The Democratic advocate., 1909-10-15
Letting Them
Worry
A Case Where the Old Folks
We're Entirely Too Willing
By LOUISE OLNEY
Copyright. 1903. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

She nau Deeu refusing 10 De seen With
him. This time 1t was the club dance.
AS they had been friends from baby
hood. he asked for reasons.
"Sallie, what's the matter? If you
really hate the sight Of me III keep
away If 1t kills me. but somehow |
don't believe you do. What have |
dones Or is il Tracy. or don't you
care. or whatY' In the little sum
mer house he faced her. his dark eyes
swapping. She tossed her fair head,
but her face was serious.
Tracy, indeed. You ought to see
he's crazy about Mary Trcsorl No;
you have not done anything, Robbie.
only She fingered her rose In en-
barrassment.
"only what sallie? Tell me. can't
stand this much longer"
well. / should think you would
hate 1t, too, this being-managed"
Referring 10 our precious families
very apparent plot to get us married
That certainly is the limit! He spoke
coolly. She nodded. flushing with
anger as he continued "I don't blame
you. Sallie. hate 1t too. I"- But
she turned on him like a little tiger,
leaping to her feet to face him.
why don't you go away then? Do
you think that I--are you asking me
everywhere because you think r.
For answer be swept her suddenly In
to bis arms. holding her face to his-a
happy face. for she had always loved
Robert Martin.
Dear, you must know l want you
now. always. But why couldn't our
people be decently reluctant? It's all
so horribly planned! We both hate
being unanswered into marriage Moth.
er suffers even If look at Mary
sweet girl, but not you"
And dad gets apoplectic at mere
sight OF Tom-Tom. who Is everything
dad and | don't want--but when he
and mother greet me at breakfast
with that repressed haven't you-got-
something-to-tell-us air | could glee.
fully announce Tom as their future
son. That would be real revenge. Not
that Tom wants me-" The two looked
up just in time to see Sallle's mother
carefully steering the children away
from the summer house. II was mad
dening. Sallie stamped her foot.
Il simply can't be engaged to you,
Bob. with the family smiling benIgnly
and all the old pussies purring over the
fitness Of the match I can'tw
Wait till you're asked he retorted,
grinning "Sallie, we want each other,
but we must let them worry. They
simply must worry awhile! Did you
know that poor old Tracy hates me
because be thinks | want MaryT"
Stupid boy! Anybody could see
where her heart Is by the way she
hates me when chasten dad by going
out with Tom. Wonder why he asks
me-
TO get even because l play Mary's
little lamb 20 bother mother. You see,
Mary's family goes no farther back
than Adam. 1 suppose yours and mine
antedate old Eden. say, Sallle"-
But he saw Tom Tracy going past
with his machine and ran after him
with shout. The two men talked
long time before Robert came back 20
Sallie.
Get your veil aud things and come
for a spin. Wen stop for Mary. have
lunch at some little town. have dinner
at Baxter. call on my minister uncle
John and get home by moonlight"
'And chaperon?" Though the four
had always known each other. Sal!Ie
was going at least to mention proprie.
ties. Bob's wise eye twinkled.
81 think can hunt up a young mar
ried woman somewhere" he remarked.
but refused explanation till Tracy left
the car to persuade Mary. Then Bob
did his gallant best to make things
clear. He succeeded. Sallie got in
front with Tom. leaving Mary TO an
apparently all too devoted Bob. while
they paraded past their respective
homes. for be II said that the Trevors
and the Tracys had long wished Mary
and Tom 10 like each other.
1t was rather too late that night TO
please Sallie's father when Tom left
her reluctantly at her own door. And
Bob, mother questioned. said he had
Deen motoring with Mary.
That was the beginning. During
August the four were lnseparable. and
the parents worried. The only appar-
ent comfort was that the couples re-
mained together. How could they
know that partners were changed the
minute they got from under surveil-
lance? The girls were airy, radiant.
innocent, the young men calm. i'm
pervious to comment or question,
Never passing the bounds of propriety
they still bafled home attempts to
regulate their movements
Tom was always with Sallie. Bob I'm
the wake OF Mary. The couples weren't
matched 10 suit the elders; but. from
fearing they were engaged. they be-
gan 70 fear they were not. This was
because the young people were begin
ming TO excite social comment by rea-
=on Of several escapades. obviously In
nocent, apparently accidental. They
all came home one day dripping wet
from overturning their canoes and
swimming out, and another night they
walked home ten miles after the motor
broke down-by arrangement II was
first one thing. then another Finally
the parents compared notes. They de-
cided that there was only one thing to
be done-interview the four together
and insist on less public devotion or an
announcement of engagements.
The young people knew Of this. and
the evening the council was to occur
at Sallie's home they promptly absent
ed themselve The meeting began,