Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1914-06-09
Caught by His
White Hair
By MARTHA EVERSHAM


was far older than my years. Young
fellows Of my own age seemed to me
what they really were-beardless boys
They were full of sports and nonsense
whereas was philosophically inclined
l loved to talk with men who knew q
great deal more than l did-men who
could talk learnedly on a variety OF
subjects. Thus l was thrown in with
those who We're usually double my age.
But my intimacy with such persons
was entirely intellectual. Nothing
akin to love was excited by any of
them. Indeed. many of them had
passed middle age and were incapable
of sympathizing with girl in her
teens. While it was true that ! had
intellectual cravings, it was also true
that | was still a young girl. There
were times when l wished for COM
panionship with young persons. But
l was rather inclined to be young with
them than that they-I refer to the
men-should be young with me. What
I mean is that there is certain dig
nifty in a young man that a girl looks
for in one whom she would consider
seriously as possible life companion.
When l was nineteen my father de-
cided that l should finish my education
by trip abroad. We sailed one Feb
ruary morning for Naples, intending
to work our way northward with the
opening spring. spending the hot sum-
mer months in Switzerland. On reach
ing Naples, when we were going ashore
in the ships tender, I noticed a young
man whose hair had evidently turned
prematurely gray. Never have seen so
striking a contrast between a young
face and white hair. He appeared to
be recovering from an illness. He sat
opposite me in the boat, and for the
life of me l could not keep my eyes
off his contrasting features. He knew
that l was looking at him, and this
fixed his attention upon me.
We drove from the custom house to
the hotel, our party of three in an open
cab loaded down with hand baggage |
On the way we passed another cab
containing the white haired young
man. Again we exchanged glances as
ne drove ny US, ana "heh we Drought
up at tne notei entrance he was get
tins OUT Vi his CAP 10 enter the mousse.
Confess was secreIiy pleaseu Chat
we "ouiu pe at the same apluing place.
That very evening an acquaintance
ol III rather introduced the young
hah 10 US us George Caruthers' Telling
us that ne nad peen Ill ana was traV-
eihS 1or MS heaith. The lntroducer
would be gratefll Tor any attention we
nlght snow ms rrlend. Mother sympa-
-hized "ith Mr' Caruthefs' stranger
IL strange lahu anu not strong. ohe
maze quite pet OF hlm' ana Delore
We lelC Napies' ne having no dennlte
'ians' she invited MIN TO traVei with u.s.
A purity tfaVeilhg lor pleasure De
'omes lhtlmate at once In these days
II FORM the only way OF making new
10 frlehds' II may be allowed the
Npresslon' Is traVei IN company Wlth
thers' was during soJourn IN the
4
lilan and on the railways connecting :
hem constant companion OF George 6
jarutlers. IL seemed to me that there >
vas as great contrast IN MS dlsposl- /
ION as there was IN nls outward 1ea-
ures. He had the quiet dignity, the
epth OF understanding or man ana !
he freshness OF youth These accord I
admirably with his appearance. lie +
ad' too, way OF railing In with my q
loods. Nhen Wlshed MIN serious ne n
'as serious; when preferred that ne (
louid be youthrul ne was youthtui. r
Ihese persons WIN young races ana s
mite halr are very deceptive as TO /,
lelr age. angled with MI. Caru- F
lers 10 draw from MN MS age
lclted certain DIS OF Information
'om MN with the intention or put
hS them together ana thus deduclng f
ow olu ne was But he soon OWNED ii
" intention ana gave his answer IN II
way 10 deteat my purpose. Then II
Woulu lauSh Ut me LOT my lallure' "
we reacheu northern ltaly IN cou-
OF months, anu Dy TINS tlme my 81
sWly maze lrlehd had quite recovered p
; stlelistn' his colllleAloh was IL
'turaliy norlu' anu Ine contrast De- "
'eeh MS iace anu MS nair uliuer his y
lproFeu cohuitloh was lne greater. t.