The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-19
MOTHER DISTRACTED.
A 15-Year-0ld Boy Rides Away On
His Wheel 10 See Sweetheart.
Amy Keeler, just Sweet sixteen-The
One Girl For Him.

New York, MAJ ch 19--Slrs. George s.
Townsend of 81 West Twelfth street, has
invoked the aid of the chief of police of
Middletown, n. ", to secure the return
of her 15-year-old son Percy, who left
home on his wheel on iiarch TO visit the
home OF his 16-year-old sweetheart, Amy
keeler of Middletown.
Mrs. Townsend says that since her son
became infatuated with Miss Keeler, last
summer, lie has scared so high on the
wings of love that he is unable TO settle
down. She is afraid that unless he Is re-
turned TO her maternal care he will be-
come shiftless Mrs. Townsend insists
that Mrs Keller. Amy's mother, has
alienated her sons affections 10y written
promises to Percy that Amy should have
no other suitor and that she would find
lucrative employment for him In Middle
town.
Percy first met Amy when Mrs Town
send took him 10 visit Middletown where
her sister lives. The boy and girl at once
became fast friends. After Percy returned
TO this city Amy wrote very often, but
Mrs. Townsend looked nj the matter as u
childish love affair. SHE took alarm,
however she says, wnen Mrs keeler
began TO add postscripts to these epistles,
larger than the letters themselves.
These postscripts, Mrs. Townsend said,
had such an influcnce on Percy That he
began 90 resent her guardianship. He
fretted at his separation from Amy and
begged for permission to visit her. To
humor him Mrs. Townsend took him to
Middletown for few days during Christ
mas week During this visit, Mrs. Town
send said she went TO Mrs. kccler's :
house at two O'Clock in the morning and
found the youthful lovers arranging their
plans for the future. The boy returned
In, lnksn than
Mrs. Townsend then learned that Mrs
and Miss keeler We're writing To Percy in
the care of one OF his companions, Willie
McGrath So abstracted did her boy be-
come, she says, that he lost his position
with lace firm in Broadway. Then,
Mrs. Townsend says, she wrote TO Mrs.
Keller, begging her for her son 5 sake to
forbid her daughter holding any com
munication with him, and received an
irritating reply.
In despair, she consulted the Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty TO Children, but
the only suggestion there was the House
of Refuge and Mrs. Townsend rcvolted at
that One letter which Percy received
from Mrs. koeler suggested such a bright
future that the boy lett home on March z,
prepared TO reach Middlotown, sixty miles
away on his wheel, If he could not get
there by rail. The only word Mrs. Town
send has received since was a hastily
scribblod postal card, written two days
after he had left, stating that he had met
with some difficulty on the way. A letter
was written To his friend, Willie McGrath,
in which he said that the hromised en-
ploymcnU had not ma tcriHlized and he
thought he would return home.
Mrs Townsend was almost prostratod
with grief when seen last night. She did
noC want to take any action TO bring dis
grace on her son, but she said she wanted
lao, hoI tf, Wi
into leaving Middletown. Mrs. Townsend
has been widow for many years. Shc
came here few months ago, from phla-
delphia, where her husband was broker