The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1908-08-06


william Thomas osbon" was the
way the name was written in the big
family Bible, but since he had grad
uated from curls and short skirts and
willie he had been "Bilfe to all the
boys and will" to all the girls. Only
the occasional appearance of a letter
addressed In full reminded him that
his name was both sonorous and i'm
pressive
Like Peter Pan, Osbon never had
grown up. He had arrived at the dig
nifty of a mustache, and since his ia
TIERS retirement he had more than
doubled the capacity and capital of
Osbon & Son, yet he was still the
same light hearted, apparently care
free Bill Osbon that he had been In
his boyhood and his college days.
Therein lay the source Of his great
trouble.
From the time she first could toddle
about until he had left for college Bet
ty Durand had been his almost con-
slant companion. About the same time
she had gone to finishing school, and
when they had returned Osbon found
that there had arisen great barrier
between them.
Betty had developed ideals, and her
boyish sweetheart-boyish still-did
not measure up to her romantic stand
ards. She still liked Osbop except
when he spoke OF love, but Osbon was
too genuinely light hearted to play the
loyesick swain, and when he spoke Of
love with a smile upon his lips Betty
was wont to frown.
ITS utterly absurd to ask me to mar
ry you" she had declared. 81 like you
awfully well, WILL but must respect
and look up to the man l marry"
Il see," was the light hearted re-
Spouse. "You want to be miserable
though married"
Betty frowned again at this exhibit
ton OF leyity at SO important a mo
nent and assured herself that she was
right in her refusal to marry Osbon.
Augustus Esterbrooke seemed to an
swer to Betty's description of an ideal.
He was tall, dark, mysterious and
handsome In a saturnine way. No one
ever drea med Of addressing him as
Gus" and he moved majestically In
a little world of his own, where the
cares and worries of everyday exist
ence were not permitted to intrude.
Esterbrooke had inherited wealth and
estates, wherefore he despised the lit
tie things of prosaic everyday life.
1t was characteristic of Osbon that
terbrooke escorting Betty down the
dock at the end of which lay the little
steamer chartered for the Sunday
school excursion down the lake.
Osbon was keenly conscious that he
wanted Betty to be his companion, as
she had always been In those early
years when they had eaten a mixture
of cake and sandwiches and deviled
eggs out of the same shoe bsx and had
been supremacy content.
1t was all different now. Ester
brooke's man solemnly bore an Eng
lish lunch hamper and rugs and wraps
enough for a score.
Betty smiled In friendly fashion
upon Osbon. who was darting from
crowd to crowd. exchanging a jest
here, giving a word of greeting there
and doing his best to inspire the holi-
day spirit.
He paused fer a moment to exchange
a word with Betty; then Esterbrooke
led her Off to the upper deck. where
they could make themselves comfort
able In the shade of the pilothouse.
Passengers were not allowed on the
upper deck, but Esterbrooke held a
block of stock In the transportation
company owning the feet of three
steamers plying the lake, and he was
a privileged person.
The pair were not again visible to
the rest of the picnickers until the
grove was reached: then the servant
spread the rugs, made coffee by the
aid of an alcohol stove and served the
lunch.
Esterbrooke and Betty wandered
away to escape the crowd, and they
ready to leave. Esterbrooke hated
crowds, and he had come merely be-
cause Betty insisted He argued to
himself that there would be time
enough after marriage to bend her to
his ways
When they reached the upper deck
he directed the captain to take the
back channel on the way home.
Its a beastly bore to repeat the
scenery" he offered In explanation.
1.-THE back channel will be little diff
ferent"
1.-THE lake Is at a pretty lew stage"
objected the captain. There are
some pretty nasty rocks in the chan
mel Mr.. Esterbrooke.
"Of course If you are afraid he
began and smiled softly to himself as
the captain brought his teeth together
with snap and stepped inside the
pilothouse. Esterbrooke had caused
the discharge of one of the oldest men
in the employ of the line for less than
this, and the employees feared and
hated him.
Presently the steamer entered the
back channel, and Osbon came hurry
ing up to demonstrate at the risk. He
was familiar with the lake. and as
the chairman of the excursion commit
tee it was his province to interfere.
The captain referred him to Ester
brooke, and the later smiled as he re-
minded him that the charter did not
specify any particular route. Osbon,