Gilpin observer., 1912-08-22
HOW ONE AWKWARD
YOUNG MAN WON OUT
Sought Cure for Embarrassment
in the Country and Found
a Wife.
BY LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY.

In the world of today young man
who has been about is credited with
a full share of self-confidence, and
If he had any rough points to begin
with to have had them polished down
by contact with society
Franklin Graham was an exception.
Nature had given him a handsome
face, as 1t had many Grahams before
him. His figure was good, too, but
he went about in continual state of
embarrassment and awkwardness.
Mischievous young women and the
1okers at his clubs kept him on edge
all the time. He realized his draw
backs. A man may realize that he
has backache, but that doesn't cure
the ache. He would brace up now
and then and try to be assertive, but
the effort only made things worse.
When man is embarrassed and awk-
ward and has stammer added to it
and he steps on a girls train and sits
down on fifty-dollar fan and refers
to Renfew as Jones, what's the use
of struggling further?
When l was your age I was just
that way" said a middle-aged club
man who liked the boy and felt pity
for him.
He lied when he said he was just
that way, but he lied with good in
tent. If all liars had good Intentions
there would be no evil in tipping
chairs back on their hind legs and
lying for half day at time.
~
asked young Graham
Certainly not. A doctor can cure
the measles, but he's got no remedy
for your case"
Then wh-what shall l d-do?"
Cut out the town for awhile and
go down the country to some village
and begin on the ground floor. Rub
elbows with Tom, Dick and Harry.
Mingle with the people. Talk, fish,
loaf around. You've seen Europe, but
there are villages twenty miles away
you haven't seen. You've attended
functions and high teas. but you've
never taken straw ride. You've seen
grand danes and angel girls in eve
ming attire, but you've not flirted with
the village belle. Go to, young mani"
And a week later young Graham
went to Harpersville Nice little town,
nice river, nice people, good fishing,
nice air! He was surprised at find,
ing such place in America. Some.
what embarrassed and somewhat awk.
ward, but not so much as he expected
to be, he found the old-fashioned inn
but he had stopped at worse In Eu
rope and felt the romance of it
| There was Uncle Hiram Buzz to vel
come him as he had welcomed every
stranger for the last fifteen years.
Well. my son. come to stay a
while?" he began
II hope So"
Glad to hear it. Well treat you
right Cost of living has gone way
up, but We are not robbers here. Come
from the city. l s'pose"
Yes. SIR"
Folks there all we'll when you
left?"
II think So"
Glad to hear It, Some one has
predicted that the cholera would be
along this summer but we amt a bi,
skeered OF it up here. Dye like the
looks Of the town."
Yes, SIR"
Glad to hear that, because I know
We shall all like you. You Jest pitch
right in and be one of us. There's
dog fights every day or two-picnics
swimming, fishing, dancing, going
after berries-oh. we'll take keer OF
you"
And there were three or four young
men that wore very large cuffs and
very high collars who called and in
vited the stranger to have a game OF
pool on the dusty old table, and the
landlords daughter introduced him
to several girls. and within a week
the young man was surprised him
self. 1t seemed that he had never
moved among real people before
There was no polish-no formality
The boys laughed loudly, and the
girls chewed gum. Franklin Graham
was learning something new every
day. and he was rather glad of it.
He had been in Harpersville ten
days when he went fishing A freckle
faced boy guided him to a spot be.
hind the old sawmill and before
running away whispered to him tina,
the girl sitting there with the pole
and line was Miss Greenleaf. Mr.
Grahams bashfulness returned with
rush. He realized that the girl was
superior to any one he had yet seen
or met In the village. She didn't call
put to him that fishing was good. In
fact. she didn't even appear to notice
his presence. Was there certain
etiquette about fishing? What was
It! Was young man supposed to
advance. hat in hand. and ask a girl
II please might he fish In that river?
He had been standing undecided
for two or three minutes when the
girl looked up and queried:
Come to fish?"
| Yes"
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