The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1901-08-09
The 8rute Won E3er
\ Don't know what # 81 said me

n DON'T know what it is said the
young man with the delicate chin,
but there's some weird influence
about an ausomobile That's the only
way 1 can explain what happened down
at Atlantic city a month ago. Incl
dentalIy, / never help a man with a
broken-dOwn machine. / used to.
Il went down to Atlantic City three
months ago and took my automobile
with me. There was about the stun
ningest girl staying at the hotel you
ever saw. | knew the minnie | laid my
eyes on her that we'd take to each 9th
er. Less than a week after l got there
we were old friends. used to read to
her an hour or two every morning.
This was rather rough on the rest Of
the girls-there were couple of dozen
of them-because l was the only eligi-
bic man at the hotel. First | tried her
on Austin DobsOn and a little Omar
Khayyam and then George Meredith.
and finally, after I'd got my courage
up, l brought out a few little things
of my own. We were soul compile
ments all right and | told her so. l
guess she'd been thinking the same
thing, because she laughed lot when
I told her We enjoyed this sort Of
thing for about a week. and then one
day | thought she was looking rather
blue.
well, am, she said, when asked
her about it. This place bores me ter
ribly
81 don't blame you l told her.
Nothing but droves Of Cabling wom-
en-. You'll have to take some rides
with me in my automobile
she sighed and then said: That
would be great fun. but I'm afraid
mamma wouldn't approve. and you
know there's no room for chaperOn.
well, if there's no other way
said. we could read in the afternoon
as well as the morning. Then you'd
only have to stand the bore evenings
she seemed terribly pleased at that
She dubbed over so she couldn't speak
for while.
You're simply genius. Mr.. Will
iger.' she said. How did you ever come
to think of anything so cleverY
Then she laughed again. She was a
very happy-hearted girl.
But after all nothing came of the
idea she thought was so clever She
happened to have a headache the next
afternoon and the next day was Sun
day. And on Monday Bangs arrived.
Bangs was a big coarse-jawed man,
whose looks showed what he amounted
to. l believe his chief claim to distinc-
ton was that he played on a Yale foot
ball team. Ethel-she was the stun
ming girl. you know-came to me the
same afternoon and asked me if
didn't think he was dreadful.
"'Oh, he might do for some girls
said.
Ives, 1 suppose so, answered Ethel
shuddering. Isn't it disgustingY
The joke of the whole thing was
that the poor lad seemed terribly taken
with Ethel from the moment he saw
her. The first week he was there he
followed Ethel about from morning tc
night. 1t broke up our reading. but
Ethel thought she ought to be polite
to him. he being a stranger at the no
tel. Pretty soon. however. matters be
gan to get more serious. Two weeks
passed and then three. and still we
didn't do any more reading. He begaI
taking Ethel walking and the walk:
began to get longer. Every time they
started out together and the poor cir
got a chance she'd make a face owe
his shoulder and shake her head, de
spairingly. Finally l caught her alon.
one day and put it to her straight
whether she wasn't letting the chal
impose too much on her kindness o
heart. She confessed that perhaps sh,
was. and said she'd see whether sh
couldn't get a hint through the fel
lows head,
But things didn't change, and abou
a week later went to her and aske'
her il she could trust me as friend
You ought to have seen the look sh
gave me when she said she hoped SC
".Well,' l said. I want you to tel
me perfectly frankly why you let tina
fellow continue to drag you on walk
ing when you don't want to so?
"She looked at me terribly queerl
for minute. and wouldn't tell for
long while Then finally she said:
well. If you must know. l simpl
can't help myself.
Il smiled sarcastically at that.
You don't know that man. sh
went on. I never saw anything liz
him. / can't tell you how he carrie
on II l don't put on my hat and g
with him whenever he asks me to-
Why asked. do you have AM
thing to do with him at all? WI
don't you tell him you have a regula
engagement to read with me, and sen