The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-11-30

Dick growled. "What is the better
part of valor?:" said he.
"Discretion, responded the liter
ary member briskly, youth who
had won chat proud distinction by
reporting bali games and yacht
races and now felt all the mental
elation of witty repartee.
Exactly agreed Dick. land
where a woman is concerned one
can't be too valorcus CT too discreet.
The question is, Are wo ready to be
scaled in the bonds OF matrimony, OF
are wo not?''
"Ne are not. The reply was
unanimous, coming from the much
proposod--to loudest of all-from lit
tie Louis half heartedly-
"The nays have it. And Dick
rose to his feet, & gallant figure in
his homgspnns. a melancholy
brown mustacle effectively hid
whatever expression inightsteal into
tho lower part Of his face, and his
eyes were by turns sharp, quizzlcal
and kindly as they fingered now on
this lad, now On that, always re-
turning lovingly,to the mcerschaum,
which be often declared was the
only thing that had stood by him
faithfully in life. He held it in his
hand, and his fingers closed upon 1t
with sudden energy as leaning
against post he presently took up
the theme again in convincing, lazy
drawl.
"I am no orator as Brutus is, but,
boys, know what ] am talking
shout. They re a poor lot-girls-
and they re after us like q pack Of
hounds. AS Reggio there says, it's
leap year, and mighty preparations
are making Silks and muslins and
dummadiddles We arc proof against
these, for we know them of>old, but
this new woman who rides aftor rs
on a bicycle and takes the courting
into her own hands, tell you ! am
afraid of her. 1t seems to me there
is just one safe course to pursue. .
The others waited, not quite sure
how much of this was chaff and how
much earnest, Reggie pitching the
end Of his last cigar out on the sand
and stretching his mighty frame
preparatory to blowing up his tires.
eve must hy from the enemy
retreat as she advances. That is not
manly, but it is discreet. If we
don't want to be caught, We must
keep out of reach of tie Dollys and
Doras, or, hang it all, they will have
us. What DO you say:'
Ealf laughing, lie badgered and
bantered and persuaded, Till more in
jest than in earnest tie Comet Cy-
cling club found itssii actually en-
gaging to renounce fer The Summer
what the great photographer calls
"the endearing elegance OF female
friendship, and mol 10 risk willing
ly tue temptation CT moonlit nights
On mountain or sea, picnics, straw
rides, tote-a-tetes, wheeling parties
or any of the lures the sirens COM
monty practice.
Poor Louis. indeed, felt dismal
forebodings that the sacrifice would
be more than he could make, seeing
himself in no distant future a per
jured villain; because, being still in
that sweet, foolish youth which
breads nothing so much as being
thought youns. ifs" and "buts'
stuck in his threat and would not be
uttered. In timid protest he ven
tured to murmur:
Would it not be more Christian
to love our ene1nies:" And tho hub
bub Of his discontinue broke up the
meeting with most admired disor-
der. They picked up themselves and
their wheels, making ready for tho
spin back to town, casting last
glances at tho beautiful prospect
spread out before them.
at the left of the little cove g
thickly wooded point ran out into
the bay, the roofs of several largo
and pretentious mansions showing
among the trees here and there, and
paths emerged from the aristocratic
quarter upon the leach, whore rows
of we'll kept bathhcuses suggested
that tho grandees condescondesl to
take an occasional dipin the surf. 1t
was SO early in the season that none
of the cottages showed any signs OF
occupancy, and great was the SUI
prise of the young men as three peo-
pie suddenly appeared at the end
of one of these paths, on cid gentle
man and lady anda tall, slight young
woman in a bicycling suit of covert
cloth. With equal astonishment the
newcomers renewed the gaze till tho
girl, about whose good looks :he club
had instantaneously agreed TO a
man, gave startled exclamation OF
recognition, ana Nlr. Richard Whit
ney, cynic and wo:nan hator, hurried
eagerly toward her wiSll wavo OF
color dying his sunburned lace.
What followed vas IN panto1nime
to his comrades. HandshakiDg, 9.