Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1910-05-28
A Bright Girl
By DORA GOODRICH
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association.

AbercrOmDie, who was bachelor did
not spend his time dawdling around
clubs and drawing rooms. lie owned
enough to sail anywhere In any wa
tiers, and In this yacht he made his
home. He contributed quite a number
of inventions to assist scientists in
making deep sea soundings and inveS-
tigating ocean currents and at the
time referred to in this story was en-
deavoring to simplify sea signals.
Abercrombie sailed to the Philip
pines among other places, where he
was welcomed by the united States
officials, especially the officers Of the
army. Among the families of the Off
GERS he met Miss Leila Turnlee, the
daughter of Colonel Turnlee, CON-
mander of the til infantry. Miss
Turnlee understood his device readily.
Now, the way Abercrombic knew
that Miss Turnlce understood his con-
trivances was because she always said
Yes" and Indeed" and How clever
exactly at the right time, and when he
asked, do you follow me-" she always
replied, "Perfectly."
Mrs. Turnlee was much pleased that
her daughter had a mind capable Of
receiving the explanations of Aber
crombie's inventions by AbercrOmbie
himself not that she cared anything
for the inventions, but she hoped her
daughters vigor of intellect would
lead Abercrombie to become interest
ed and possibly that fine catch would
fall to the family. The good lady had
dragged half a dozen children over
many territories in the western por-
ton of America during her younger
days and had known what it was to
get settled in quarters to be immcdi-
ately ordered to some other station
or turned out by ranking officer.
Abercrombie's yacht was preferable
to an adobe hut or log apartment even
when fixed. In other words, Mrs.
Turnlee desired that her daughter
should marry elsewhere than in the
army.
At dinner one evening at Colonel
Turnlee's quarters Abercrombie was
explaining to the family his new SyS-
TEN of sea signals. Colonel Turnlee,
who was West Pointer and should
have understood anything in the sig
nal line, knew but little of what his
guest said. Mrs Turnlee understood
never a word. Miss Leila did not need
to ask single question. 1t all seemed
to go straight to her brain and find
Judgment there.
Upon my word" exclaimed Aber-
crombie How did you good people
come to have a daughter 50 much
brighter than yourselves?"
Leila has always attended the best
Schools" said the fond mother point
eddy. Besides, she has scientific
tastes"
Il have never met" Abercrombie de-
clared enthusiastically, "one who has
taken in everything l have said so
readily"
"She inherited it from her grand
father, Admiral Turnlee,' the mother
pursued. He wrote a book on coral
reefs and another on volcanic forma-
tons. Children always take from
their grandparents rather than their
own fathers"
Colonel Turnlee, who was cracking
nuts, did not notice his wife's asper
sions on his own generation.
"Do you think, Miss Turnlee," said
Abercrombie, that if l We're to send
you n message by my code from my
yacht out in the bay you would under
stand it,"
i,,I- cd thn Trirl
demurely-"that is, if 1t were not too
long"
Every Well Look out for one to-
morrow afternoon"
"How shall reply? 1 have no sig
nails"
You can write or, better, tele-
graph"
Miss Leila made no reply to this.
Possibly she was timid at being put
to the test, fearing that she might fail.
/ don't know how she felt about it. l
only throw this out as a suggestion.
Her mother had confidence that she
would understand the signal perfectly
and furnish Abercrombie with fresh
evidence of the brilliancy of her in
telect The colonel went on cracking
and munching nuts, but said nothing.
When the dinner broke up he had to
90 over to see the commanding gem
eral, and Mrs. Turnlee received a visit
from the majors wife. This left Abcr-
crombie and Miss Leila alone together
for the rest Of the evening. Abcr-
crombie in order to give her better
chance to pass the test to come off
next day coached her bit, asking
her a few leading questions concern
ing 1t. He discovered that she did not
know as much about the code as he
had thought she did. He left her
doubling that she would be able to
telegraph him correct answer to his
message.
The next day at there were evil
dences on the Theta of desire to
communicate with some one. ADer-
crombie himself was holding up little
flags and running them down again.
His message was, you are Il very
bright girl" When the signaling was
over Abercrombe waited for her tele-
gram. 1t did not come. but later Colo
mel TurhIce's orderly brought a note,
1t read:
Your flatterng offer of your heart and
hand comes so unexpectedly that l should
have time But my own heart says now
and always Yes
AInrnrnn,bin road tha nicSiVn with