old enough to know whether he wants to marry again. Not even the most
precocious daughter is a better judge than her father as to what is best
for his own happiness.

Ah, there's the rub! It is not _his_ happiness she is concerned about.
It is her own. A new marriage would interfere with the daughter's plans.
She would have to give the chief place to the new wife. She would have
to give up a share of the prospective inheritance she has more or less
consciously been counting upon. So she opposes her father's re-marrying.

But apparently not on these grounds--dear, no! Her father is "too old,"
or "too weakly," or the intended wife is "not nice." The daughter
conjures up a dozen excuses, but never the _real_ one; of which she is
not fully conscious herself,--and _doesn't want to be_.

The parent's "duty" to children is great; far greater than the child's
duty to parent; but parental self-sacrifice should certainly _not_ be
continued for life. A grown daughter is an Individual, who should stand
on her own feet and make her own happiness _without_ curtailing the
happiness of parents.

Let her leave her father to a renewal of youth and happiness; or let her
gracefully and kindly accept her rightful second place and use her
loving energies in helping to make bright the home.

A sensible, well trained, loving daughter will do one of these two
things.

A sensible, well trained, loving parent will consider his daughter's
feelings and will do all he can to gain her _willingness_ before he