The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-05-14
The Flimsy
Part Of 1t
BY AMELIA GILES

A party of youngsters were at the
seashore. The men were graceless
scamps and the girls were as full of
mischief as FLIES not broken to har.
ness.
Two of the party were "spoo:is.' -
The word spoons is of indefinite
meaning. Possibly some future arch
aeologist digging down into the ruins
Of an American city may translate it.
"a word invented to express an un-
conventional condition among two very
young persons of opposite sex who are
too young TO think of anything serious
iy, especially matrimony. but who are
attracted by each other"
Any way, Dolly Tinkham and Billy
Woods were spoons and known to be
such by the rest Of the party. Conse-
quently they were target for all
sorts of Jokes, pranks and innuendoes
from their friends. These darts were
not venomous. neither were they witty.
They were principally noted for
their senselessness. They were taken
in a mater of fact way by the young
lovers. but not seriously. No amount
of raillery could prevent Billy from
putting his arm around Dolly, pretend
ing that he was unconscious of being
observed, or holding her hand under
lap robe when they were riding.
One day one Of the young men came
to Dolly with bottle corked and seal
ed with her address pasted on 1t, tell
ing her that he had picked It up when
out boating. She broke the bottle ara
drew forth a paper on which was writ
ten:
I have long loved you. but 1t Is impossi-
bic for me TO WOO you. Learning that you
are staying at b., have sailed out in a
boat past the beach and have taken this
means to advise you of my love. ANY
other way might lead to my detection.
This way Is perfectly safe. The reasons
why 1t is forbidden for me to WOO you are
secret.
did you find Il on the beach, hon
estg' asked Dolly. looking up limo
Gently.
Honest"
She dropped her eyes to the floor
Evidently she was affected by this I'M
known lover who was worshiping her
from a distance. II did not occur to
her that If he was forbidden to woo
her he had better not have commenced
to do so.
"Going to tell Billy about it7'' asked
the pretended finder of the bottle.
Il don't know"
The rascal did not wait for her TO
make up her mind about the matter.
He told Billy himself. The same aft
ernoon when Billy met Dolly on the
beach he looked out at the ocean. Dol
ly wilted. That evening Dolly was sit
ting on the beach doleful. 1t is singu
lar that when girl gets one lover she
is surprisingly happy. Two invaria-
bly, make her miserable. Billy passed
on, but Dolly didn't call him. She
was sure he was miffed about this new
unknown lover. He would vex her with
questions and she didn't wish to be
questioned.
Besides she wasn't quite sure she
loved Billy after all. Billy was ordi-
nary flesh apd blood. the other fellow,
created by her imagination, was pa
thetic looking melancholy chap with
curly locks hanging over an alabaster |
forehead and wearing a Byronic col
lar.
But Billy, seeing that the flag of In
vitation was not thrown out, concluded |
to probe the matter without an invi-
tation.
What's this story about this fellow
that's tossin' bottles overheard With |
love letters in 'em?"
"He isn't fellow at ALL"
"What Is heT'
"a noble, good man."
"what you going to do about himT"
Nothing"
"What you going TO do about me-"
81 haven't done anything, and
haven't any idea of doing anything"
But you're going to wait for the
rooster in the bottle to Gomez"
II didn't say that"
"What's he say In his letter?''
"0h, he says he loves me, but can't
WOO me-"
"Well, then, what's the use of his
saying It'll"
II don't know. I suppose it's a re-
lief to him."
"Is he going to keep on being reliev-
ID this way?"
al don't know
"WelI. Doll. since he's stepped in
ind taken possession of the field I'm
,ut of it. Good evening"
He sailed away with his nose in the
lir.
The next day Tom wilmarth, who
had made up the first bottle, came to
Dolly with second. 1t contained
lote telling her that her unknown
over would be on the beach the next
lay. He would wear red ribbon in
lis buttonhole-red In token of his
bleeding heart. !
''See here. Johnny" spoke up one of
he older gi$ls. who was standing [
lear. this has gone far enough.
DOLL. he's been fooling you. He has
written these notes and put them ia
he bottles. Don't you see that the a
'aper bearing your name on the out
ide hasn't been wet" I
Dolly looked half dazed from the !
irl to the bottle. then at the scamp i
m