The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-06-10
AN ABORTIVE
ATTEMPT
By ESTHER vANDEvesR

OOD KNOW WHAT 10 90 VIII
SaqueIine.'' said Mrs. Markham to he,
friend Mrs. keane. "she il at u msr
fiageable age and should be married
We are living up 10 our income, and
II anything should happen to her IA.
ther she would have to 20 to work.
That would end her chances for mar.
rying In the set TO which she belongs.
It would take her from the young men
whom she has been accustomed to
meet socially. and work soon sp0ils
girls looks. She has turned down
three men during the past year. All
the mothers Of sons are afraid Of her.
As soon AZ she has fooled one another
idiot steps into his place"
my Bert II much the same In refer.
ence to giris." replied Mrs. Keane. 1T
doesn't matter 20 much about Q mans
delay ying marriage. but should like to
see Bert married. He needs Q settler.
and marriage alone will make . man
stop prancing and bring him down to
steady gait Suppose we shut the
two UP where thsy can't get away from
each other ana NOT let any one else
come near either Of them I'LL ws gst
them married"
The very thing"
I'VE 60 to our country place next
month. Come and make % Q visit,
bringing Jack with you"
Thanks very Duch. I shall b d.
lighted"
On the LIST Of June Ms. Keane 70.
moved TO her country place, taking hee
son with her. She was obliged to bribe
him to come. Al to his staying, shs
depended on Jaqueline, Markham 10
keep him. She told him that she was
to have Mn. and Mise Markham for
guests and wished him to help her en-.
tertain them. but at the slightest sign
Of his making love to the daughter she
would make an excuse to terminate
the visit. Ms. Markham gave similar
instructions TO Jaqueline Any effort
or her part to make a conquest Of Bert
Keane would Be signal for their re-
turning to their home.
Since neither Of the young persons
wished to pass the time shut up In the
country at season when the city was
still attractive II would seem that they
would at once do what they were for
hidden to do. So they did. and their
willy mothers knew they would. but
the latter could II they liked be for
bearing or bliRd or anything to avoid
separating the two youngsters.
II urao son pcotv uanaccu e., nps,noo
any lovemaking between Mr.. KeSne
and Miss Markham to bring about a
dirtatiOn. The mothers saw at once
that II they could keep Oh other young
men and women till the affair was
played out there was hope for the sue
cess Of their plan. No other guest was
invited. neither man nor woman. The
Keane place was not near other simi-
lar places, and the summer hegira
from the city did not take place till the
lst Of July.
Had the mothers held to their threat
the visit would have ended within an
hour from Its commencement. The
youngsters began 4 battle royal at the
first moment Of their meeting. Jaque-
line was the aggressor. Bert. not
| withstanding his mothers view Of him.
with women invariably stood on the
defensive. but when attacked was an
excellent eOmbatant The two were
permitted to walk and drive out to.
gether and often availcd themselves
OF the permission. They always came
back together. so that their mothers
felt satisfied that they had found no
other outlet for playing their pranks
and while Mt home were inseparable.
Nevertheless ten days had scarcely
elapsed before Mrs. Keane on entering
room where the two were supposed
to be ''spooning' was surprised to see
Jaqueline at one end Of II engrossed
In a novel. while Bert was at the other
reading newspaper. This was not
encouraging A few days later Jack
disappeared. She had left a note for
her mother stating that she had gone
home and her going was matter of
necessity. During the day 1t was re-
ported that young farmer In the
neighborhOod had attempted suicide.
Still later woman came to the
Keanes with blood In her eye asking
for the girl who had broken her sons
heart.
Bert ned the same evening. and the
next mornings mall brought a note
from a country girl reproaching him
for not having met her ''at the trysting
place."
The next few days brought news Of
sther incursions on the part both Of
Bert and Jaqueline. Then the two
mothers made inquiries as to how
those whom they had endeavored to
keep out Of harms way by keeping
them together and apart from others
had found their opportunities. with the
following result:
They had gone out together and re-
turned together, but there was no evi-
dence that they had remained together
/ during their absence.
"Jack Is incorrigible." said her moth
er gloomily. 1T 10 impossible to do
anything with her"
WI'm af~aid Part ts M hnttor " s0td