The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-09-10
geIeft Story,
WHEN GRANDMA CAME.

Davis, and although over % years olu IL
was her boast that she could still make
things hum Lucien was her favorite
grandchild, and she made no secret of the
fact that she had made her will in his
favor. In her western home she had
heard that he was keeping company
with girl and that it would probably be
match, and that reason, more than any
other, brought her east in midwinter.
Grandma Whitbeck arrived in Sunny
side at an unfortunate hour The river
running through the village was frozen
two feet thick and was being used as a
boulevard and race course by every villager
who had horse and cutter There were
some good horses and some drivers who
were anxious to head the procession, and
among the latter was Lurien Davis, 1t
was a natural thing that lilly Spooner
should be with him as he drove and that
she should clap her hands in glee when the
cutter crossed the line fifty feet ahead Of
the next best horse for ten miles around.
Grandma happened to be crossing the
bridge during one of the trials of speed
and was it all, and as she continued to gaze
her jaw began to set.
1.-The idea of 1.-THE idear' she NUT
tered to herself ''NIy favorite grandson
has not only turned TO boss racin but
that gal he is as good as engaged to is
sickin' him on the best she knows how.
I've got to see about this thing right
away.
She did She hadn' got her bonnet off
before she was saying to her daughter:
Sarah Davis, it seems as if Providence
had sent me here at this time DO you
know what Lucien is dom at this very
minit?''
Hes driving on the ice | believe,
was the reply
''Drivin Why. he's boss racin
that S what he's doin-goin up and down
hckety split-and that Spoouer gal about
who you We all been writin SO much, is
in the cutter with him and s-sickin him
on. l stopped on the bridge and saw i;
all, and m goin' to tell you right ont
plain that 1 IN ashamed of you. never
spected to live to see the day when you
and James would see Lucien become boss
racer and gambler and murderer and
never even advise him agin it. y
''Come, come, mother chided the
daughter They may be driving fast,
and one horse may come out ahead Of the
other, but it's not horse racing. There
are people driving on the ice who belong
to the church. It's simply recreation. |
was driving with Lucien myself yesterday,
and | enjoyed it immensely,
''Don' talk to me, Sarah Davis!
know hos race when | see one, and |
know that boss raein' leads to gasnbliu
and murder IF folks around here think
they can be Christians aud hoss race at the
same time let EN- 90 ahead, but | can tell
em where they Il end up. was in hopes
| should take a linkin ~ that Spooner
gal, but | never, never can. Any gal
who viii urge young man on to his doom
ought to be sent to jail, and IN tell her
so whenever [ see her. -
When Lucien came home he got a bad
roasting from grandma He tried to ex-
plain, but it was no go. Grandma had
her opinion, and it was:
''It amt a bit Of use to waste your
breath, Lucien. I'm disapp'inted 10 your
father and mother aud in YOU. When
was here last you was splittin wood and
studyin your Sunday schoel lesson al the
time When | come this time find you
boss racin and on your way TO State 5
prison. feel it my duty to save you if
can, and I'm goiu to try and think up
way to do it.
The idea was to propiiiate grandma as
much as possible, and Yet Lucien did not
cease to ''hoss race now and then and TO
take lilly Spooner along, as before. The
family would have liked to bring about an
introduction between the girl aud the old
lady, but it vas looked upon as too risky.
Little was said after the first two or three
days, but grandma kept up great think
ing, with the result that one day, two
weeks later, she slipped out Of the house
and made call At Spooner $ Il was a
call that left its mark. She reproved Mrs
Spooner, wondered what sort OF a man
Mr.. Spooner was and wound up BY calling
lilly an impertinent mink Of course
there were results. and those results made
at least two hearts ache. Lucien was in
formed in plain English that if he didn' t
''drop that gal he would be dropped
out of grandma will. and though he re
fused to be bluffed, the situation became
strained and anything but pleasant. 1t
was lilly herself who solved the problem
where others failed to see a glimmer of
light.
One day Lueien had business over to-
ward Liverpool, and as it was bright
February day he asked grandma to go
along She was glad to get out and see
the country, and she meant to take ad-
vantage of the occasion to have a long pri-
vate talk with the young man. After a
drive of two miles and halt at farm
house for moment Lucien headed the
horse back home, and before grandma
knew where she was the outfit was on the
ice along with twenty Others.
'Lucien, what does this mean? she
demanded
1t 5 our nearest way home, grandma.
The horse started off at coed pace
but after a couple of minutes two or three
others began to draw up to him. In FIVE
minutes Grandma Whitbeck began to
wriggle around. In six or seven she be-
came so nervous that she asked
''Lucien, what do them fellers back
there want?'
They want to pass me and crow over
it, he replied.
Just then two of the cutters did pass,
and the drivers looked back and grinned.
Lucien held his horse down, however, anC
he pretended not to mind it when he wa,
passed by two or three others
'You see, I'm just out for drive,
he explained to grandma
eyes, know Could they pass you i
you didn't want EN- TOP
Hardly. hate to be grinned at anC
crowed over, but | know it's wicked tt
speed horses "
Eyes, of course it is, but -
Just then an old erowbait attached to
home made sled came up and passed tn,
cutter at jog, and the half dozen boy
H. eloJ baI sor,a .,,.+;nr, ,or,ori-s