The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 25, 1903, Page 9

ES of shrill and aenimated ng of e we Soing foat & of sup- ressed giggles, and the young e small dogs, out, with the L: & wrathful maid, place,” she muttered, . e. as she fairly cracked rner. “That's & tural, so like e pup out of agged the cur- nd chewed rance of his reartily all to ch, though?” a my elbow. “That's e worst of it.” And ® me st the lord and master ng as though he all to be right “Isn’t it fine to : £7" and the way he sighed one s e thought he was as anclent as Mrs. Crocker is having a few friends In to play cards, so 1 go into the library; able there,” and & room as every Dark and rich in tone with books that plainly y are there for use and not for on. And then, when I had lost ed forward he looked up ally. “And, now, what is 2t Somewhat curiously I gased at Henry J. Crogker, thinking of what one man had #eid to ancther as we journeyed eut Jack. son street “Who'll gt your vote for Mayor?™ the rat one asked Y er,” was the ready reply. “Whom are you going to vote for?” . “Oh, I'm not dead certain yet.” “Well, o4 chap, put the best man tn. T've known Crocker for years, and he's &3 gtraight as & Qle.” And 1 believe that man was right. Somehow or other he looks and acts the pert There is an air of wholesome fresh- Dess about him that speaks louder than words, and he impressed me 2s heing a goed, golid, sensible business man. Thers few% enything awe-inepiring sbout him; fn fact, he is quite the reverss, for he possesses such & jovial face and kindly eyes that I felt instinctively that I could #o° to him with all my woes and not only feel assured of his ready sympathy, but of his prompt assistance as well. “Oh, say, pop; where are you? Peo-pl” “Here.” “Where?™ . “In the library, Harry; but I'm busy.” But busy or mot busy couldn’t have stopped that lively youngster, for Le had started at full speed and slid into the oom like & blue streak, with an “excuse me” before he could stop himseif. Evidently electioneering is right in his line, for I could scarcely see him behind & barricade of “Crocker for Mayor” but- tons “Have a button?” he suddenly asked as be epied 1 was viewing his decoration. nk they're rather good,” be added ith the wisdom of a sage as he solemnly end eritically examined one, and then when I nodded and assured him that I d to be so adorned he ruined a cherished geo- 1 that ran from the top of to the bottom of his short wsked Crocker senior as Crocker junior erranged my button to his own particu- lar way of it’s high time some man who would be above , don’t you agree growing more con- t this way: Two years -xo when the Te was some little agitation ebout my running for office Mrs. Crocker simply wouldn’t listen to it. She thought I hed plenty to do to take care of my own youngsters, but this year she saw the crying i of a man who would do estly considered best for all c of working for himself. e to straighten things 'd down came his tense b a crash that all the bits in the house jingled and shivered as though they had had a sud- den ettack of egue. “So,” relaxing his former position, “here I am.” “Ané here we are, too, pop,” cheer- fully ennounced the eldest son, who evi- €ently had been busy mustering the clans. “What do you think of our deco- rations?” “Two, five, six,” I counted just above my breath, scarcely belleving my own eyes. “Yes, that's “hght” laughed Mr. Crocker as he stooped and picked up Miss Mary Julla, a small lady of some three summers. “Roosevelt ¢can't complain about our family. We have the magic number, haven't we, Babe?" But “Babe” in a fit of shyness buried her yellow curls under her father's arm like a small os- trich and no amount of coaxing could make her do more than shake her head decidedly and emphatically. It's very evi- dent she has a will of her own, and fur- thermore she has discovered it was given ber to use. “Mrs. Crocker and I think there's nothing like a good-sized family,” he edded as he righted her ladyship and set her on his arm head up and feet down, and the smile on his face leaped from one to another until the entire six were nodding end beaming their utmost ap- proval. There they were lined up as for a bat- tle royal, with the rank of every man duly designated in buttons, until Clark, who couldn’t keep still three consecutive minutes to save his life, broke flle in & very unsoldierly fashion. “Come see the new bjrd " cage,” he chirped as he slipped his hand into mine and skipped along toward a bright, sunny room “See! It's a new one and we had to get it because the cat got in the other night and killed ten of our pretty birds. We've oni¢” got sixteen now. See that little one flying about? That's a strawberry bird and he's so lit- tie he slips through the wires, but he don’t go out of this window. 