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night； or will it be a Walter success？〃
But Mr。 Hillard； besides being an author and a critic； cared little for the
too literary cleverness of Mr。 Graves。 He therefore heavily crushed that
gentleman's allusion to Wagner's opera。 〃I remember；〃 he said； 〃the
singing contest between Beckmesser and Walter； and I doubt if we are to
be afflicted with anything so dull in this house。〃
Richard had settled himself in the easy…chair； and was looking
thoughtfully at various objects in the room； while the small…talk was
subsiding around him。
〃Why； Mr。 Field；〃 said Mrs。 Davenport； 〃you look as if you could find
nothing to suggest your story to you。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 said Richard； 〃it is the number of things that
suggest it。 This newspaper here； that has arrived since I was last in the
room； has a column which reminds me very forcibly of the experience that
I have selected to tell you。 But I think the most appropriate of all is that
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picture。〃 He pointed to the largest picture on the wall。 〃'Breaking Home
Ties' is its title； I remember very well。 It is a replica of the original that
drew such crowds in the Art Building at the World's Fair。〃
While Richard was saying this； his wife had possessed herself of the
newspaper； and he now observed how eagerly she was scanning its pages。
〃It is the financial column； Ethel； that recalls my story。〃
Ethel； after a hopeless glance at this； resumed her seat near the sofa by
Mrs。 Davenport。
〃There were many paintings；〃 continued Richard； 〃in that Art Building；
of merit incomparably greater than 'Breaking Home Ties'； and yet the
crowd never looked at those； because it did not understand them。 But at
any hour of the day； if you happened to pass this picture； it took you some
time to do so。 You could pass any of John Sargeant's pictures； for instance；
at a speed limited only by your own powers of running； but you could
never run past 'Breaking Home Ties。' You had to work your way through
the crowd in front of that just as you have to do at a fire； or a news office
during a football game。 The American people could never get enough of
that mother kissing her boy goodbye； while the wagon waits at the open
door to take him away from her upon his first journey into the world。 The
idea held a daily pathos for them。 Many had themselves been through such
leave takings； and no word so stirs the general heart as the word 'mother'。
Song writers know this； and the artist knew it when he decided to paint
'Breaking Home Ties。' And 'Mother' is the title of my story to…night。〃
〃Mother！〃 This was Ethel's bewildered echo； 〃Whose Mother？〃 she
softly murmured to herself。
Richard continued。 〃It concerns the circumstances under which I
became engaged to my wife。〃
There was a movement from Ethel as she sat by the sofa。
〃Not all the circumstances； of course；〃 the narrator continued； with a
certain guarded candour in his tone。 〃There are certain circumstances
which naturally attend every engagement between happy andand
devoted young people that they keep to themselves quite carefully； in
spite of the fact that any one who has been through the experience of being
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engaged two or three times〃
There was another movement from Ethel by the sofa。
〃or even only once； as is my case；〃 the narrator went on； 〃any body； I
say； who has been through the experience of being engaged only once； can
form a very correct idea of the circumstances that attend the happy
engagements of all young people。 I imagine they prevail in all countries；
just as the feeling about 'mother' prevails。 Yes； 'Mother' is the right title for
my story； as you shall see。 Is it not strange that if you add 'in…law' to the
word 'mother；' how immediately the sentiment of the term is altered？as
strongly indeed as when you prefix the word 'step' to it。 But it is with
neither of these composite forms of mother that any story deals。
〃Ethel has always maintained that if I had really understood her； it
never would have happened。 She says〃
〃Richard； I〃
〃My dear； you shall tell your story afterwards； and I promise to listen
without a word until you are finished。 Mrs。 Field says that if I had
understood her nature as a man ought to understand the girl he has been
thinking about for several years； I should have known she cared nothing
about my income。〃
〃I didn't care！ I'd have〃but Mr。 Field checked her outburst。
〃She was going to say；〃 said Mr。 Field； 〃that had I asked her to marry
me when I became sure that I wished to marry her； she would have been
willing to leave New York and go to the waste land in Michigan that was
her inheritance from a grandfather； and there build a cabin and live in it
with me； and that while I shot prairie chickens for dinner she would have
milked the cow which some member of the family would have been
willing to give us as a wedding present instead of a statue of the Winged
Victory； or silver spoons and forks； had we so desired。〃
Richard made a pause here； and looked at his wife as if he expected
her to correct him。 But Ethel was plainly satisfied with his statement； and
he therefore continued。
〃I think it is ideal when a girl is ready to do so much as that for a man。
But I should not think it ideal in a man to allow the girl he loved to do it
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for him。 Nor did I then know anything about the lands in Michigan
though this would have made no difference。 Ethel had been accustomed to
a house several stories high； with hot and cold water in most of them； and
somebody to answer the door…bell。〃
〃The door…bell！〃 exclaimed Ethel。 〃I could have gone without hearing
that。〃
〃Yes； Ethel； only to hear the welkin ring would have been enough for
you。 I know that you are sincere in thinking so。 And the ringing welkin is
all we should have heard in Michigan。 But the more truly a man loves a
girl； the less can he bear taking her from an easy to a hard life。 I am sure
that all the men here agree with me。〃
There was a murmur and a nod from the men； and also from Mrs。
Davenport。 But the other ladies gave no sign of assenting to Richard's
proposition。
〃In those days；〃 said he； 〃I was what in the curt parlance of the street is
termed a six…hundred…dollar clerk。 And though my ears had grown
accustomed to this appellation； I never came to feel that it completely
described me。 In passing Tiffany's window twice each day （for my habit
was to walk to and from Nassau Street） I remember that seeing a
thousand…dollar clock exposed for sale caused me annoyance。 Of course
my salary as a clerk brought me into no unfavourable comparison with the
clock； and I doubt if I could make you understand my sometimes feeling
when I passed Tiffany's window that I should like to smash the clock。〃
〃I met Ethel frequently in society； dancing with her； and sitting next
her at dinners。 And by the time I had dined at her own house； and walked
several afternoons with her； my lot as a six…hundred…dollar clerk began to
seem very sad to me。 I wrote verses about it； and about other subjects also。
From an evening passed with Ethel； I would go next morning to the office
and look at the other clerks。 One of them was fifty…five； and he still
received six hundred dollarshis wages for the last thirty years。 I was then
twenty…one； and though I never despaired to the extent of believing that
years would fail to increase my value to the firm by a single cent； still； for
what could I hope？ If my salary were there and then to be doubled； what
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kind of support was twelve hundred dollars to offer Ethel； with her dresses；
and her dinners； and her father's carriage？ For two years I was wretchedly
unhappy beneath the many hours of gaiety that came to