FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75  
76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   >>   >|  
er, and advise him to guard against that greatest weakness which his father possesses. Tell him you want him to go into the diplomatic service for a time to gratify your ambition for him, but that if, after the trial, he prefers business you will stand right back of him and get him started. Tell him, as you have just told me, that he is all you have, and that he must make certain sacrifices for your sake, that he must bear with your weaknesses and profit by your points of strength. But, above all, make him feel that you believe in him, that you're proud of him, and that you've been a fool to make such a humiliating exhibition before him as you did this afternoon." The gathering storm in Stephen Sanford's face did not deter Gorham from finishing his remarks. He knew that his old friend had seldom, if ever, had the truth spoken to him as unreservedly as now; but he had been asked for his advice, and he proposed to give it. "You--you--" Sanford choked in his rage. "So that's what you think of me, is it? It's worth something to know that. Knuckle down to that young cub and have him putting it over me for the rest of my life? What do you take me for? I'll see him starve first. Why should you undertake to advise me about my boy--" "Chiefly because you asked it, Stephen." "Well, I don't ask for it any more. With all your experience you're not competent--" "Should I have shown greater competency if my advice had agreed with your own ideas?" "Don't try to juggle with words, Robert. It's all off between the boy and me, understand. I'll paddle my canoe and he can paddle his. When he's ready to use my stroke he knows where my landing is. And now good-day to you. 'Bear with my weaknesses, eh?' 'Humiliating exhibition.' Good-day, I say." And without giving Gorham the opportunity to do so he flung open the door and stamped out into the corridor to the elevator, his cane keeping time with the tumult of thoughts which surged through his brain. Gorham watched the unyielding back of his friend until he turned the corner, then he closed the door. "Poor old Stephen," he sighed to himself. "If I had only been blessed with that boy." IX Allen had ample opportunity to act the part of the hydra. When his father left him after their stormy interview the boy utterly failed to realize the seriousness of the situation. The "pater" had been angry with him before,--if the truth be told, he was usually angry with him,--
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75  
76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Gorham

 

Stephen

 

paddle

 
weaknesses
 
father
 

Sanford

 
exhibition
 

advice

 

opportunity

 

friend


advise
 

experience

 

Humiliating

 

competency

 

Robert

 
greater
 

juggle

 

agreed

 

Should

 
competent

landing

 
stroke
 

understand

 

thoughts

 

blessed

 

stormy

 

situation

 
seriousness
 

interview

 

utterly


failed

 

realize

 

sighed

 

corridor

 

elevator

 

keeping

 

stamped

 

giving

 

tumult

 

turned


corner

 

closed

 

unyielding

 

surged

 

watched

 

points

 
strength
 

profit

 

sacrifices

 

afternoon