You live
| irresponsibIy: you fling away youI
money on theatres! You yourself
admit that you have learned tc
dance. Nothing that your pastor
has taught you, nothing that ouI
church holds sacred seems capable
4 of restraining You from wicked
ness. That is the truth. Oswald
And your mother and / despair OF
| your future. here and" he lifted
i his eyes olemnly-'aoove."
There was an awkward silence.
| Finally Oswald said with sullen
| frankness:
| you see I'm a man, now, and
I've got to do my own thinking.
Things | used to believe seem TOM
my-rot TO me now
"Oswald.'' sighed his mother.
I'm sorry to pain you, Mother,
but they do, And about everything
you object to l find agreeable. I'm
not very bad. Mother. But this
sort of tail; 3nelines me to raise the
devil. What's the harm in going to
show? In dancing? In smoking
cigar. For heavens sake, let a
fellow alone. The line of talk the
governor hands me makes a cynic
of man who's got any brains.
There was another silence; then
Oswald continued:
And, while we are trying to be
frank with each other tilis pleasant
Sunday morning, what about my
career? Let's settle it now,''
Tim opposed to any such frivol-
Gus profession" snapped Grismer
angrily. That's your answer. ADd
that settles it,"
You mean that.you still oppose
my studying sculpture?"
''Emphatically.'
Why" demanded the youth,
father white, but smiling
Because it is no business career
for Christian." retorted his father
furious. sIt is a loose, irregular, |
profession, beset with pit
falls and temptations. 1t leads to
and unbelief-m m-m'
yes. TO nell itself. And that is why
l oppose it,"
Oswald sbrueped.
I'm sorry you feel that way bnt
I can't help it, of course"
do you mean inquired his
mother, that .yon intend to disre
gard our solemn wishes2" M
Il don't know" said the young
fellow, Il really don't know, Mo-
.her. / can't seem to breathe and
expand at home. You've never
made things very cheerful for me-"
Oswald, You are utterly heart
essr'
I've been fed up ON the COVER
lor's kind of religion. on narrow
Jews and gloom: and that's no
rood for modern boy. It's won
Ter have any heart at all, and
l think it's dried up"
That will do" shouted Grismer,
esing all selfcontrol- II your
lome, your parents, and your
creator can not make Christian
f you. there is nothing to hopef
rom you, I'll hear no more
rom you. Go and get ready for
hurch!"
Il shan't 60" said the young I
elbow calmly.
When he went back to Cam II
ridge al the end of the week. it !,
Tas with the desire never to see =
is home again, and with a vague !"
nd burning intention TO get even, y
omehow, by breaking every law .
t the imbecile religion on which
e had been fed up "
Chapter VIII
When Stepfsanie was fifteen :,
ears old, John Cleland took heri =
, Cambridge.
The girl had been attending a ;,
celebrated New York school during =
ne last two years. She had dew =
loped the bearing and manners -
-hich characterized the carefully e
aimed products of that institu- =
on. but the regime seemed TO :"
ave subdued her, and made her :"
atiring and diffident. J"
She could have formed friend =.
alp there had she desired to do !.
}; she formed none; yet any girl
lere would have been happy and 9.
altered TO call Stephanie Quest =,
er friend. But Stephanie cared =,
tile for those confidential and y,
ltimate relations so popular a. l.,
long school girls of her age, !,
She made no enemies. however :,
n engaging reticence and reserve :,
laracterized her-the shy and 8,
istful charm of that indetermin- =
-e age when girl is midway in =,
lie delicate process of transfor- i
alton.
Ii she cared nothing about girls s.
lie lacked self-confidence with dr
'ys, though vastly preferring r.,
leir society: but she got little of y,
except when Jim's school friends =,
ihe 70 the house during holi- Iv
ays. Then she had a heavenly n,
ME Just watching and listening. a,
so when John Cleland foot