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story about him that he wouldn't like。〃
〃Ethel！ You darling！〃
〃Oh； yes； and I said I was sure you would all listen； even though I was
not an author myself。 And I have it ready； you know； and it's awfully
like Richard； only a different side of him from the burglar one。〃
〃But； my dear； what did he do when you〃
This enquiry was； however； cut short by the entrance of the men。 And from
the glance that came from Richard's eyes as they immediately sought out
his wife； Mrs。 Davenport knew that he could not have done anything very
severe to Ethel when she made that threat to him during their drive。
Richard at once made his way to the easy…chair arranged each night in a
good position for the narrator of the evening； and baptised 〃The
Singstool〃 by Mr。 Graves。 Mr。 Graves was an ardent Wagnerian； and
especially devoted to The Mastersingers of Nuremberg。
〃Shall we have；〃 he whispered to Mr。 Hillard； 〃a Beckmesser fiasco
to…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
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
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 for him。 Nor did I then know anything about the lands in
Michiganthough 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