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THE STORYTELLER.

! THE UMPIRE. i '; HOW HIS DAUGHTER TOOK HIS DECISION. ■Mrs. Dewsbury baited us be came near the drawing-room door, and shook his head regretfully. From inside, where sat his daughter and her fiance, came the unmistakable sounds of a somewhat heated discussion. "I don't think .so, then. You want too much,' Edward.'' "How do you make that out? It seems to be fair and reasonable. Not that 1 expect for a moment ——■" "Oh, you don't, don't you?" ''And I shouldn't dream of suggesting " "Well, what do you keep on contradicting me for?" "All the same, to my mind, it would be the least that anyone could " l Mr. Linton 'broke off abruptly as he heard Mr. Dewsbury cough. As the door opened the young couple glanced at one another sheepishly, and then turned their eyes on the intrude,?, I "What's the trouble, f' asked Mr. Dews- '■ bury.

» "Edward and I were just having an argument on a very important subject," | said Edith, ''and he insists pn being selfish and claiming that he js right." '. "Well," said her father, ! 'if you tell me the facts I can prpWbly settle the difficulty." 1 "I don't know that you ought to m a ease like this, father. You're hardly the right person." Mr. Dewsbury bridled. i "What do you mean, Edith? Do you , infer that I'm not competent to give a common-sense decision? Why, I'd have • you know that in the city, or at the club, i when any of my acquaintances are in doubt, or can't agree on any subject, , they invariably come to me—invariably!"

"Well, those are 'business mattery father; but this " j "Never mind what it is. I venture to say that it won't make the slightest j difference. Edward, you know very well I that I'm your senior, both in age and experience. Very well, then, that ex--1 perience is at your service. You and 1 Edith were having a dispute ■" I "Hardly that, sir." [ "But I heard you, Edward. I heard I then, what was it all about? Dear, dear,, dear! Won't either of you tell me?" "I will, father." "That's right, Edith." Mr. Dewsbury, with one elbow on the mantelpiece, composed himself to listen.. '"Shouldn't a gentleman give way to a lady, father ?" t "Why, of course he should—in any circumstances. You don't mean to say that's all the trouble was? Good gracious me! Edward, my boy, I'm surprised at you." "But, sir " "There's no 'but' about it, Edward," J declared Mr. Dewsbury reproachfully. "Then I'm right, father?"

"I'll uphold you, my dear, at all cost." ' "We were discussing you, father—■ j something you should do or you [ shouldn't." Mr. Dewsbury hesitated a moment. ! "Ah! That puts a different complexion upon affairs. But, there! I trust you, my dear, in matters of conduct—correct behaviour, and all that. If, in your opinion, I ought to do this thing, I'll do it." "Thank you, father. We were talking about furnishing that house we've chosen. I said I thought you should give us a hundred pounds to help." Mr. Dewsbury stood upright with a jerk. A vase from the mantelpiece fell with a crash. He hardly noticed it. I "What?" "But Edward said 'No.' Still, as you ! have promised, father, you might write him a cheque to-night, before he goes."* Mr. Dewsbury for an instant stood aghast. Then a sickly smile oversproad his features. "Indeed! Really!" "At all costs. That was the expression you used, father." "Very well. But, Edith, you snrely see that.you made me give my decision under false pretences. Oh, yes, I had in mind merely the questions of —weH, etiquette. Money matters'? Why, that'* quite another matter. You don't understand, my dear. A hundred pounds! Goodness me! Edward, I—er —I'm glad to hear you didn't encourage her. Of course you can have a better idea of the —of the position in which I find- myself and naturally you would not expect me —that is to say- " 'Mr. Dewsbury coughed three times and rat length cleared his throat. "Therefore —aha!—why—er—under thecircumstances, Edith, I must reverse my opinion. You appealed to me, and I said, as it were, 'Not out.' But now, having consulted, so to speak, the other side — Edward, I mean—-and having gone into the matter more thoroughly—sifted it to the bottom—well, I find that I was too —er —previous. In short, I made a mistake."

j Mr. Dewsbury Iblew Ms nose violently. I "So, Edith," he concluded; with an ef- ; fort at lightness, "I'm sorry, but I must give the casting vote against you, much , as I regret to —eir —yea!" I Red of face, he backed towards the door. j His fingers were on the door handle, and he had nearly escaped. "Just a minute, father," said his daughter cheerfully. 'Mr. Dewsbury turned, i "I'm wirong, then, you think, and Edward's right?" j "Certainly—certainly!" I "You're determined to take his side?" | "Yes, my dear." j She smiled contentedly. Mr. Dewsbury, , he was smiling too. j "And thanik you, sir." I 'Wot at all, imy boy. Don't mention it." "I knew we were safe in your hands. I knew it was best to leave things to you." "Very kind of you, E&wiard, to say so."

"You've good taste, too, father." Slightly puzzled, Mr. Dewsbury regarded his daughter enquiringly. "Sable and Sons is the 'best place to go to, I think. Don't you, Edward?"' "They sell very decent stuff," argued Mr. Linton with difficulty. "What—.what do you meanS Edith? I "' •'Whv." declared his daughter, sweetly, '"Edward maintained that you ought not to give us the hundred pounds " '"Th —that's right. You've said so already." "But furnish the whole house for us, instead. Come along, Edward, let's go for a walk. It's really awfully generous of you, father—and we'll bring back plenty of catalogues."—Leslie 'Thomas.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19100810.2.51

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 104, 10 August 1910, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
970

THE STORYTELLER. Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 104, 10 August 1910, Page 6

THE STORYTELLER. Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 104, 10 August 1910, Page 6

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