The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-09-11
Dur 6ainilp 9torp,
U P Y.
fLoRENcE %B,LLowELL HoYr.

He was only tho boy who attended
TO the chores about the hotel, and 80
he was mover invited to play croquet
or lawn tennis, or to substitute in tho
baseball nine; AID he was laughed at
o good deal because he had freckles,
too smsll for him. His name was
EphEaam. but every one called him
sStumpy," for he was short and rather
stcut--eyery n except Carrie Now
bray, that is, Carrie never used his
nickname. She said she didn't con-
slider 1t kind.
He'd like to be tall. / dare say. So
would a great many other people" she
said to her cousin Belle Towers, one
day on the porch.
"But ne is hideous, actually hideous.n
said Belle.
"Oh, no you exaggerate. If he
didn't have freckles he would hardly
be called even plain and the freckles
will wear Off in time"
vi doubt it and then his kair-so
red and he is awkward, too"
He'll outgrOw his aw~kwardness,
and he can't help having red hair.
I've heard you say you'd like to have
dark eyes.,but you'll never have them.
We're Obliged to be content with
natures DEGREES usually; and you
can't deny that Ephraim looks honest.
He is amiable, too. and very o~bliging."
ITO hear you talk, Carrie, would
imagine him u paragon. | suppose
you found out all these virtues when
you were talking to him on the beach
!, yesterday"
81 was simply asking him about the
tides"
"You could have asked some one
else. You'll make him familiar il YOU
talk to him, Carrie. I've seen that
sort OF thing happen before. | only
hope he'll have the assurance to
speak to me-"
"Oh, he has enough good sense to
see where he is wanted. He nevor
thrusts himself forward in the least
I've noticed that"
"Well, don't encourage him to talk
TO you. People OF that class are very
apt to presume upon any attention,
however trivial" and Belle strolled
down the steps in the direction of the
beach, feeling that Carrie had Justly
deserved the rebuke she had given
her.
Belle did not intend to be either un-
KIND or ungenerOus but, like many
other girls, she had an exaggerated
idea o nor W Importance and the
-a%ffstooracy OF wealth. Ephraim found
1t pretty hard to be at tho beck and
call OF everybody at the Beach House,
and he had to grind his teeth some
times to keep from "answering back -
when his orders came in u peremptory
tones from some young fellow no older
than himself.
But l mean to sec 1t through" he
said to his sister, as he sat talking to
her one evening in tho doorway of
their cottage after the labors of the
day were over. You know I have
always said that a fellow was a coward
who'd give a thing up just because it
proved hard. By,neXt Summer | can
find something clsc TO do, and all I'm
going through now wont matter"
Pm real proud of you, Ephraim,''
said his sister, as she looked at him
with tender eyes. you're so brave"
Ephraim laughed.
Don't be proud until you've some
thing to be proud about" he said.
Ephraim made it a point to take a
plunge in the sea every morning on
his way to the hotel. He was a fine
swimmer, and thoroughly enjoyed his
ton minutes in the water. 1t seemed
TO tone him up for all day. He had
always had the seauto himself at that
hour, for he was an early riser from
necessity as we'll as inclination, but on
the morning after his talk with
Barbara, he had just entered the
water, and was only a few yards from
shore, when he heard a shout, and.
turning around, saw half a dozen Of
the boys from the hotel on the beach.
Here, you fellow" called out Per-
cival Peyton, "a young man who boasted
that he belonged to the "F. f. VS."
Come out OF that"
His tone, moro than the
irritated Ephraim. He turned about
again and struck out for deeper water
"'thout max ng any reply.
'ou inaoient young hound. don't
T me ?" called Peyton, the
..s,y -Diood mounting to his face.
Come out of that. The fellows want
Hwell, you can como in," answered
There's plenty of room"
Yes; what's the use of making a
row ?" drawled Frank Chaplin. :.
"Tm not making a row." said
Peyton, but l never have gone into
the water with the hotel servants, and
| don't propose to do it now. The fell
low might as well learn his placelnow
as any time"
ooh, let him alone; Stumpy is a
good sort" said Charles Colwell.
He can outswim you any day, Pey-
ton"
tNot lluCn, Sdlu region who 0
sidered himself the best swimmer on
the beach.
Take pull together and decide it,"
said Calwefl.
THANK yoa for the suggestion, but
L don't enter any swimming match
with a fellow not my social equal"
answered Peyton snobbishly.
Ephraim by this time was an eighth
of a mile from tho beach. He remain
ed In the water his usual length of
time; then came out to find Peyton
waiting for him, a very dark frown on
his handsome face. The other boys
had all gone into the water.
"!W sec that you are properly dealt
with for this impertinence, The said, as
Ephraim started toward one of the
bath houses. "You will hear from
this, and very shortly, too.N
Ephraim made no rejoinder, but he
couldn't help feeling IL little uneasy,
and almost wished he had obeyed Pew
TOMS order, insulting as it was. The
PeytOns occupied tho best rooms at
the hotel, and had tho cream of every
thing.
Gift weren't for Aunt Martha and
Barbara, | wouldn't care" the boy
reflected. "But if | lose my place
it'll come hard on thcm."
By the time he was dressed Ephraim
had decided on the hardest task he
had ever set himself. He would
apologize to Percival Peyton.
He gave himself no time to hesitate. |
h..A .,Nxk A,-s-l -