Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-09-22
SUNDAY STORY
IN A MOTOR
BOAT
b. SARAH PRICE VAUGHAN

Her father called her Pussy, and her
mother called her Tottie and several
other pet names. She was the only
child. and we all know what that
means. Her father and mother lived
for her alone. without her their uni
verse would have collapsed.
| When she was sixteen she was what
girls Of that age usually are--half wO-
man, half child. She realized the wo-
man part, but Of the child part she
was unconscious. She considered her.
self quite old enough to have lover
and was not long in getting one. john
ny Walker was the young man she Dc.
cided' upon for that position.
She made Johnny's acquaintance in
this way: His father owned summer
cottage on the Atlantic coast, and one
season Mr.. Cummings, Pussy's father.
rented a cottage near by. There IL no
coast in the world 30 adapted to boat
ing in a medium way as this-that IL.
it Isn't ocean boating or row boating.
though there may be both. It II espe-
cially fitted for motor boating. All day
one hears the rapid explosions Of gaso.
line engines coming over the water far
and near.
It was a motorboat that did the bust.
ness for Pussy and Johnny. Johnny
was eighteen years old and had grown
up, 80 to speak, in a motorboat. He
had a very nice one, 30 Pussy thought,
only she would have preferred that 1t
should have been painted blue. her ia.
vorite color, instead Of white. When
she first saw Johnny 60 out in It she
stood on the shore looking at him so
wistfully that he asked his mother to
call on their neighbour 30 that he could
take "that pretty girl' out in his boat
His mother called, and Johnny and
Pussy did the rest.
That was the 6rst summer. When
the two families went homo after
Labor day"-the American people oil
60 home from the country at one time
after Labor day, much to their discom.
fort-Johnny and Pussy were en-.
gagged. Pussy managed It all. though
Johnny was quite willing. Pussy be-
fore starting in for another year at
school told her mother Of her engage
ment.
The good lady was as much sur.
prised as II her daughter had an.
nounced the engagement Of her doll.
that had been laid aside but two years
before. Nevertheless since Johnny
, was q nice boy and Of good family
l and all that she told her daughter that
If she and Johnny were Of the same
mind In four years she would have no
objection to their being married.
"Four years.! exclaimed Pussy.
Eyes: when you are twenty"
/, "Why, mother. I'll be as old as Me
thusaleh in four years. It's an age"
The next summer Pussy was seven.
teen years old. Like most very young
, people. she had very little respect for
the opinion of her elders. She thought
| it was time for her and Johnny to be
married. Johnny hadn't thought much
| about 1t, but since Pussy thought SO he
thought so too. But he didn't make
| any move in that direction.
The two families occupied during
| this second summer the cottages they
| had occupied during the first. One day
when Johnny and Pussy were out In
t his motorboat Pussy said:
n Johnny. how long do you propose to
t keep me waitinG?"
I waiting for whatY'
y "Are you going to marry me or not"'
Johnny caught his breath. "Why. Of
= course am"
"WhenT'
when we're older"
!. Pussy turned her back on him. John.
= ny colored and added: "All right Now
Is a good time. Wen go to B. and be
I married"
+ He had seen" Pussy's blur and gone
/ her one better. But she was tired OF
b waiting for all those years to pass be-
fore being married. SO she said she be-
y lieyed she would consent to 60 to b.
and be married.
! Johnny put on all the power in the
engine and pointed the boat toward
B., i've miles away. Pussy sat very
quiet. She neither moved nor spoke.
' Johnny occasionally looked at her out
a he didn't say anything either. In half
r an hour they reached the floating dock
!. at B. Johnny got out and made fast
( tho boat, then put out his hand to
Pussy. She didn't move.
Come" said Johnny.
"Where are you going to take me to
after we're marriedr'
"We1l 60 on . wedding trip. ! have
e a nice little sum saved up In bank"
r II wonder what papa win sayr
k " don't know"
), "And mammaT
" don't know that, either"
ut would BE- nice to have her with
+ me when am married"
Johnny cast OF The line. threw it
into the boat, rot In himself and start.
ed for home
The ride was not chatty one. Pus-
q 81 remarked that the boat was not
going n fast 40 usual. and Johnny re-