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Show JM.WIIIIIII..II';.Mii..,iII.i,II,, ,, , MMHllin IIMIIIIII ,MaR'M"Mna'aliuMana'cmM,a,'IBaaMIB" Asking stock subject Father mL& Ry HELEN OLD II ELD ""Blii,,,BII,,ll"-a,lllll,,i I jP I nmiiHiiiK (o Fnino folks than to others. From (iuio immoinorinl L I 'kin,' father" lias boon u stock subject for jest, yet to the gJKTJ m"n WJ"J fw the onlonl it hy no niesns is a laughing mattor. MrJS( f'nief pntfrfamlllas is far from being tho autocrat ho was I tf I oro flnd l'10 "lotlcrn niniden innkos hor lover's pnth much LtflJj more uaay for him than by any possibility the girl of tho past, KjyljB howevor much thnt way disponed, could do. The modern MtitfSiM parent knows his Jimitiiliong bettor thnii to nttumpt to intor-fero intor-fero wlien his dmighter has made up her mind to exoroife liar legal right to choose liar own husband, with papa's roiiBont if itfbo fortli-(oinmg, fortli-(oinmg, but quite cheerfully without it should it ho withhold. Hut what tho modern fnthor has suppressed in drastic exercise of authority has made for an access of pntornnl interest in liis daughter's future, nnd of worldly wisdom in his treatment of tho prosecutive son-in-law. I'ruotfciii enough to realize thnt lift iloos not hold tho situation in the hollow of his hand, uji did tho pntornnl parout of yore, ho is ready to ndmit Hint with tho girl of to-dny to ileul with he cannot unshrino her fnr from inoligiblo suitors, nor, should a man fall in lovo with her, enn ho compel lior to ay lilui nay simply hecnuso ho docs not approve of him. The doetrino of individuality bus been too woll learned by the modern mod-ern duughtor to permit of treatment of the old-fashioned breod-and-watcr nnd lockcd-up-iii-hor-bedroom" order. Side by sido with tho preeopt, "Children, obey your parents," she places its follow: "Fathers, provoko not your children to wrath." All tho same, however, tho well-brought-up father of tho period loves his daughter not u whit less than did tho fnthor of the pnst, and though he limy conceal his feeling he is just as suspicious us ever. Thus ho is apt (o jnako tho wooing of tho gay swain a'trying affair. Even if n man takes the proper view of tho matter, nnd with due humility confesses thnt neither ho nor nny other man (which lattor admission comes ensior) is good enough for the girl of his choice, he naturally is nervous at asking for so great a boon. 1'arcnta who value their daughter do right to exercise due forethought before intrusting her to u comparative stranger. Moreover, too great willingness will-ingness to ho rid df her on the part of a woman's family scarcely augurs well for tho happiness of tho man whr marries her. Parents often arc placed in great difllculties by reason of their daughter's daugh-ter's lovo nfl'nirs. They muy refuse to countonance an engagement, but they cannot chnngo tho minds of the young people. On the contrary, violent vio-lent opposition frequently brings a sense of martyrdom which serves to strengthen tho misplaced affection, when, with judicious indilTercnce, it might huyo died a natural death. It comes to a question whether tho nffuir sljaU'go op in secret, .virtually ignored by them, or whether they shall ItftTTar countenance it as to leavy no excuse for deception. |