In which a young man of literary bent finds himself at odds with his stern and business-minded father, who insists upon his entry into commercial life and rejects the son’s poetic inclinations with an unsparing eye; the household discourse turns upon arithmetic, ledgers, and the golden rule of trade, while the son’s resolve leads to a reluctant journey northward under the shadow of familial disappointment. Yet amidst the stern commerce and austere admonitions, touches of gentle humour and human frailty colour the scene, revealing the tender undercurrents of duty, pride, and a father’s anxious hopes.