1Isn’t that funny? And see here,” as he piloted me to a sheltered spot, ““this is a biind bird.” Instantly his little face changed and grew all solicitation as he gently stroked the afficted canary. “Poor birdy.” “But, Clark,” his father asked as he tousled the fair heud that leaned comfi- dently against him, “do you think every- u to hear sbout the blrdy- » pop,” in & perfectly astounded fashion, “aren’t you sorry?” and the chfla looked anxiously into the face bent over him. “Why,yes, son, I'm very sorry,” came the quick response, “but it's hardly fair to make Miss Moore sorry, too,” and after turning it over in his mind for a second the two seemed to understand each other perfectly, and all was serene again. It's a positive pleasure to see the great simplicity and kindness with which this father treats his children. There isn't the faintest suggestion of discord. search for it as one may, but instead there's a feel- ing of companionship that permeates the very alr, end cheerfulriess and good fel- lowship fairly radiate about them all He's the sort of man whose children will not only respect him, but who will rise up and call him blessed, ‘While they are perfectly behaved chil- dren, they are, nevertheless, perfectly wrapped up in their “pop.” To them he is all that Is good and wise, besides being a delightful sort of elder brother who never J CAOCKEA B 1D OIS "IN o oo WOMEN is too busy to smooth out woes or have & frolic, even if it is no longer than a min~ ute or so. The consideration with which Crocker treats all thoss about™him should be a good index into the man's character, for no man whose own pleasure is always first and foremost will ever set the world on fire with his greatness. Marian, the second daughter, held back as we were about to take aipicture, and when no one was looking slipped into the house. “Florence, I wish you would ask Ma- rian to be in this one. I'd like to then when the deserter returned he said very uln_:ply. “I'll consider it a favor, Ma~ rian, if you'll be in this one. "However, if you don’t want to, all wel. gnd good.” That struck me as being a mighty clever way of galning his peint, for in treating her as an equal he tickled her vanity and she led very gently where she might have kicked over the traces had she been driven. - B It's a strenuous plece of business trying. to get a word in edgewise with this nom- inee, for the bell rang constantly and thn telephone kept up & mad though it were possessed, to say nomln' of the busy stump speakers within his *Otos as. o6 as we passed the mn- it dnn- ored so persistently that Mr. Crocker tool Mnmmoflmnhflmum it than anything else. old How are you? Oh, say, that's an uwtul temptation. Why, old man, you know I'd rather fish than eat any day, but I can't do it very well Jun at present. No, not for a single day. I'm too busy. Ever so much obliged, old man, for think- In‘lbommn.hulluntmk. it this time. Yes. Good- “Just see, young !oum. what perfect AT HO LDIENS SECTION GCHIL S, e o Beaps of fun you'd have to give up If you were running for office,” saild I to the + boys, as we walted in the dining-room for the eldest daughter of the house, who had gone Into the pantry for somse fruit. *“See how you'd have to stay at homa and ‘worl “I don’t care much about fishing any- Bow,” answered Clark, after a minutes due deliberation.. “I think-I'd rather-be Mayor.” 3 L But all you young hopefuls in knicker- bockers would better take warhing right now and go fishing every chance you get, for it's very plain to be seen you can't do it when you are in the midst of a campaign. #Ob, children, do walt 2 minuts. Don't = " bringing up in the rear as & bod E be In such & Durry,” pleaded little Miss Crocker as she placed-a dainty linen cen- ter-plece. on the polished table and erowned it with a pot of ferns. “Wait untll I get some plate and she flew about like a busy housewife, putting doylies hers and there under the plates and 1 in_ gen- when all was own place and I'll play mamma, because she lsn't hers. ‘What do you want, i\'a'a? Grapes? What kind, the green ones?’ and Florencs, & to a nicety. Not one - escapud her watchful eyes and the new found dignity that clothed her chubby person was charming to see. “Huh, w'd better make the most of your time,” Harry calmly remarked be- tween bites as he punished a rosy cheeked spple. “I am,” and just then, catching his father's eye, the two went off In a perfect peal of laughter that set the rest of us pondering for a minute and then lly, Miss Moore, I'm afrald we won’t have much of an opportunity to talk over the situation unless I send the children upstairs,” remarked the candi- date as rose from the table, and I really didn’t think it worth while to tell I had tucked up my sleeve all cs I needed or wanted to know g my three hours’ visit It was the man himself I wanted to study and not the theories that he was advanc- As he went out the front door & tall, der boy came In the side gate and I d almost be wiling to wager my that I solved another solution s popularity. cls Henry,” called out the y 2s he sauntered toward , old man, fine,” came the quick r as he shook hands cordially newconder. “How's everybody at le episode conveyed a great deal though It seemingly was but an everyday occurrence. As I watched the two it suddenly dawned upon me that I had known mighty few men who treated a boy In his first long trousers as & man, nd I co keenly appreciate how such a thoughtful act would be & balm to the tormented, sensitive nature of -4 half- grown boy. , o go. Stay wif me” came from & unexpected quarter, and the des- pot of the house commenced climbing inta my arms “Baby likes ‘co.” But alas and alack! Again the young personage showed that her training had begun early in life, for she exercised her woman's prerogative of changing her mind and de- serted the hairy bowwow about my neck for the real, four-legged one that trotied around the corner just then. the would-be Mayor trotting about the lawn holding “Babe’s” wee, short skivt as she rode triumphantly om Carlo, the old shepherd dog, with the gleeful % f of honor. As I rode off down the hill the thought entered my head and by the way, hasn't left it yet, that while Crockes undoubtedly is a man among men, he pst of all, a father among fathers, - ¥