Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 January 1915 — A SERIOUS FAMILY [ARTICLE]

A SERIOUS FAMILY

By HENRY KIRK.

(Copyright) “The marriage of my daughter, Mr. Wayne, is a matter of the greatest Importance. As you see, it concerns my" entire family. That is why we are all here to discuss- it” Mr. James Brownson made a sweeping gesture with his right arm. The circle included a small group of men and women arranged about the room, half a dozen people of varied ages and descriptions. “It is the greatest event in a woman’s life —her marriage— 4jo you must not wonder at our deliberation. You are thirty years of age, I believe?” *> Wayne shifted in his chair. “Yes,” he said quietly. He was rather weary of the proceedings, although, for the sake of the girl, he was Willing to make certain concessions to the claims and prejudices of her family. “Yes, lam thirty.” “Thirty! And what have you done •with yourself?” Mr. Brownson looked at the young man squarely and aggressively. “Done?” Wayne laughed a little. “Why, I think the principal thing—yes, the greatest thing—l have done la to love your daughter!” He looked at the girl as he said it. She was sitting very quietly next to her mother. Mr. Brownson went on without noting the reply he had made, quite as if It were of too trivial a nature. “You are possessed of a large Income. Fortunately, my daughter does not require it; nor, at the same time, can we say you have ulterior motives In seeking her hand.” Wayne bowed. Mr. Brownson raised a. protesting hand. “You love my daughter—good! But what have you done with your life? Thirty years of age, and what have you accomplished?" Wayne looked up frankly. "I don’t know of anything In parfltular,” he said, “but I suppose I shall do something—perhaps.” “You have occupied your time principally with frivolities and idleness!” Mr. Brownson came out at last with his long-suppressed sentiment. He looked about him. “I have asked my sisters and brothers, and also Mrs. Brownson’s only living relatives, to hear this matter discussed. We are a serious family, Mr. Wayne—simple, serious people—and the marriage of my daughter—” Wayne looked squarely into the eyes of his hoped-for father-in-law. “May I marry your daughter, Mr. Brownson?” Mr. Brownson fidgeted. “One moment, please,” he said mildly. “This is a serious question, and we are, as I said before, serious people. You, as I take it, are not a serious man. You spend your time upon your yacht, in travels of a useless nature, and in this country you race about In a somewhat criminal and reckless manner in your automobile. Do you think it would be wise for a parent to trust his child to you?” The relatives nodded their heads and looked at their folded hands. Mrs. Brownson raised her handkerchief to her eyes. Wayne looked them all over, from Brownson himself at the head, to the little fussing Individual, a nervous aunt, at the fend. He marveled that Cicely could have come of such people. Certainly, she could not follow the bent of her pompous old father, nor yet that of her hysterical mother, who was just now, he was certain, reveling in the thought of her child crushed under the wheel of his big white car, or drowned somewhere in the bottom of the sea. The others were quite Mrs. Brownson began to cry and audibly. “Jennie!” Mr. Brownson raised his hand. Mrs. Brownson did not see the hand; but she knew it was there, for she instantly ceased. “Cicely, what have you to say?” The girl had been looking quietly at the tips of her fingers. Now, she changed her line of vision until It reached the eyes of her father. . “I love him.” She said It simply and without tho slightest trace of emotion or hysteria. It was. something quite settled in her mind, and all the family councils could not possibly change her. Wayne looked at her gratefully. “Cicely!” Mrs. Brownson sobbod sharply. “You wish to leave me!” The relatives raised their eyebrows and thought Cicely showed a certain lack of niceness In her frank avowal. “Mother, you married father!” “What do you mean?" “Every one marries, and I don’t see why Jack’s motor and his yacht should be placed between us.” Mr. Brownson looked with gasping astonishment at his child. It was the first time she had ever asserted herself. “Cicely,” he got out, "do you realize what you are saying? "Do you realize that you are questioning me, your pafent? Are you forget ting your filial duty? My dear Mr. Wayne, I must apologize for my daughter. She cannot know he? own mind, and upon that score as well, I object to her union with you. No, no, it is quite impossible; but what, as I asked you before, what havs you dune with yoar thirty years? Bidden years; wonder years, and yet where are they?” Wayne said nothing. .He was beginning to be unbearably bored.

