Fireside Stories for Girls in Their Teens

by Margaret W. Eggleston

  DADDY GRAY'S TEST

  May Langley had spent four happy years at the University, and nowCommencement time had come. It had been easy for her to get her lessons,so she had had time to herself. She was pretty and was always welldressed; she could dance well and sing well, so of course she had been afavorite, especially with the boys.

  But the coming of the end of the school life had brought to her a realproblem. She knew some of the boys would want to write to her. Deep in herheart she knew that some of them already liked her more than a little. Shecould not write to all of them. Whom should she choose? Perhaps the oneshe chose would eventually be the one she should marry, so it was wise tochoose with care. Over and over she turned the question in her mind.

  There was Tom,--gay, careless Tom with a big heart and plenty of money.His father was an oil man and there was no other child. He had done littlewith his studies but he had given her many a good time. His life wouldprobably be one of ease. Tom was really quite attractive.

  Then there was Bob, the football player. Already his name was knownthroughout the country. It was great fun to go to games where he was toplay, for she shared the honors with him afterward. He was rough andready, and, at times, a bit too boisterous, but withal a good fellow.

  Then there was Earl, the student. He had ranked first in his class but hisbooks were all in all to him. A good position was waiting for him in aneighboring college and he had told her that he should marry so that hecould have a home of his own to which the students might come.

  There were others, too, but these three seemed to stand out first in herthoughts. How could she decide? She and her mother were alone in the worldand mother was a helpless cripple and so could not come to theCommencement. For the first time in her life, she began to face the futureseriously.

  'Twas the Sunday of Commencement week and she was strolling across thecampus when she saw in the distance dear, old Professor Gray--Daddy Gray,the girls called him.

  "He is the very person to help me," she said to herself, and hurried tocatch him before he left the campus.

  "Daddy Gray," she began, "I have a queer question to ask you. I amchoosing some boy friends whom I wish to have as friends after I leave.Tell me some principles on which to base my choice."

  A rare smile crossed the face of the old man as he patted her goldenhair.

  "Good for you! I am glad you are thinking. Long, long ago when my owngirlies were choosing their friends I asked them to remember two things asthey chose--not only that the one they chose might be their husband, butthat he also might be my son, and the father of their children. One thinksmuch more about the principles of the man who is to be father of theirchildren than about the man whom they love and want to marry. You knowwhat a high ideal your mother holds. Test your friends by that also. Nevermind yourself--think of others."

  Then he left her to think.

  And she did think! If Tom ignored her mother as he did his own, she couldnever bring him into their home. Tom drank sometimes--oh, that would neverdo. Bob was strong and healthy--but Bob had no use for God and the church.Her children must have a Christian home. Earl was a wonderful student, buthe had undermined his health. He stooped in his shoulders and there weresigns of a breakdown. Oh dear, what a hard test Daddy Gray had given her!

  So the days wore away and she found herself watching as she had neverwatched before for marks of strength--mental, moral and physical. Over andover the words rang in her ears: "Never mind yourself--think of others."

  'Twas the afternoon of Commencement Day and her room had many beautifulflowers. Tom's bunch was of great American Beauty roses and the card hadmade her suddenly blush as she read it. But there had come in the mail agreat bunch of beautiful forget-me-nots, all fresh with the dew in thegrass. Who had sent them? She loved them the best of all the flowers inthe room. There was no card to be found, so she tucked a few in her dressbeneath the cap and gown and ran away to the chapel.

  There on the steps stood a young man and his mother, and they were waitingfor her.

  "May, I want you to meet my mother, for I have told her so much about you.To get her to come, I had to drive all the way home to-day. But it isworth it, even if I did have to get up before the sun did. She is the verybest mother in all the world," said the boy, and he squeezed the arm ofthe timid little lady.

  "Maybe! Maybe! I am so glad to meet you," said the mother, "for I owe youmuch. You have helped Gene such a lot. I am sure he would never have beenable to keep from smoking had it not been for you. He had promised me totry. Then when you told him you did not like it, why, we worked together,you see. And it has been so kind of you to go for the hikes when he hasasked you, for you see he couldn't have afforded to go to places that costmoney, dear."

  May Langley opened her eyes wide. She had had no idea that she had beenhelping. To be sure, she had gone on many hikes with him after the geologyclass had thrown them together. And she had enjoyed it, too, for he wassuch good company. Always courteous, always hunting for ways to make thetrip more worth while and always good natured, no matter what the weather,he had been a companion worth while.

  So she stood and talked with the mother and son for a moment. How sweetthe mother was and how proud he was of her! It was a joy to watch them.

  Suddenly he spied the bit of forget-me-not.

  "Ah," he said, "I had nearly forgotten to speak of them. I passed a brooklined with them just before time for the mail train to pass the station,so I just hopped out of the car, emptied my lunch from the box and sentthem to you. But I never dreamed you would get them in time to wear them.Maybe the little flowers will tell you that I am hoping you are going toremember our happy days here after we leave the campus. I want much tofeel that you have a little interest in me. I have told mother much aboutyou, for mother and I have no secrets. May I write to you sometimes?"

  Just then the bell rang for the line to form and she hurried away, whilehe took his mother into the chapel. All afternoon they were busy and therewas little time to think. But when May came to dress for the ball in theevening, she stood long before the flowers on the table. Then a sprig ofthe forget-me-not went into her hair and a bunch was fastened to her belt.And when he asked her for her answer as they stood on the veranda of thefraternity house, she said simply, "I have enjoyed the time spent withyou; I am quite sure that I should like to know you better. You may writeto me if you care to do so."

  But under her breath she was saying:

  "Daddy Gray is right. The greatest test of a man is not what he might beto you, but what he is and will be to others. I'm quite sure Gene Powellcan stand his test and mine also."