Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-12-20
The Evening Story
AN
INTERRUPTION.
By ANNABEL BRINSMADE

body OF Betty Margot. aged eighteen.
was TO be buried at II o'clock. and 1t
was now 10. A great deal of sympathy
was shown the family. for there were
very sad circumstances attending the
young girls death. In fact. it was con-
sidered case OF suicide.
About year before Betty began to
show signs of dependency. She had
left school and was ready to take a
social position among the young people
or the town In which she lived Her
mother, partly to divert her from her
condition of mind, did what she could
to induce her to do So Betty did
not refuse to 60 among those OF her
own age. but when with them, instead
OF being the bright. CHEEKY girl of
! year before, she was listless. The young
men and maidens who had grown 40
with her endeavored for awhile to
draw her from her lethargy, but, find
Ing their efforts futile. at last gave up
trying.
The family physician was, of course.
consulted. He talked with Betty, ask
ed her great many questions. pre-
scribed tonic to be taken three times
day before meals" but told her moth
er that he could find no organic dis
ease. He thought that change of scene
might be beneficial. but the Marquis
could not afford TO take the patient
away. Besides. she said she didn't care
to 20 away. The doctor suggested that
there might be young man IN the
case. but Mrs. Margot declared that
her daughter had never shown any pref
erences for amy Of her male acquaint-
ances. To this the doctor replied that
first love on the part of a young girl
from sixteen TO twenty was apt to as
sumo very singular forms He had
treated cases OF supposed physical NAL
ady which eventually had turned out
TO be simply iovesickness. One of his
patients had shown signs Of break
ing down in health simply because she
could not make up her mind between
two suitors and had finally eloped with
third to whom her parent had no OBJ
lection whatever.
One morning when the good lady
went into her daughters room with
the usual toast and coffee--she would
not permit Betty to arise before II !
oclock-the room was empty. The bed |
had not been slept In. The frightened /
matroR rushed from the room. calling
her daughter wildly. The household. |
Betty excepted. responded, and even /
tuaily the whole town was reused.
The day passed with no word from /
the missing girl She must have de- |
parted in the night. for no one had T
seen her 60. Every village In the
neighborhood received telephone mes
sages describing Betty's personal APP
pearance and inquiring If she had been F
seen. All her relatives far and near
were notified. Not a hopeful word /
came from any point
Mrs. Margot, after she became so
far Gained as TO express an opinion on +
the cause of her daughters departure. t
said she believed that Betty's mind
had been affected through some dis {
ease which that stupid doctor" had ]
failed to discover. The people Of the :
town had many and diverse opinions.
Mrs. Griffin. across the street, who had :
heard Mrs Margot-an impatient, ex
citahlc woman--scold her daughter.
avarred that the latter had been driven
away by cruelty. Some OF the neigh
bors-old maids or married women
dren-said that Betty had not been
properly brought up and had gone to
the bad.
One day fresh impetus was given
TO these coniectures by the discovery
OF body of 4 woman In the river Il
was bloated beyond recognition. but II
was about Betty's height and the hair
was about the same color AS hers. The
consensus Of opinion was that II was
her remains; that In a fit OF temporary
insanity she had escaped from home
and drowned herself. The sight was
so awful that the parents were per-
suaaed not to look at IT, An under
taker prepared 1t for burial and this
brings us to the beginning OF orr story.
which is also the end.
Persons were assembling at the Mar
got home to pay their last respects to
the dead. The clergyman had arrived.
the undertaken was going about with
soft tread giving directions in a modl1
lated voice. when young man and
woman turned a corner and caught
a view OF the hearse and carriages
before the door The lady
sank on the mans bosom with gasp;
but. recovering. the two pursued their
way TO the house of the funeral The
clergyman was mentioning some lovely
traits OF the deceased when tile chief
mourners uttered an exclamation Of
surprise and made a bolt for the hail.
where stood the newcomers.
oh Betty exclaimed both father
md mother In breath.
The obseqnies were discontinued on
account of the appearance OF the OBJ
iect for which they were held. and
great relief great JOY, reigned In
their stead. This was Betty's explana-
ton.
/