The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1908-10-09
Pa s Sing the
Rapids.


the age of sleds and skates and the
ball age. At fourteen to fifteen most
boys begin to consider costume, com
mencing with their cravats. This In
terest develops till at seventeen all
their clothes must be especially to
their liking. At this time, too. they
usually begin to take notice of girls
have always considered that young
men are made or marred by the mar
riage they make. \ wife with plenty
of common sense is great help to Il
man; frivolous, empty headed one
may be his ruin. / therefore BEGAN TO
watch my son, Harry, as soon as he
arrived at the girl noticing age with
all a mothers sollcitude. confess.
however, that l was led to do so by Il
discovery. When about to send one OF
his suits out to he ironed | emptied
his pockets. From the left upper vest
pocket l took out Il piece of blue rib.
bon.
| received shock NOT less intense
than that experienced by woman on
discovering letter to her husband
from rival, though not OF the same
nature. That my boy had entered the
rapids had proof positive. Would he
be swamped, or would he sail into
snug harbor? Did the ribbon indicate
II real case, or was 1t merely sporadic?
My friend, Ruth Pennington. had n
daughter, Grace, fifteen years old
Mrs. Pennington and had often
Mughlngly talked of how nice it would
I'm
| make match. OF course we did not
seriously expect 1t. Matches between
the children OF old friends seldom come
about We simply would have liked ii.
huth came in while | was mcditatlng
over the discovery of the ribbon. She
remarked that looked like Robinson
CruSoe when he first saw footprint
in the sand. told her all, and wo
talked the matter over Unfortunately
we got to discussing case wherein
the son Of friend OF ours had mar
ricd chorus girl, then had gone TO his
mother and asked her to help him get
rid of his wife. This was followed by
citing case wherein the daughter OF
an acquaintance had run away with a
coachman. BY the time our Interview
ended we had worked ourselves into 4
state of dreadful pcssimism.
l am ashamed to confess that after
this | searched Harry's pockets at In.
tcrvals for clews. | made but one dis.
covery, but 1t was enough-a little
lock of hair, ring formed. folded in
BIT OF paper | was so frightened nj
this portentous sign that l resolved 60
go to Harry and demand the na ae OF
the creature who was doubtless lead
Ing him into trap. But after due
thought l decided that it would not do
for me to admit that had gained q
knowledge OF his treasure surrepti-
tiously. Besides, such affairs thrive on
opposition. So kept the secret.
One day Ruth Pennington came to
me to tell Inc that she was having The
same trouble with Grace that was
having with Harry. She had caught
Grace standing before the FIREPLACE
looking at card photograph. AS the
mother entered Grace turned red as q
rose and threw the photograph into the
fire, where it was burned before the
mother could get glimpse OF the face.
Nothing could induce the child TO tell
who was the original of the likeness.
- .as
mo such luck" Ruth replied "She
and Harry seldom see each other. and
when once twitted Grace about him
she said he was horrid"
For an hour we discussed different
plans Ruth considered taking Grace
abroad and putting her ut school there,
but the plan was imrracticablc l /
thought OF sending Harry to Il distant |
boarding school, but he was TO enter
college the next year. and it would be |
pity to break in upon his preparatory |
course.
hftcr this Ruth and i were used to |
comparing notes frequently She could |
not discover any more clewa in lie !
case of hcr daughter. but | came upon !
them often in the case Of my son. Ruth |
ana l agreed that our sex was more |
adept In conccalinG such matters than |
men. However, nothing definite oc-
CURED in either case. and at last We |
began TO be luiicd to better feeling
one day Ruth came to me in q high |
state of excitement and told me that |
she had discovered bundle of love
letters in Gracc's possession. But they |
gave her no information us to the iGen-
Illy ol thc lover. for they were M! !
written on 4 type machine and un-
signed. WHO would suspect such cum
ming in those so youngT said Ruth.
"Bu; l fear the man may be much
older than Grace. Oh, heavens. sup.
pose she has been fascinated Iv an
actor! told her that We should sail in
one week for Europe She turned pale.
shall watch her carefully lest she
clopo with linn"
Two days after this when | went to
Harrys room to call him. ~ usual.
was terrified not to find him there. nor
had his bed been slept in. l rushed
over TO Ruth Pennington to tell her If
my trouble and found her in the saur
coalition as myself Her little bird.
too, had flown. Then We looked at
each other. something dawning on the
face of each.
81 wonder" l gaspcd
And ! wonder, tooH gnsped Ruth
Gould they have
Gould thev?'
There was n ring at the door-nnd "a
telegram. Ruth broke it open ana read.