Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1912-05-31
The Flirnsy
Part Of It
BY AMELIA GILES

party of youngsters were at the
seashore. The men were graceless
scanlps and the girls were as full of
mischief as FLIES not broken to har-
ness.
Two of the party were spoons"
The word spoons is of indefinite
meaning. Possibly some future arch
neologist digging down into the ruins
Of an American city may translate 1t.
"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
ly, especially matrimony. but who are
attracted by each other"
ANY way, Dolly Tink ham and Billy
Woods were spoons and known to be
such by the rest of the party. Conse-
quently they were a target for all
sorts Of jokes. FRANKS 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 mater of fact way by the young
lovers, but not seriously. No amount
of raiIlery could prevent Billy from
putting his arm around Dolly. pretend
ing that he was unconscious of being
observed, or holding her hand under
a lap robe when they were riding
One day one of the young men came
to Dolly with a bottle corked and seal
ed with her address pasted on it, tell
ing her that he had picked it up when
out boating. She broke the bottle and
drew forth paper on which was writ
ten:
have long loved you, but it 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.
est?" 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. 1t 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 it?" asked
the pretended finder of the bottle.
81 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 and blood, the other fellow,
created by her Imagination, was a 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.
whats this story about this fellow
that's tossin' bottles overheard with
love letters in em?"
"He isn't a fellow at ALL"
"What Is he2'
"a noble, good man."
"What you going to do about himT'
Nothing"
"What you going to do about meT
Il haven't done anything, and l
haven't any idea of doing anything"
"But you're going to wait for the
rooster in the bottle to comeT
Il didn't say that"
whats he say in his letter."
"Oh, he says he loves me, but can't
WOO me-"
"Well, then, what's the use of his
saying it?'
Il don't know. l suppose it's re-
lief to him."
SIS he going to keep on being reliev-
ed this wayT
81 don't know"
"Well, Doll, since he's stepped in
and taken possession of the field I'm
out of it. Good evening"
He sailed away with his nose In the
air.
The next day Tom Wilmarth, who |
had made up the first bottle, came to |
Dolly with Il second. 1t contained a |
note telling her that her unknown |
lover would be on the beach the next |
day. He would wear o red ribbon in |
his buttonhole-red in token of his |
bleeding heart.
''See here. Johnny" spoke up one of
the older giGs, who was standing
near, this has gone far enough
Doll. he's been fooling you. He has