Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1905-1906, 1906-01-03
Leonard Hutttt's Vow
.IOriginal.l


his widowed mother. TO whom he was
devoted, having little or nothing 10 20
with the softer sex. Since he was
fine looking fellow and had the reputa-
ton of being intellectual and strong
character, his seclusion was very an
moving to the girls of the place. most
Of whom would have been very glad Of
his slightest attention.
During the shooting season HUT
went off into the WOODS to get Il bird
for his mother, whose health and appe-
tite were delicate. He came back
without the bird, but with a very dis
tressed mind What had happened no
one knew, but the news was soon
spread over the village that Leonard
HUT was doing some sort of penlnce.
He had sworn to taste nothing but
bread and water, not to attend any
sort of amusement and not to speak
How long this self imposed deprivation
was to last was not known.
Now, if Mr.. HUT had only known 1t
the real penance he had taken upon
himself was of far greater moment
than the one he had intended. There
were not less than ten unmarried girls
in the village, and every girl was at
| once seized with a desire to compel
the penitentiary to speak to her. Not
one Of them but would have regarded
! the effort of any other to make him
break his VOW as an objectionable sin.
Each considered that in her own case
there were exceptional reasons except
Rebecca Gordon, who had no con
science in the matter and who began
laying traps from the moment she
heard of the VOW.
One afternoon Leonard was walking
along a road when he was startled by
a cry and a short distance before hila
saw Il woman lying on the ground. lie
hurried up to her anu saw IcOecca
Gordon helpless with Il sprained ankle.
"Oh, MIR. HUT" she walled. what
shall do:"
HUT asked With his eyes rs express
lively as possible what was the matter.
eve either broken or spgaincd my
ankle she said.
Leonard looked very much embar-
Indicate that they We're sealed. RcJcc-
/ cas- pretense not to understand Lis
motion was nil the more embarrassing
to him, but he held to his silence and ut
| last by pantomime indicated that he
would carry her home in his arms. To
this she objected for awhile. hoping by
! complicating matters to force him to
speak. But at last she gave in, he took
her up and carried her home. lie had
no sooner turned his back on the house
than she danced to the window, shook
her fist at him and declared that she
| would vet break down his resolution.
No sooner had another of the girls
Alice Waters, heard of the young mans
| vow than she began assiduously to cul
| tivate his mother with a view to effect
| ing an entrance to the house and laying
| siege to him. When Leonard reached
! home after his adventure with Miss
| Gordon he went into his library and
| tired and fretted, threw himself on 8
| lounge. 4 cough admonished him that
l some one was in the room, and, looking
about him, he saw Miss Waters sitting
| by window. She had been sewing
but had dropped her work and looked
painfully embarrassed.
~ didn't mean to intrude, Mr.. HUT,
] she said ruefully. your mother sale
! you wouldn't be at home for another
hour, and just came in for n momen
to get the light through this window
HUT stood looking so much embar
rassed that he could not sa.' anythin:
| pleasant, while the girl waited. Thel
| she began to pout.
II didn't suppose" she said, ''tha
you would mind
| A happy thought occurred to the per
secuted man. He went for his mother
who Gid his talking for him, and Mis-
Waters retired discounted.
For two months Leonard HUT walk
! ed into pitfalls set for him by a lot o
girls, none of whom confessed to an
other what she was doing. Rebecc'
Gordon followed up her attack witt
the most persistence. She tried ever,
salve known to druggists for her pre-
tended sprained ankle and sent 70
HUT to ask his opinion Of each one o
them.
"Mr. HUT" she said at one Of thes
| NlSltS-SuC was Ing VII a SouIu uiSSS
ed in becoming wrapper-"if YOU
tell me why you made your VOW II
never ask you another question"
HUT groaned and said nothing
Tell me-" she pleaded with her re-
lips as well as her eloquent eyes.
i HTS eyes were on q clock tina
stood on the mantel. In 4 few minute
the clock Struck - Hutt heayed
long drawn sigh Of relief.
My time Is up" he said. ''Tw
months ago l was shooting in til
woods. Seeing a movement in til
bus hes l fired and was shocked to hea
hulaan cry. Throwing down thy s-1I
| ran to the spot ~ io,...,. | b..
wounded a young girl. | carried &c
to her home and called n doctor, wh
said that SID would recover. but Llus
raroo.lirl in hpI for f-7-@ 7 a.