Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1910-09-03
GUARDING
SYLVIA

|
frankness. mot to find any young
men here"
The others in the group Of married
women on the summer hotel porch ex-
changed surprised glances.
you see," continued Mrs, Robell
when one has an only daughter one
is apt to be bit selfish. ! simply
can't bear the thought of parting
with Sylvia and It makes me positive
ly i'll to see a lot of young men
dangling about her all the time as
they do at home. So l just said to
her father the other day: I'm going
to take her to some quiet spot where
! can have little peace of mind He
suggested our coming here, as he had
heard Of the place through business
, acquaintance"
Was 1t Mr.. Reddington?" queried
Mrs. Dale. the mother Of two mar
riageable daughters.
"Yes. believe it's Reddington or
Eddington. I'm woefully forgetful
about names"
Doesn't his presence cause you any
anxiety?" The more acute members
Of the group scented sarcasm in Mrs
Dale's question.
/ "Oh, no." replied Mrs. Robell In per.
feet good humor: my husband has
told me what a confirmed old bachelor
he is. Why there he is now. oh, Mr..
J Reddington!" Mrs. Robell's voice was
girlishly clear and gay. IF you are
going to the tennis courts will you
be so good as to stop at the wooden
swing and If it's sunny there tell my
daughter to come on to the veranda?
I'm afraid reading in the sun will
make her head ache"
Trust me to send her back to you
If l find her in the sun" said Red
dington.
An hour later, when Mrs. Dale, in
search of her own two daughters,
who were playing tennis with school
boy partners. passed the wooden
swing in which Reddington and Sylvia
Robell were sitting. she said to her
self: That woman knew all the time
that the swing wasn't in sunny
placed"
: Not long after the Robells' arrival
at the hotel Mrs. Robell confided her
anxieties to Reddington.
you can see, Mr.. Reddington." she
said, appealingly, how unhappy it
makes me to have those tiresome men
writing by every mail, simply begging
to be allowed to come here. I'm go
ing to throw all formality and con-
ventionality to the winds and implore
you, as a friend of my husbands, 20
help me. | want you to keep Sylvia
from being alone with the man who,
against all my remonstrances, insists
upon coming here over Sunday.
fear I'm not strong enough to chap
eron her all day"
rs Miss Sylvia interested in the fell
low?" asked Reddington.
Moo, but you know how tender
hearted a young girl, like Sylvia is.
I'm afraid she'll be led by her sym
patty into making some promise she
will regret later think it's a moth
er's duty to guard against these dan
gers"
Il think SO. too" agreed Redding-
ton, heartily.
The callow young man who had
supposed himself first In the affections
of Sylvia wondered all day Sunday
why old Reddington, who must have
been thirty-five at least, hung around
her so constantly. He meant to ask
Sylvia when he got her off alone, but
he did not get her off alone Either
her mother or Reddington was pres
ent all the time. So he took the night
boat back to town in an uncomfort-
able state of mystification.
Only a few days later Mrs. Dobell |
announced to Mrs. Dale her intention |
of returning home with Sylvia.
do you think it safe to take Sylvia |
back among all those young men?"
asked Mrs. Dale sweetly.
Well" Mrs. Robell laughed, I'm |
afraid I'm a failure as a duenna. l |
don't know what my husband will say.
l didn't mean to tell any one until
he knew, but we shall be with him to-
morrow, so l don't mind telling you
in confidence that, Notwithstanding my
unremiting care, dear little Sylvia
has become engaged! It's a great
blow to me-"
Mr.. Reddington?" asked Mrs. Dale.
Eyes, and you know yourself how
trusted him. Who would have dreamed
of such thing?"
1T must surprise you greatly" re-
piled Mrs. Dale with almost too much
emphasis, but I'm sure you will try
to bear up"
Il shall do my best to be brave,
for ! always do" answered Mrs.
Robell, with her never-failing good
humor.