A MERCENARY PARENT.
James Cromwell lost no time next morning in waiting upon Mr. Manton. He
was in that state when suspense is intolerable, and he wanted to have
his fate decided at once. Accordingly, soon after breakfast, he was
introduced into the presence of Clara's father, whom he found alone. The
young lady, considerately foreseeing the visit, had gone out for a walk.
Mr. Manton was sitting indolently in a rocking-chair, reading.
"Good-morning, Mr. Cromwell," he said. "Take a chair, if you please, and
excuse my not rising. I am not young and strong like you, but an
invalid."
It may be remarked that Mr. Manton's invalidism proceeded as much from
constitutional indolence as from confirmed ill-health, and furnished him
an excuse of which he was always ready to avail himself.
"Oh, certainly," said Cromwell, doing as directed. "I have come to see
you, Mr. Manton," he proceeded, "on important business."
"Indeed!" said his companion, whose cue was to assume entire ignorance
until informed of the nature of his errand.
"You have a daughter," proceeded the young man, nervously.
"Yes, and an excellent girl she is," said Mr. Manton, warmly.
I am sorry to say that this was not Mr. Manton's real opinion. He and
Clara, in fact, used to quarrel pretty often in private, and he had more
than once styled her a cross-grained vixen and termagant, and used other
terms equally endearing. He felt rather rejoiced at the prospect of
having her taken off his hands, though, like Clara, he thought it
prudent that his prospective son-in-law should be well supplied with the
gifts of fortune, that there might be no necessity of contributing to
their support from his own income. Of course, it was his policy to speak
well of Clara to her lover, and not allude to the little defects of
temper of which he knew rather more than he desired.
"Yes," said James Cromwell, fervently, "your daughter is charming, Mr.
Manton."
"She is a good girl. It would break my heart to part with her!" said
the father.
"You wouldn't object to her being married, would you?" said Cromwell,
alarmed at this last statement.
"I suppose she will marry some time," said Mr. Manton. "No, I should not
feel it right to interfere with her marrying, if she desired it. Far be
it from me to blight her young affections."
"I love her, Mr. Manton. Let her marry me," exploded Cromwell,
nervously.
"Really, you surprise me," said Mr. Manton. "You wish to marry Clara?"
"I should consider myself the most fortunate of men if I could win her
as my wife," said Cromwell, who talked more freely than usual under the
influence of the tender passion.
"You think so; but marriage will cure you of all that," so thought Mr.
Manton; but he said:
"Have you spoken with Clara on this subject?"
"Yes."
"And does she return your love?"
"She authorized me to speak to you. If you have no objection, she will
give her consent."
"It is an important matter," said Mr. Manton, slowly; "giving away the
hand of an only daughter in marriage."
"I will do my utmost to make her happy," said the enamored lover.
"I have no doubt of it. To be sure I have not known you long; but I have
formed quite a favorable opinion of you from our brief acquaintance."
This was hardly true; for Mr. Manton had designated James Cromwell as an
awkward booby in familiar conversation with his daughter, and she had
assented to the justice of the epithet.
"Thank you, sir," said Cromwell; "may I then hope for your consent?"
"Why, you see, Mr. Cromwell," said Mr. Manton, throwing one leg over the
other, "there are several things to be taken into consideration besides
the personal character of the husband. For instance--I hope you won't
think me mercenary--but I want to make sure that you are able to support
her in comfort, so that she need not be compelled to endure any of the
privations of poverty."
"I have a good business," said Cromwell, "which is sure to bring me in a
good income."
"Do you own your shop and stock up clear of incumbrance? Is it all paid
for?"
"Yes, sir."
"That is well--for a beginning. Now what property have you besides?"
"Why," said Cromwell, "I make about five hundred dollars clear from my
ward, Robert Raymond."
"Indeed! that is handsome. Still, he is likely to be taken from you."
"I don't think he will."
"Still, it is not a certainty. It is not equal to property producing
this amount of annual income."
"No; sir; but----"
"Hear me out. There is nothing so substantial as property invested well.
A good income is a good thing, but if it comes from anything else it is
not sure. Now I will tell you what my intentions have been when anyone
applied to me for my daughter's hand, though I did not expect the
occasion would come too soon. I meant to say, that is, provided the
party was otherwise suitable, 'Are you ready to settle five thousand
dollars on my daughter on her wedding day, and will you still have an
equal sum left?' That is the question I meant to ask, and I will ask it
now of you."
He leaned back in his rocking-chair as he spoke, and fixed a glance of
inquiry on James Cromwell. He hoped that the young man would be able to
answer in the affirmative, for if Clara could be well married, he would
have his income entirely to himself, and he had about made up his mind
in that case to go to Europe on a pleasure trip. This he could do
without breaking in upon his principal if he went alone; but as long as
Clara remained unmarried, he knew that he should be expected to take her
with him, and this would involve more expense than he was willing to
incur.
James Cromwell was taken aback by this unexpected difficulty.
"I am afraid my means are not sufficient to admit of my doing this, just
yet," said Cromwell, reluctantly; "but just as soon as I am able I will
agree to make the settlement you propose."
Mr. Manton shook his head.
"I am sorry," he said, and here he only told the truth, "that you are
not in a position to comply with my conditions, for they are
indispensable. You must not think me mercenary, but I don't believe in
love in a cottage! As for Clara, she is a dear, unselfish girl, and she
would think me mercenary. She never thinks of money, (I wish she
didn't, he mentally added,) and would as soon marry a poor man as a rich
man. But I want to guard her against the chances of fortune. So I desire
that five thousand dollars should be settled upon herself, so that if
her husband should fail in business, and you know such things happen
very often, she will have a fund to fall back upon. I am sure you will
think I am reasonable in this."
"My business is a very safe one, and the percentage of profit is large,"
pleaded Cromwell, rather downcast; "and I think there would be no danger
of that."
"Yes, of course, you think so. Nobody believes he is going to fail. But
disasters come to the best business men."
"Then you insist upon your condition, Mr. Manton," said James Cromwell,
in a tone of disappointment.
"I must," said Mr. Manton, with suavity. "Of course, I am sorry to
disappoint you, but then the happiness of my daughter is the first
consideration with me."
"Perhaps her happiness would best be promoted by marriage."
"She may think so now! but you may depend upon it that the happiest
marriages are founded on a solid money basis."
"You haven't any objection to me personally, as a son-in-law?"
"Not the least in the world. My only objection arises from the fact that
you are unable to comply with my conditions."
"Supposing, then, I should be able to do so in six months or a year,
what would be your answer?"
"I should say, take her, and may you be happy."
"Then," said Cromwell, "I may tell you that, though I am not worth the
sum necessary to secure your consent, I have a relative who has me down
in his will for a legacy of ten thousand dollars. I don't think he will
live long. Within a few months I may be worth the required sum."
"I hope you will, Mr. Cromwell," said Mr. Manton; "when that time comes,
come to me again with your suit, and I will grant it, that is, unless
Clara has formed another attachment during that time."
Cromwell winced at this suggestion, but he saw that he could accomplish
nothing more with the father, and in rather an unsettled frame of mind
he took his leave.