The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-06-16
Pas sing the
Rapids.
[OriginaI.J

DoyS iiou tue It1e tuey dIe Oiu
enough to talk and walk 60 through
certain periods. There are the toy age,
the age of sleds and skates and the
ball age. At fourteen to fifteen most
boys begin to consider costume. CON-
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
rage they make. A wife with plenty
of common sense is great help to
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 mothers solicltude. | confess,
however, that l was led to do so by
discovery. When about to send one of
his suits out to be ironed | emptied
his pockets. From the left upper vest
pocket | took out piece of blue rib
bon.
l received a shock not less intense
than that experienced by woman on
discovering letter to her husband
from a 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 a
snug harbor? Did the ribbon Indicate
real case. or was 1t merely sporadic?
My friend, Ruth PenningtoN, had a
daughter, Grace. fifteen years old
Mrs. Pennington and had often
laughingly talked of how nice 1t would
be If my Harry and her Grace should
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 It.
Ruth came In while was meditating
over the discovery of the ribbon. She
remarked that | looked like Robinson
Crusoe when he first saw footprint
talked the matter over. Unfortunately
we got to discussing a case wherein
the son Of a friend of ours had mar
ried 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 a
state Of dreadful pessimism.
| am ashamed to confess that after
this searched Harry's pockets at In
tervals for clews. l made but one dis
covery, but it was enough-a little
lock Of hair, ring formed, folded In q
bit Of paper. ! was so frightened at
this portentous sign that resolved to
go to Harry and demand the name Of
the creature who was doubtless lead
ing him into a trap. But after due
thought decided that 1t would not do
for me to admit that had gained a
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 me 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 a
rose and threw the photograph into the
fire, where 1t 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.
II only wish 1t was Harry's," said.
mo such luck" Ruth replied. "She
and Harry seldom see each other, and
when | once twltted Grace about him
she said he was horrid."
For an hour we discussed different
plans. Ruth considered taking Grace
abroad and putting her at school there,
but the plan was impracticable.
thought of sending Harry to a distant
boarding school. but he was to enter
college the next year. and 1t would be
a pity to break in upon his preparatory
course.
After this Ruth and were used to
comparing notes frequently. She could
not discover any more clews in the
case of her daughter. but l came upon
them often in the case of my son. Ruth
and agreed that our sex was more
adept In concealing such matters than
men. However. nothing definite oc-
CURED in either case, and at last we
began to be lulled to better feeling.
One day Ruth came to me in high
state of excitement and told me that
she had discovered bundle of love
letters in Grace's possession. But they
gave her no information as to the iden-
tity of the lover. for they were all
written on type machine and un-
signed. who would suspect such cum
ming in those so young?" said Ruth.
But fear the man may be much
older than Grace. Oh. heavens, sup
pose she has been fascinated by an
actor! | told her that we should sail In
one week for Europe. She turned pale.
| shall watch her carefully lest she
elope with him."