Evening star., 1937-08-11
For
Vacation
Idleness
Novel Ire TN en- t
Brings Youngster
Quickly to Terms.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

! John, aged l6, was At home for the
Summer vacation For that rea-
son, unknown and unfathomable he
| felt that vacation meant doing pre-
| cisely as he wanted to do without
| regard for the rights of any one else,
particularly his mothers rights. He
seemed to think she had none. She
| might cook and serve his meals. attend
to his room, his laundry and his bath
room supplies, and cleaning up after
ward, at whatever time he chose to
elect He went to bed when he pleased
and rose when he pleased Talking,
pleading. scolding and threatening had
the same effect-none.
i've got to do something. I can't
20 on another day" said mother to
father, and father agreed. He is too
old to spank, too obtuse to reason
with. III have to do something to
shock him into realization of his place
in the household. But what will 1t
be?"
III tell YOU" said father, after
they had talked over and discarded
one scheme after the other, well
leave him the house. We won't say
another word. Well pack our bags
tonight. In the morning out we 60.
Tell the milkman to leave no more
milk. Take Towser to Mrs. Lynch
You 60 to Grams house and I'll stay
at the ~ downtown. We leave no
address He can get me any time at
the ONCE, but he will have to come
after me. Well have the telephone
disconnected. We're going to leave
him high and dry so he will appreciate
what we mean in the home. He needs
good jolt"
Mother was afraid. Maybe he would
be sick. And who would feed him?
And maybe he would get into trouble
That's his business from tomorrow
on. have an idea that he will wake
up about three days from now and get
q new point Of view. And don't you
say another word to him about any
thing. We've said enough"
Next morning John rose about 10:30.
The house seemed unusually still. He
went to the bath room. No soap, no
towels. Fathers shaving kit was not
In sight. Funny. He called. No
answering call from mother. Now
thoroughly awake, John looked into
his parents bed room. Everything
in order, beds made. shades evenly
drawn. Funny. He ran down to the
kitchen. Nobody about, no prepara-
ton for his breakfast. On the table
he found a note.
Dear John: Your mother and I
thought you might get on as well with
out us as with us and have left the
house. Yours, FATHER"
Now what in the world?
First, rage seized him. He'd show
them. Then anxiety beset him. What
was he to do? There was half of
bottle Of milk in the refrigator, loaf
end in the bread box. Beyond that
very little to sustain a boy who en-
joyed three hearty meals day He
would go somewhere for something to
eat. But where? How would he
answer the questions certain to be
asked?
That afternoon John appeared In
his fathers office.
"Well?" asked father sharply.
What do you want?"
Where's mother?"
Gone to rest and enjoy herself.
What do you care?"
II can't get along without mother.
can't get anything to eat, or any,
thing"
You should have thought about
that these past three weeks. I can't
help you. Serves you right Think
home is stable? Just for your
convenience as shelter and feeding
station? Think again"
1t worked. John saw a great light
He wasn't perfect, but he wanted to
share home with his people and did
what he could toward that end. It
isn't bad scheme to prove to such
boys and girls that play for one can
be play for two, especially when no.
thing else seems to register.
tcopyr.sha. 1e37)