ledger。〃
  His　mother　moved　uneasily；　and　a　slight　look　of　bewilderment
  came　into　her　face。
  〃Isn't　that　almost　irreverent？〃　she　asked。　　〃Surely　the　righteous
  must　have　their　reward。　　And　your　father　is　good。　　See　how　much
  he　gives　to　all　the　established　charities；　how　many　things　he　has
  founded。
  He's　always　thinking　of　others；　and　planning　for　them。　　And
  surely；
  for　us；　he　does　everything。　　How　well　he　has　planned　this　trip
  to　Europe　for　me　and　the　girlsthe　court…presentation　at　Berlin；
  the　season　on　the　Riviera；　the　visits　in　England　with　the
  Plumptons　and
  the　Halverstones。　　He　says　Lord　Halverstone　has　the　finest
  old　house　in　Sussex；　pure　Elizabethan；　and　all　the　old　customs
  are
  kept　up；　toofamily　prayers　every　morning　for　all　the　domestics。
  By…the…way；　you　know　his　son　Bertie；　I　believe。〃
  Harold　smiled　a　little　to　himself　as　he　answered：　〃Yes；　I　fished
  at
  Catalina　Island　last　June　with　the　Honorable　Ethelbert；
  he's　rather　a　decent　chap；　in　spite　of　his　ingrowing　mind。
  But　you？mother；　you　are　simply　magnificent！　　You　are
  father's　masterpiece。〃　　The　young　man　leaned　over　to　kiss　her；
  and　went　up　to　the　Riding　Club　for　his　afternoon　canter　in　the
  Park。
  So　it　came　to　pass；　early　in　December；　that　Mrs。　Weightman　and
  her　two　daughters　sailed　for　Europe；　on　their　serious　pleasure
  trip；
  even　as　it　had　been　written　in　the　book　of　Providence；　and　John
  Weightman；
  who　had　made　the　entry；　was　left　to　pass　the　rest　of　the　winter
  with
  his　son　and　heir　in　the　brownstone　mansion。
  They　were　comfortable　enough。　　The　machinery　of　the　massive
  establishment
  ran　as　smoothly　as　a　great　electric　dynamo。　　They　were　busy
  enough；　too。
  John　Weightman's　plans　and　enterprises　were　complicated；　though
  his
  principle　of　action　was　always　simpleto　get　good　value　for
  every　expenditure　and　effort。　　The　banking…house　of　which　he　was
  the　chief；
  the　brain；　the　will；　the　absolutely　controlling　hand；　was　so
  admirably
  organized　that　the　details　of　its　direction　took　but　little　time。
  But　the　scores　of　other　interests　that　radiated　from　it　and　were
  dependent　upon　itor　perhaps　it　would　be　more　accurate　to　say；
  that　contributed　to　its　solidity　and　successthe　many
  investments；
  industrial；　political；　benevolent；　reformatory；　ecclesiastical；
  that　had　made　the　name　of　Weightman　well　known　and　potent　in
  city；
  church；　and　state；　demanded　much　attention　and　careful　steering；
  in　order　that　each　might　produce　the　desired　result。　　There　were
  board　meetings　of　corporations　and　hospitals；　conferences　in
  Wall　Street　and　at　Albany；　consultations　and　committee　meetings
  in
  the　brownstone　mansion。
  For　a　share　in　all　this　business　and　its　adjuncts　John　Weightman
  had　his　son　in　training　in　one　of　the　famous　law　firms　of　the
  city；
  for　he　held　that　banking　itself　is　a　simple　affair；　the　only　real
  difficulties　of　finance　are　on　its　legal　side。　　Meantime　he
  wished
  the　young　man　to　meet　and　know　the　men　with　whom　he　would　have　to
  deal
  when　he　became　a　partner　in　the　house。　　So　a　couple　of　dinners
  were　given　in　the　mansion　during　December；　after　which　the　father
  called　the　son's　attention　to　the　fact　that　over　a　hundred
  million　dollars
  had　sat　around　the　board。
  But　on　Christmas　Eve　father　and　son　were　dining　together　without
  guests；
  and　their　talk　across　the　broad　table；　glittering　with　silver　and
  cut　glass；　and　softly　lit　by　shaded　candles；　was　intimate；　though
  a　little
  slow　at　times。　　The　elder　man　was　in　rather　a　rare　mood；　more
  expansive　and
  confidential　than　usual；　and；　when　the　coffee　was　brought　in　and
  they　were　left　alone；　he　talked　more　freely　of　his　personal　plans
  and　hopes
  than　he　had　ever　done　before。
  〃I　feel　very　grateful　to…night；〃　said　he；　at　last；　〃it　must　be
  something　in
  the　air　of　Christmas　that　gives　me　this　feeling　of　thankfulness
  for
  the　many　divine　mercies　that　have　been　bestowed　upon　me。　　All　the
  principles　by　which　I　have　tried　to　guide　my　life　have　been
  justified。
  I　have　never　made　the　value　of　this　salted　almond　by　anything
  that
  the　courts　would　not　uphold；　at　least　in　the　long　run；　and
  yetor　wouldn't
  it　be　truer　to　say　and　therefore？my　affairs　have　been
  wonderfully　prospered。　　There's　a　great　deal　in　that　text
  'Honesty　is
  the　best'but　no；　that's　not　from　the　Bible；　after　all；　is　it？
  Wait　a　moment；　there　is　something　of　that　kind；　I　know。〃
