Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-10
A aADYLIKE MAN


done to bring about match between
Jimmy and Helen Swift
smiled inwardy. Jimmy was Mrs.
Scarborough's only son. He had been
kept under the thumb of nurse till
be was twelve years Old and. so far
as manliness was concerned. was
t2warfed. And yet there was in the
boy the material 10 make Il splendid
fellow. His mother. not be, was re
sponSible for his condition Had he
not been a boy with very tender con
science he would have broken away
from her. deceived her and made a
man of himself Unfortunately for his
manliness-to speak paradoXically-he
was very honorable. But it wouldn't
do for me to say all this to his mother.
Helen Swift was the reverse of Jim
my Scarborough. She was an athletic
girl all over. She held Il champion
ship for singles in tennis. was 4 leader
at basketball and was admitted to be
the most fearless horseback rider in
the county. She had even been up in
a flying machine. To bring these two
together would seem to be an impos-
sibility. But | was an old friend of
the family and had often pitied Jim
my. dressed in fine clothes and tied to
his nurses apron strings. when other
boys were climbing trees in flannel
shirts and corduroys.
How would you like to have Jim
visit me for awhile?" | asked.
"Oh. I'd be constantly worried, for
fear he would go out in the wet with
out his rubbers."
I'll look ont for that
And Jimmy is very careless about
putting on his oyercoat when the wind
is chilly"
I'm see to that too"
The mother didn't ask me my object
in soliciting Il visit from her son, but
since the invitation came on the heels
of her expressing wish that he should
marry my ward she inferred that the
one might have something TO do with
r the other. SO she consented to let him
go. I live in the country. where l can
/ be rid OF city life and be out of doors
most of the time. I'm especially fond
of fishing, shooting and all kinds OF
sports
Jim Scarborough was just twenty
/ when he came to visit ME. 1t was
Imaginable to watch him. Having been
brought up among women, he walked
and talked like a woman. Had | not
seen the elements OF manliness In him
underneath this femininity ! would
III
masculine out Of him. AS it was. felt
like one who tries to straighten a
young tree that has grown completely
out of shape. knew it would require
time to get his girls ways out of him
and stipulated with his mother that he
should remain with me month-June.
IF he We're not incurable l hoped to get
him in such condition that he wouldn't
20 home till he felt inclined-in other
words. that he would throw Off the
motherly yoke and declare his indie
nenGence There have been sovereignS
who have been kept under a mother $
sway for several years after coming of
age and wearing the crown. SO had
hopes for Jim.
Helen Swift lived near me and loved
better to 20 about with me than men
of her own age. When Jim came |
took him with ne in all my sports and
my ramblcS, and Helen became jealous
of him at once since she was left out
in the cold.
"You seem very much smitten with
that ladyIike young man." she said TO
me, with a toss of her head.
'If you knew of the injustice that
has been done him you wouldn't speak
so unkindly of him" l replied.
What injustice?"
gave her history Of the treat
ment Jim had received. adding that
knew him to he naturally splendid,
manly. truthful fellow.
DO you mean to tell me that such
treatment didn't make a liar of him?"
- DO"
Nor moral c0wardt"
Morally and physically l believe he
is rs brave as any man"
well. he must be a wonder. Dc
you suppose he'll ever get over his
feminine ways?"
81 do How can you expect boy tC
act like man who has been brought
up exc'Isively with women: I've
brought him here to try to make him
over, poor fellow"
Sad. isn't it?'
Indeed il Is
'If you'd lie any help from me
wouldn't mind giving it to you.''
Thanks very much It's my oh
ject 10 keep BIN away from girls-ai
least for the present
HIM. I'm not going TO hurt him
Then. after pause. How long vii
for the present last"
His mother agreed to let him re
main with nc q month. At the expira
ton Of that time ! hope to have so faI
improved hin that he will
TEL his mother to 20 III the dick
ems"
Something like that. II is quite pos
sible that l may then need your as
distance to keep him"
III shame him into staying"
There's better way than that"
What way"
You might make yourself an objec
Of interest to him so that no Womb