Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1912-08-01
A Mere Child
By MOLLIE K. WETHERELL
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

been thinking about Dolly good deal
lately. I'm worried about her"
whats the matter with herr"
"Why, she's kind of going downhill
She's lost flesh lately and doesn't eat
enough to keep a bird alive"
at may be that she's got to an age
where she needs more society"
"She has pleaIy of girl friend=."
"Quite likely she'd like to see some
thing of young men"
SWhat! Barely sixteen and wants to
meet young men, What are you think.
ing of, pa?"
"Ay mother was married at seven.
teen"
"That was q 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 81
twenty-five. Those who go to college
don't graduate before twenty-five. Be.
sides, Doll is young for her age. Eve
been In hopes that my old friend Deb
orah Simmons son Charlie and Doll
might make match, but she doesnh
seem to take to him."
"What makes you think 500"
"Why, he came here the other da!
with a message from his mother.
sent Doll down TO see him. and, going
down myself later, l saw them sitting
in the parlor bolt upright and so faT
apart that wondered how they could
hear each other. Doll looked as fus-
tered as a fish just out of water"
Cant you get her used to him.?
"I'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 futile 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 success. After
dinner Mr.. futile 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 1t, I'll ad-
nit" replied the husband. when |
was 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"
10 Will,
"There's 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 1t.
Forbidden fruit is very attractive"
"Why. Doll Is such a child she
wouldn't know what l meant by fall
ing in love- Besides, 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
er 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 1t.
"He hasn't stayed twenty minutes
after dinner" said Mrs. Tuttle.
1--WE can't blame him." replied her
husband. 81 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 it. At any |
rate, she concluded to discover what
opposition would do with Dollic. 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 were insur-
uountabe 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 word.
81 do believe" said Mrs. Tuttle 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-
er. Charlie did not come near them,
and Dollie rever spoke of him. She
seemed TO be going downhill faster
than before. She was pale and thin
and seemed to be in constant state
Of dread. Her parents begged her to
permit them TO send for a physician
to discover if there was any inherent
weakness in her, but she would not
Dollie usually kept her room late in
the morning. One morning just be- /
fore Mr.. futile went to business Mr..
futile called to him TO come upstairs.
He found her I'm their daughters room,
which was empty Mrs. futile held
bit of paper In her hand, and be-