Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1911-01-20
Mr..
He Was a Fine Fellow and
Served an Important Purpose
BY F. A. Mitchell
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.


Everard Tomlinson was considered
an admirable catch. He was a fine
fellow in every way and when he
came of age fell heir to n fortune Of
some 100000. He was besieged by
fortune hunting girls.
1t was something Of n relief. there
fore, when Mrs. Stetson. an old friend
of his mother, reminded him that he
was promised to her for n visit at her
u~npretentious bungalow on Lake Was
sapogie for the last two weeks in Sep
TENDER. He had engaged for this visit
in the spring to please his mother and
before he had made his round Of house
parties. At that time he looked for
ward to two weeks in Mrs. Stetson's
bungalow as burying himself in the
woods. There was TO be no other
guest and the family consisted only of
Mrs. Stetson, her son, Roy, aged six
teen, and her daughter, Alice. aged
twenty. TOmlinson was told that It
would not be necessary to bring even
ing dress; that he would need flannel
shirts and any old clothes he might
possess. His days would be passed in
a rowboat aud his evenings in the llv-
ing room OF the bungalow with the
family sitting around a table reading
by a kerosene lamp.
After being hunted by spinsters
TOmlinsOn rather liked the idea of get
ting away by himself. True, there was
Alice Stetson, who might be lying in
wait for him, but 1t was not improb-
ble that he could get away occasion
ally alone for a pull over the waters
OF the lake.
II was near the 1st Of October when
Tomlinson was driven up to the rear
oor OF the bungalow-the house faced
the lake and was built on It's verge
and the foliage had already begun to
take On its variegated hues. Mrs.
Stetson and Roy welcomed the guest.
Tomllnson noticed the absence of Miss
Alice and was so well bred as TO say
that he hoped she was not from home.
He was told that she was In the house.
but would not appear before dinner.
Her mother vaguely limited that there
was a reason for her keeping her room
for the present. and from the sympa-
thetic tone In which the statement
was made TomliDson inferred that
some sad event had occurred.
Alice anne out OF her room as din
Aer was announced. She did not say
anything about the l|ugubrlous event.
but she loOted intensely sad. Indeed.
her eyes were red, an evidence thai
she had been weeping. The effort she
made to seem cheerful was touching
Tomlinson was tempted to inquire
what was the cause OF her melancholy,
but was too well bred to trespass on
the sacred feelings OF a young girl.
Alice retired TO her room early in the
evening.
The next morning her depression
continued. though TOmlinson noticed
that she ate heartily. Mrs. stetson
suggested that she show Tomlinson
the beauties Of Wassapogie lake. Alice
cast a look Of appeal at her mother.
as much as 10 say. ITS cruel that l
must exert myself TO entertain a stran-
ger when my heart is crushed" but
the mother insisted, telling her daugh-
ter that the fresh air would raise her
spirits and that she should make an
effort.
What kind Of an effort she should
make the mother did not explain. Roy
got out a boat. and as Alice stepped
into II dressed In a very becoming
blouse and a short skirt Tomlinson
noticed that she possessed a foot and
ankle the curves Of which were very
delicately turned. She asked Roy II he
was not going with them. and when
he said he was going instead for
ducks she gave him a %reproachful
glance. Tomllnson. relieved at Roy's
ySuaaI took the oars and pulled away