The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-01-24

as he knew how. "Give me a chance
to show you a better time than we
had up at that f~rozen-face point. III
set you some chop suey afterward."
mo. thanks"
"All right" he responded and waved
a fippant adieu. CAS- the barber says,
The better the advice, the worse it's
wasted" Goodnight"
Alice shrugged her shoulders; but
a moment or two later, as the jar
of the carelessly slammed front door
went through the house, she shook
her head, reconsidering. perhaps I
ought to have gone with him. 1t
might have kept him away from what
ever dreadful people are his friends
at least for one night"
"Oh. I'm sure Walters a good boy"
Mrs. Adams said, soothingly; and this
was what she almost always said
When either her husband or Alice ex-
pressed such misgivings. He's odd,
and he's picked up right queer man
ners; but that's only because we
haven't given him advantages like the
other young men. But I'm sur he's
a good boy"
She reverted to the subject a little
later. while she washed the dishes and
Alice wiped them. O course Walter
could take his place with the other
nice boys of the town e. yet" she
said. 'I mean, if we could afford to
help him financially. They all belong
to the country clubs and have cars
and"
Lets don't go into that any more,
mama" the daughter begged her.
Whats the use?"
ut could be of use" Mrs. Adams
insisted. ut could if your father"
But papa can't"
Yes, he can"
But how can he? He told me a
man Of his age can't give up a bust
ness he's been in practically all his
life. and just go cropping about for
something that might turn up
at all. I think he's right about it.
too, of course
Mrs. Adams splashed among the
plates with a new vigour heightened
bv an old bitterness. "Oh, yes" she
said. He talks that way; but he
knows better.
How could he know better
mama?"
He knows how
But what does he know"
r Mrs. Adams tossed her head. You
don't suppose I'm such a fool I'd be
urging him L give up something for
nothing. do you. Alice? Do you sup
1900 p -,,r- LgH, 70 met on frrnnfnu
around like he was telling you? That
would be crazy. of course. Little as
bis work at Lambs brings in, !
wouldn't be so silly as to ask him to
give it up just on a chance he could
find something else. Good gracious.
alice. YOU must give me credit for a
little intelligence once in a while''
Alice was puzzled. But what else
could there be except a chance? /
don't SEQ"
well. I do" her mother inter
/ rupted. decisively. THAT nan could
make us all well off right now if he
wanted to. We could have been rich
long ago if he'd ever really felt as he
ought TO about his family
What Why, how could
You know how as well as I do
Mrs. Adams said, GROSSLY. Il guess
you haven't forgotten how he treated
me about it the Sunday before he got
sick"
She went on with her work, putting
into It a sudden violence inspired by
the recollection; but Alice, enlightened,
gave utterance to a laugh Of lugubri-
Gus derision. "Oh, the glue factory
again. she cried. How silly!' And
she renewed her laughter.
So often do the great projects of
parents appear ignominious to their
children. Mrs. Adams conception of
a glue factory as a fairy godmother
of this family was an absurd old story
which Alice had never taken seri-
ousIy. She remembered that when
she was, about Is her mother began
now and then to say something to
Adams about a glue factory" rather
| timidly, and as a vague suggestion,
but never without irritating him. Then
for years the preposterous subject had
not been mentioned, possibly because
/ VI oOAlAC GApAOS4Ol VII III pdAL u
Adams. when his daughter had not
been present. But during the last
year Mrs. Adams had quietly gone
back to these old hints, reviving her
husbands irritation. Alice's bored i'm.
preston was that her mother wanted
him to found. or buy, or do something
or other about a glue factory, anG
that he considered the proposal sc
impractical as to be insulting. The
parental conversations took place
when neither Alice nor Walter was
at hand, but sometimes Alice had come
in upon the conclusion of one, to fine
her father in a shouting mood, anC
shocking the air behind him with pro
fame monosyllables as he departed
Mrs. Adams would be left quiet and
troubled; and when Alice, sympathiz
ing with the goaded man, inquired o.
her mother why these tiresome bicker
ings had been renewed, she always
got the brooding and cryptic answer
He could do tiff he wanted to.
Alice failed to comprehend the de
STABILITY of a glue factory-to hel
mind a father engaged in a glue fac
tory lacked impressiveness; had M
advantage over a father employed by
Lamb & Co.; and she supposed thai
Adams knew better than her mother
whether such an enterprise would b,
profitable or not. Emphatically, h,
thought it would not, for she haC
heard him shouting at the end of on,
of these painful interviews, You car
keep UP your dang talk till you di,