The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1921-09-25
THE PRoDIGAL FATHER

looms large on the literary horizon.
He was the son Of an indulgent faith
err, and one day made the unreason-
able request that his share of the
patrimony be given him. In good
: faith the kindly father granted him
his wish. Soon afterwards the son
swung out into the current of the
world, in quest of adventures. He
journeyed farther and farther away
from the parental home in order that
ne might indulge in his pleasures UNI
observed by family acquaintance. He
came into far country, had many
interesting associates, who called
themselves his friends, and with these
he plunged headlong into unrestrain-
ed debauchery All went well while
his money lasted But famine arose
/ in that country, and he soon found
himself poverty stricken and friend
less. Going from bad to worse, he
gradually descended to such depths in
the social scale that he offered to
serve as a swine-herder and finally
endeavoped to appease his hunger
with the very husks that were thrown
to the swine. 1t was then that his
dsillusionment was complete. Re-
Numbering his fathers house, and
that the mental hirelings there were
living in luxury as compared with
himself, he determined to go back.
But he could not consistently return
as the son of his father; his notori-
,ous behavior had wholly untitled him
for such a prerogative-but he could,
perchance, serve as hired laborer.
81 will go to my father" said he to
himself at last, "and will say to
him: Father, | am not worthy to
be called your son-make me one OF
your hired servants " He returned.
There was a complete "transvalu-
alton of values" on the way, Going |
he had been surrounded by many
friends, with whom he had exulted
in pleasurable intoXcation. Return
ing he was alone, lonely and sad, clad
in the rags of the far country and
spurned by his former associates. But
he persisted in carrying out his reso-
luton. Finally his fathers house
appeared in the distance. He halted.
How could he summon sufficient
courage to face the fine old gen
tleman! But his father saw him
from afar, and ran to meet him. Amid
sobs the son said: 81 am not worthy
10 be called your son-make me
Iglt the father would hea" no more.
Despite the rags, he folded his son IN
his loving embrace, led him into the
Did home, clothed him with new gar
nents and ordered festal celebra-
ion. for. said he: "This, my son,
vas dead and is alive again-he was
lost and is found" Had the great
Nazarene given no other utterance to
he world than this touching story it
would have immortalized him in lit
erature.
1t was Saturday evening. Charles
Gordon was at the Athletic Club, as
usual. But he was alone, and oc-
,upied a secluded corner of the spa
,ious buffet. His large brown eyes
we're looking listlessly about. How
ever, as he heard the opening of bot
tie, the clink of glasses, the loud
ak laden with no little vulgarity, it
palled upon him. He wondered how
his sort of life could have fascinated
him for so many years. He expert
need a complete TRANSPORTATION of
values" How he had neglected his
devoted wife and their son Chester
How sclfish-centered, even selfish, he
had been! He saw as in vision
the pathway of their life. All along
the way the fine personality Of his
wife had diffused sunshine, had scat
tered flowers. He saw thorns there,
too. but they were Of his own plant
ing. He had, indeed, provided well
for his family, but, as he recoileeted
now. he had only provided things.
THINGS, THINGS that money could
buy-he had not given what a good
woman and a growing child crave
above all else in the world; affection
As he realized this a darting pain
pierced his physical heart. Besides.
Chester was no longer a mere youth.
but had slipped almost unawares into
manhood. Had he ever entered sym
pathetically into Chester's life Had
he been an ideal parent TO this. his
bnly son? Had be cooled his child
ish fevers. cslmsd his boyish frets