Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-04-29
BETTY'S CHOICE.
By Frances Aymar Mathews.


a gay group OF young people trooped
into the post0ifioe Of East Whately on
their way home from the academy one
January afternoon. The air was sharp,
so that the glow, from the big stove was
very attractive, and they clustered
around it, some .peeping at their letters,
some continuing the chat they had been
engaged in when they entered.
1T has been such a terribly bard year.
such fearfullY cold winter 70 far, said
Mabel Wright, that do wish we could
do something Tor them. especially for
Billy Maguire's wife ard children
/ They're literally in rags.
What's thai. Nab - exclaimed a band
some fellow who was carrying Betty
+ Stoves books for her to-day. as be had
Z done for years although he was 10 i0neer
a schoolboy, bat almost Of age. Harp
ing away Oh those worthless mill hands
Of ours 8" He spoke with a certain de-
/ gree Of pomp sounding through bis care
/ less tones. Don't bother about them or
E their complaints. They's good for
nothing ungTateful set. and when / take
I the reins they'll find out the difference. I
can tel you. Father too soft by long
shot
10. don't speak So Betty laid her
/ haHd SOB her books 4 won't let you
carry my things ii you do"
/ -les- you viii. too" laughed 10 Field
E ing. the son and heir Of the wealthy
owner Of the great Fielding paper mills.
You don't mean il when you say such
I hard thing: / know you don't" argued
Betty, quickly giving back the books into
/ the keeping OF the tall young fellow,
/ whose good locks, smart clothes, fetch
/ ing manners and gayety always, 50 far
/ IN life. had won him his way.
/ oh. bat | do" laughed 10. Come on.
/ I've got something to tell YOU" lie low
cred his tone as they passed out Of the
| p0stoifiee. Its about my coming OF age.
/ Do you know. !" he asked, as they walked
/ up the village street, shat I'll be twenty
one in three weeks, little giTl?"
/ Betty nodded with a smile
Father and mother are going to give
/ me a party such as never was even heard
! of before in East Whateiy," the lad said
as they climbed the Mill leading to the
mills and to Betty's house. which was
/ Just across the road from the long brick
buildings, with their tall smoking CHM
ncys.
And. Bet, there's 10 be music and a
supper from Boston. Yes; I'm TO have
an evening suit-the whole rig-and /
! want you to wear the handsomest dress
+ YOU can get and 10 dance the first dance
with me. VIII you?7
Won't T." Betty said, as they reached
the farm gate; for Betty was a plain
/ farmers daughter and the village ana
/ the mills bad erept up 10 her fathers
meadows. but had not succeeded iii max
1 ing old Jacob Stowe sell his acres or in
f vest a dollar Of his little store in paper
mill shares
/ A mite that you've gets worth a
mountain you're goin' 10 have" he was
/ wont Ia say every time Squire Fielding
tried to induce him either 10 part with
/ hl- farm or invest in stock
I lie came stalking down the street now.
/ Just a. his daughter was parting from
/ the mill owners only son. lis pipe in his
mouth. his heavy boots cracking over the
+ frozen ground. The min owner came out
4 Of the mill office and mat him, ard they
I walked on together.
Wonder where my boy Is" the squire
/ exclaimed. Seems to me miss him ev-
cry blessed day from the office Jest about
the time school clos $"
Il seen him W street answered
/. stowe. Him aid Betty was huggin'
/ the gate talkin's fast as magpies'
Fine boy" CALCULATED the squire.
Jacob Stowe nodded his head SLOWLY
and refilled his pipe.
Most twep.y- one added the squire.
sure returned the other.
"Smart's a steel trap; shrewd's 4
fox" gleefully continued the rich man.
Right you are assented the farmer.
Tell YOU a secret, Jake
Stowe cooked his ear.
Going 10 take 10 in equal partnership
or his birthday. and put him at the head
Of the whole business here"
"SosH
Yes: then weIl see il this grumbline
ana growing, and talk about higher
wages ana bad times and provisions be-
H. 50 high. and all that rot won't come
To stop The squire laughed as if at
a good joke. and rubbed his sealgloved
hands together as he spoke.
Wall" calculated the farmer. well
see. But. tell you, ii your boy kin stop
that murmW he's Tar sight clever'n
take him to be!'
- NatN tdtf At i. ttt0 fielUlNg an
swercd, He ought TO be; he's had every
advantage although he wouldn't 20
through college. Hes never been denied
ANYTHING hes wanted I've done my lev
el best by him, and l look for my reward
in seeing him pUt his shoulder To the
wheel the day he's twenty one, and show
ing these loafers that young blood's got
the grit to overcome EN-, if old blood
( hasn't"
\ week later the square card invita-
tons engraved in Boston" Squire Field
ing proudly announced, were all out for
JOS coming-of-age party, and the whole
I village ana country side was in a state Of
excitement over the approaching event.
The news was not slow in reaching the