  〃May　I　light　a　cigar；　father；〃　said　Harold；　turning　away　to　hide
  a　smile；
  〃while　you　are　remembering　the　text？〃
  〃Yes；　certainly；〃　answered　the　elder　man；　rather　shortly；　〃you
  know
  I　don't　dislike　the　smell。　　But　it　is　a　wasteful；　useless　habit；
  and　therefore　I　have　never　practised　it。　　Nothing　useless　is
  worth　while；
  that's　my　mottonothing　that　does　not　bring　the　reward。
  Oh；　now　I　recall　the　text；　'Verily　I　say　unto　you　they　have　their
  reward。'
  I　shall　ask　Doctor　Snodgrass　to　preach　a　sermon　on　that　verse
  some　day。〃
  〃Using　you　as　an　illustration？〃
  〃Well；　not　exactly　that；　but　I　could　give　him　some　good　materials
  from
  my　own　experience　to　prove　the　truth　of　Scripture。　　I　can
  honestly　say　that
  there　is　not　one　of　my　charities　that　has　not　brought　me　in　a
  good　return；
  either　in　the　increase　of　influence；　the　building　up　of　credit；
  or　the　association　with　substantial　people。　　Of　course　you　have
  to
  be　careful　how　you　give；　in　order　to　secure　the　best　resultsno
  indiscriminate　givingno　pennies　in　beggars'　hats！　　It　has　been
  one　of　my　principles　always　to　use　the　same　kind　of　judgment　in
  charities
  that　I　use　in　my　other　affairs；　and　they　have　not　disappointed
  me。〃
  〃Even　the　check　that　you　put　in　the　plate　when　you　take　the
  offertory
  up　the　aisle　on　Sunday　morning？〃
  〃Certainly；　though　there　the　influence　is　less　direct；　and　I　must
  confess
  that　I　have　my　doubts　in　regard　to　the　collection　for　Foreign
  Missions。
  That　always　seems　to　me　romantic　and　wasteful。　　You　never　hear
  from　it　in
  any　definite　way。　　They　say　the　missionaries　have　done　a　good
  deal
  to　open　the　way　for　trade；　perhapsbut　they　have　also　gotten　us
  into
  commercial　and　political　difficulties。　　Yet　I　give　to　thema
  littleit　is
  a　matter　of　conscience　with　me　to　identify　myself　with　all　the
  enterprises
  of　the　Church；　it　is　the　mainstay　of　social　order　and　a
  prosperous　civilization。　　But　the　best　forms　of　benevolence　are
  the　well…established；　organized　ones　here　at　home；　where　people
  can
  see　them　and　know　what　they　are　doing。〃
  〃You　mean　the　ones　that　have　a　local　habitation　and　a　name。〃
  〃Yes；　they　offer　by　far　the　safest　return；　though　of　course　there
  is
  something　gained　by　contributing　to　general　funds。　　A　public　man
  can't　afford　to　be　without　public　spirit。　　But　on　the　whole
  I　prefer　a　building；　or　an　endowment。　　There　is　a　mutual
  advantage　to
  a　good　name　and　a　good　institution　in　their　connection　in　the
  public　mind。
  It　helps　them　both。　　Remember　that；　my　boy。　　Of　course　at　the
  beginning
  you　will　have　to　practise　it　in　a　small　way；　later；　you　will　have
  larger　opportunities。　　But　try　to　put　your　gifts　where　they　can
  be
  identified　and　do　good　all　around。　　You'll　see　the　wisdom　of　it
  in
  the　long　run。〃
  〃I　can　see　it　already；　sir；　and　the　way　you　describe　it　looks
  amazingly　wise　and　prudent。　　In　other　words；　we　must　cast　our
  bread　on
  the　waters　in　large　loaves；　carried　by　sound　ships　marked　with
  the　owner's　name；　so　that　the　return　freight　will　be　sure　to
  come　back　to　us。〃
  The　father　laughed；　but　his　eyes　were　frowning　a　little　as　if
  he　suspected　something　irreverent　under　the　respectful　reply。
  〃You　put　it　humorously；　but　there's　sense　in　what　you　say。　　Why
  not？
  God　rules　the　sea；　but　He　expects　us　to　follow　the　laws　of
  navigation　and　commerce。　　Why　not　take　good　care　of　your　bread；
  even　when　you　give　it　away？〃
  〃It's　not　for　me　to　say　why　notand　yet　I　can　think　of　cases〃
  The　young　man　hesitated　for　a　moment。　　His　half…finished　cigar
  had
  gone　out。　　He　rose　and　tossed　it　into　the　fire；　in　front　of　which
  he　remained　standinga　slender；　eager；　restless　young　figure；
  with　a　touch　of　hunger　in　the　fine　face；　strangely　like　and
  unlike
  the　father；　at　whom　he　looked　with　half…wistful　curiosity。
  〃The　fact　is；　sir；〃　he　continued；　〃there　is　such　a　case　in　my
  mind　now；
  and　it　is　a　good　deal　on　my　heart；　too。　　So　I　thought　of　speaking
  to　you
  about　it　to…night。　　You　remember　Tom　Rollins；　the　Junior　who　was
  so　good　to　me　when　I　entered　college？〃
  The　father　nodded。　　He　remembered　very　well　indeed　the　annoying
  incidents
  of　his　son's　first　escapade；　and　how　Rollins　had　stood　by　him　and
  helped　to
  avoid　a　public　disgrace；　and　how　a　close　friendship　had　grown
  between
  the　two　boys；　so　different　in　their　fortunes。
  〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I