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their drive through the pleasant country。 They returned looking like an
engaged couple； rather than parents whose nursery was already a song of
three little voices。
〃He has told her；〃 thought Mrs。 Davenport at the first sight of them； as
they entered the drawing…room for an afternoon tea。 〃She does understand
some things。〃
And when after dinner the ladies had withdrawn to the library； and
waited for the men to finish their cigars； Mrs。 Davenport spoke to Ethel。
〃My dear； I congratulate you。 I saw it at once。〃
〃But he hasn't。 Richard hasn't told me anything。〃
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〃Ethel！ Then what is the matter？〃
〃I told him something。 I told him that if it was going to be any story
aboutabout something I shouldn't like； I should simply follow it with a
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
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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