He was almost nervous. Cicely’s father was her tether, and, since he was. he was worthy *of some consideration; but, despite the fact, he found the bestowal of that consideration rather difficult He thought him an insufferable old codger, quite a fossilized specimen of the race. His thirty years ran before him In swift review. He rather fancied he had occupied them somewhat well. “One thing I have not done—” he began. “And that?". Mr. Brownson looked at him politely. The relatives shared his amiable doubt. “I have never bored any one, I don’t think I have.” He paused quickly and looked at his boots. “I’ll tell you, Mr. Brownson, I think I have occupied my thirty years rather well. I have made myself happy, and tried to make others. I’m sure everyone who has eypr been on my yacht has pleasant memories of it, and anyone who has ever ridden in my car. I’ve taken out all sorts of people, from newsboys to bishops. "I don’t know of any special damage I’ve ever done. Certainly, I’ve never run over any one —not that I know of. I've done my best generally. These are probably negative virtues, but they’re the best I have, all but the biggest and the greatest of them all, loving Cicely.” The relatives looked at each other gingerly. The maiden aunt felt some-what-shocked. Mr. Brownson felt the responsiveness of the circle. "That is very well,” he breathed heavily, “but we are a serious family, and negative virtue is too—well, too negative—quite too much in the abstract to satisfy.” "Then, what I need is seriousness of purpose?” "Exactly!” Mr. Brownson joined his finger-tips. Two of the relatives coughed. Mrs. Brownson gurgled. The girl looked at Wayne and smiled. The man instantly forgot the others and quickly started to his feet. Cicely alone was there, and- she was smiling at him. She was his love and his heart’s desire. She was the most that the world might give to him. He loved her, and that was enough for him to know. She loved him, and there was nothing else for him to know. He started to the center of the room. The girl rose and met him. Mr. Brownson shot up from his seat in amazement. Mrs. Brownson prepared for further tears. The relatives leaned back and waited. “What does this mean ?” Mr. Brownson’s voice hit the note of tragedy. “Do you intend to steal her from me?” Indignation mingled with the tragic. “This Is too much. We are a serious family. You are simply an idle man of the world. We have nothing In common. The conference is over.” Mrs. Brownson decided there were to be no tears. The relatives rose with her. “The conference is decidedly over!” Mr. Brownson loftily repeated. “Father!" The girl gave a little cry. "Fhther! ” Mr. Brownson paused at the agony In his child’s cry. Mrs. Brownson again raised her handkerchief. The others made way for a scene. "I don’t see why you are all this way!” The girl choked a little. "I love him, and he is worthy of more than I can give him. Yes, he is. He’s better than any of us. He’s always doing something for people—poor people. I know. Jack, you know I love you, and my father can never change me!” Mr. Brownson coughed. From the resultant sound it would seem that the cough was uncalled for. “That will do, Cicely; that'will do. A last word, perhaps, may be necessary, and I would suggest that it be made in private. Jennie, all of us. We shall go up to the library. We shall discuss Mr. Wayne’s—philanthropy alone. “Cicely, you will go to your room. Mr. Wayne, you . may remain here, or return in half an hour for our final decision.” With this, the head of the clan Brownson gathered his forces and left the room. Half an hour later he returned again, leading the line. Wayne was there awaiting them. Cicely was beside him. From all appearances, they had never left the room. Mr. Brownson looked at the girl in some astonishment. “Cicely, what does this mean? I thought I sent you to your room. Mr. Wayne, have you taken undue advantage?”

Wanye spoke very quickly. "It means, Mr. Brownson, that I am a serious man myself. I should say—perhaps I am. I rather thought my love for Cicely was serious enough. She agrees with me in the. matter. I won’t apologize for my thirty years, even if I haven’t done anything special for my country. I haven’t built bridges, nor 1 have I operated street railways. But I have done one big thing in loving your daughter. "It has taken up so much of my time that I couldn’t reasonably do anything else. But —” He paused and went nearer to the girl and took her hand. Mr, Brownson shook as if a spasm had suddenly seized him. Mrs. Brownson and the others took their cue and immediately entered upon a wild consternation. “Enough of this! Enough—enough!” Mr. Brownson was livid. "You have no purpose in life, no—” "Serious, Mr. Brownson? I am—frightfully* To show *you trow really in earnest I am—how much in earnest I have heen, about Cicely, why, when you were gone, I took het out and married her 1”