Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-11-02
A Mere Child
By MOLLIE K. WETHEREu
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

SAO . iooI ASoA Idleiy anu uoeSu eat
enough to keep a bird alive"
ut may be that she's got to an age
where she needs more society"
"She has plenty of girl friends"
thing of young men"
What Barely sixteen and wants to
meet young men! What are you think
ing of, pa:"
my mother was married at seven
teen
THAT was a long while ago. Girls
don't think about the young men now
before they're twenty and don't marry
much before they're twenty-four or
twenty-five. Those who 90 to college
don't graduate before twenty-five. Be-
sides, Doll is young for her age. I've
been in hopes that my old friend Deb
orah Simmons son Charlie and Doll
might make match. but she doesn't
seem to take to him.
What makes you think 500"
why, he came here the other day
with message from his mother I
sent Doll down to see him. and. going
down myself later. l saw them sitting
in the parlor bolt upright and so far
apart that l wondered how they could
hear each other. Doll looked as flus-
tered as fish just out of water"
Cant you get her used to him?'
m going to try. I'll invite him to
dinner, and after we are finished we
can leave them alone together"
A Jews days later Charlie Simmons
sat opposite Dolly Tuttle at table, her
father and mother being at opposite
ends. The young man endeavored to
keep up a conversation. but Dolly
munched in silence. Indeed. the din
ner was by no means a success. After
dinner Mr.. Tuttle said he would smoke
in the library, and Mrs. futile thought
she would keep him company with her
work.
did you ever see any one so stiff in
presence of a young man?" said the
wife "She didn't dare look at him.
"He had hard time of it, I'll adj
nit" replied the husband. when I
was a boy, If a girl was as uppish as
that 1 would have dropped her like
cold potato. I'm afraid my little girl
will be one of the old maid kind. She's
not responsive"
"What'll l do with herr"
"Theres one thing you might try
There's nothing like contrariness to
produce results. If you were to tell
her that on no account must she fall
in love with Charlie she might do it.
Forbidden fruit is very attractive"
"Why, Doll is such child she
wouldn't know what meant by fall
ing in love. Resides, l don't intend
that she shall marry before she's at
least twenty. What I'm doing this for
is to draw her out of herself and get
her to take more interest in things"
At this point Charlie came into the
room and said he must go. His moth
err was alone at home and would feel
uneasy about him. She always wor
ried when he was out after dark. He
said he had enjoyed the evening very
much, but if there had been any joy
his hosts had seen no evidence of il.
"He hasn't stayed twenty minutes
after dinner" said Mrs. futile.
I'VE can't blame him." replied her
husband. II think you'd better try
something else on Doll. She evidently
don't take to the young mans plan"
But Mrs. futile was not inclined to
give the matter up so easily. 1t may
have been that her own contrariness
had something to do with ii. At any
rate. she concluded to discover what
opposition would do with Dolie. She
called her into her bedroom one morn
ing and told her that on no account
should she fall in love with Charlie
Simmons since there We're insur-
mountable obstacles to their marriage.
Dollie opened her eyes very wide,
kept them fixed on her mother for
few moments, then turned and walked
out of the room without a word
Il do believe" said Mrs. futile in
speaking of the scene to her husband.
that the child didn't understand
what | was talking about
1t looked after this as if Mrs futile
had taken exactly the wrong course
to bring the two young people togeth-
err Charlie did not come near them.
and Dollie never spoke of him. She
seemed to be going downhill faster
than before. She was pale and thin
and seemed to be in a constant state
of dread. Her parents begged her to
permit them to send for physician
to discover if there was any inherent
weakness in her. but she would not
consent.
Dollie usually kept her room late in
the morning, One morning just be-
fore Mr. futile went TO business Mrs.
futile called to him to come upstairs.
He found her in their daughters room.
which was empty. Mrs. futile held a
bit of paper in her hand. and a be-
nign smile was on her face.
''Read that" she said. handing the
note to her husband.
The missive had been placed on the
girls bureau and informed her par
ents that she had gone away with