The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-08-06
A Mother S
Scare
By EDITH v. ROSS


Two children came to the Jaegars, ,
10y and girl. Their parents CAV
l!lem an excellent education, and the,
we're both very fond of reading. Their,
was library in the place where the,
! lived from which they constantly drew
books Tom Jaegar read great many
works of fiction that have long age
passed out Of date and are only nov
read by those who value them chiefly
for the pictures they give of a formel
time. His sister, Ruth, was more mod
ern In her taste.
Mrs Jaegar was an ambitious wo
man and DESTROYS that both her chill
aren should marry we'll. That meant
that she proposed to watch them tc
make sure that they made no unfortu-
nate entanglements One day there
was ring at the telephone and Mr..
Iaegar answered the call.
rs Tom int"
well, what is it?"
Tell him Evelinas here"
Whoever was at the other end OF the
wire was evidently in hurry, for the
receiver was dropped. and Mrs. Jaegar
was cut off from further inquiry.
who was EvelinaY' Mrs Jaeger
was at once seized with sudden ter
ror She had never heard her son
speak OF her, and this call for him to
come and meet her BODIED trouble She
said nothing to him about the call-not
she. If the young woman were bold
enough to telephone to the house for
him she could not help 1t, but unless
he should reply to the call himself 1t
would avail nothing Nor would Mrs
Jaegar say anything about the matter
II he were getting entangled with
girl she would not let him know that
his secret was hers. Nothing would
feed the fame of love so much as op
position.
But what was her CONSERVATION
when few days later there came an
other ring at the telephone. and Ruth
was called for.
what is itP' asked the mother.
David Copperfeld has just come In"
There was the same click that had
followed the announcement that Eve
lima was waiting for Tom. indicating
the same hurry. Was 1t hurry? Did
not this go-between shut Off the phone
that there might be no opportunity for
the person receiving the message to
ask questions? David Copperfeld?
Never had she heard her daughter
mention any such person, and Ruth
talked of all her friends freely. If the
fond mother feared for her son she was
in terror for her daughter. But Mrs.
Jaeger treated the matter with the
same caution she had practiced in the
case of her son. She would set watch
on Ruth. but would not put her on her
guard by telling her that she had
stumbled upon this secret affair.
Mrs. Jaeger did not consider 1t prac-
ticable to shadow her son. but she had
a maid whom she bribed to watch her
daughter Never did Ruth go out but
this young woman found some errand
to take her out also One afternoon
she came in from shadowing the young
lady and reported that she had seen
Ruth go up the steps of the library at
the same time with young man whom
she appeared to be much pleased to
meet.
'Ahar" said Mrs. Jaeger. ITS the
library where they meet And they
have been bounding me for subscrip-
ion to buy books, Them coy alcoves
are just the places for young people to
meet and dirt"
Mrs. Jaeger was called up again, and |
ler son was inquired for. This time 1t |
was: Tell him | would like to see him |
lbout Eveina. There's another man
Some one other than the speaker
,utted In, and the sentence was not !
inished. But Mrs. Jaegar had heard |
nough. Heaven grant that the other
nan would get the girl away from
rom and he, would be saved a misal.
lance.
The good lady's patience was begin.
ing to wane. She was drifting to-
yard a point where she would not be
bic longer to keep her knowledge a
ecret from her son and daughter.
Despite her watchfulness she could
et no further information of either
( those cIandestine affairs One aft.
rnoon her son and her daughter were
llking together In her hearing.
I'm through with David Copper
eld.'" said Ruth.
And I'm through with 'Evelina.'
he was due at the library q week
60"
I'm glad you two have got through
18th your beloveds. I've been wor-
ed to death about you I've known
II about these meetings at the libra
T. First I got telephone message
rat Evelina was waiting for Tom
here. and the next message was that
lis Mr.. Copperfeld was waiting for
nth at the same place. Who are
lese persons anyway? I've never
card nothing about them before"
Tom and Ruth looked at each other
nd would have burst into a laugh
ad the speaker not been their own
other. AS il was Tom said:
Mother, 'Evelina' is a novel written
? young girl about hundred years
20. David Copperfeld' is the name
one of Charles Dickens books. The
Drarian. Sue Young. whenever book
e want is out holds it for us when
comes in and notifies Us over the
iephone."