Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1897-10-28
N z OF"
1t was a peremptory "no."
such as mother seldom used

NJ, II Ieuuy, uOA tulHh any
about it,"
Cant you make an exception just
this once?" begged Fred my brother,
looking like prosecuted sinner.
mo! You might lose 1t; somebody
might find it; we might be exposed to
all sorts Of calamities; someone might
get into the house"
stop, mother, you are picturing i'm
probabilities to yourself"
SECONDLY" continued our mother,
you are too young to carry latch
key. l don't wish you to be out late al
night; you are the only male protector
we have, and want you to be at home
with u.s."
Under any other circumstances Fred
might have been proud to be called our
"only mae protector" but this dis
tinctiOn made no impression upon him
now. When mother had taken the
latchkey from the keyboard and con-
signed it to her pocket, Fred wasn't in
the kindliest frame of mind.
Two months ago we had moved from
the little town where we were born to
a large city-mother, Fred and |. We
were still upset and confused by the
sudden radical change from country
quiet to the hustle Of a metropolis.
Mother certainly came much against
her inclination, but Freddy exhibited
an unusual musical talent, and |, too,
was modestly gifted with a propensity
for drawing, and we felt the needs of
instructive advantages which we could
not obtain in our native town. Our
maternal parent was unwilling that we
should go forth into the world alone,
and so the little home was sacrificed,
and we set up an abode elsewhere.
Our mother, who had been the most
confidng soul in the world, was sus-
picous of everything and everybody in
her new surroundings and insisted
that the house should be locked and
boted at 10 o'clock every night. At
that time we bolted the door to our
apartments. At half past 10 the front
door was locked by the janitor and
everybody was supposed to be safely
tucked away in bed.
ridiculous" growled Fred. after
mother had left the room with the key
In her pocket, ito expect a grown man
to he at home every night at TO-"
Fred was invited to little supper
after the concert at which his music
teacher was to render the star num-
bers.
"She will let you stay out till II If
ask her, and will sit up for you"
you know mother goes to bed at 10,
80 If should be little behind time,
don't mind, Milly, don't mind; that's
good girl"
VERY well, brother mne"'
"Or half an hour, or an hour. She'll
be asleep. anyway, and I'll just cough
gently under you window, and then
you'll come down and let me in"
"See that you watch Is not too far
behind time, Freddy" laughed, land
III see what can be done"
"Ill go down now and try it on. If
you hear me cough, let me know"
Freddy went out. A moment after
ward | heard him cough Immediately
under my window. l looked out and
nodded to him. "All right, old fellow.
l can hear the signal"
Mother finally was prevailed upon to
give her permission for Fred to stay out
until II, and after supper made herself
comfortable in the big arm chair with
the evident intention to wait for the
male protector of the family.
! At 10 o'clock she looked pretty sic, py,
and the strike of the next half hour
awoke her from her first nap. She
gathered up her knitting.
"He will soon be here now, Milly:
It's really not worth while for both of
us to sit up. I'm going to bed but not
to sleep until he is safely at home"
babe mother goodnight In less
than five minutes, knew, she would
be sound asleep. An interesting book
would help me over the next hour Be-
fore | knew l was deeply involved in
the love affair of a young couple. and
when | turned the last page of the book
1t was twenty minutes past midnight
A sudden thought struck terror to my
heart. Fred may have been here and.
absorbed as ] was in my story, l might
not have heard the signal. | rushed to
the window, but nobody was to be seen.
The minutes dragged with leaden slow
ness A quarter Of l! Where corid
he be? At o'clock began to divest
myself Of my dress and slipped into
my gown. Then l arranged my hair
for the night and had just finished put
ting one side Of my head into curl
papers, when the signal came.
went to the window, opened it just
bit and said softly:
as that you, Freddy"
EYES,"
Here is the key!" threw 1t down
into the street.
"Yesw
Don't leave it in the Eeyhole; bring
it up with you."
"Quite rightw
"And take off your boots; don't let
mother hear YOU"
Every good"
l seized the lamp and FASTENED out
on the stairs to light my belated broth
err on his way. The key was turned in
the lock below. Then there was a
pause. Freddy was evidently taking
off his shoes before coming up the
stairs.
You are -" l was on the point
of whispering, when heard the boot
less step quite near me, but I suddenly
checked myself. From out Of the shad-
ow Of the chairs emerged a shining
helmet with waving plumes, and be-
meath 1t the strange face of young
man, with a dark brown mustache and