The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1914-07-30
:ARidiculous;
Affair:
By'F. A. Mitchell

"What is 1t, John"
"It's very simple job If done right
but a rather delicate one"
"Well, go on"
"Lucy, you know, is emerging from
childhood into womanhood."
"Your daughter Lucy?'
Eyes. She is fifteen, very danger
GUS age. And she is just now in great
danger"
"How s0Y'
"A youngster Of eighteen has beer
making up to her, and Lucy seems to
fancy him. You never can tell what
these youngsters may do. Lucy needs
to go to school for several years yet
And as for this young MARYLAND, he's
nothing but boy and Is dependent on
his father for living"
"But what have I got to do with all
this?"
III can tide Lucy over these bars
till she gets old enough to have some
sense she will take care Of herself.
You are thirty-two years old and a
bachelor, within three years Of middle
age. You are my friend and to be I'M
plicitly trusted with my daughter. II
you will pay Lucy a little attention
and just enough to flatter her at re-
ceiving it from a mature man she will
drop the boy. The spell being broken,
she will be all right again till the next
case Of puppy love comes on. And
quite probably she'll be nineteen or
twenty before she experiences another
affair, and by that time she'll have
some sense"
I'D like to help you, John, but l
can't see how an elderly fellow like
myself can have any influence over a
child Of fifteen"
Il don't wish or expect you to get
her in love with you. I simply wish
you to let her see the difference be-
tween a man and an undeveloped boy"
'Well, to please you I'll see what l
can do, but shall feel very queer try
ing to make believe that am struck
with a mere child"
"Come and dine with me tomorrow
evening. After dinner I'll go around
to the club for a game Of whist. You
can then make beginning: Mrs.
Grant, the housekeeper, will be at
home, but no one else. You can have
game Of lotto with Lucy, or domi-
nos, see?'
Mr.. Bert Tisdale groaned.
"Oh, l know it will bore you," added
his friend, "but really, Bert, / think
you can do me a great favor. There's
nothing 1 dread for young persons Of
both sexes like the period until they
reach a marriageable age"
Mr.. Tisdale had often seen Lucy
Wentworth, but not since she had put
away her doll: At the dinner the next
day he noted her especially. She had
developed since he had last
seen her and was now 1.-the creature,
whose skin and other features still
partook Of the softness Of a child's.
She had a very sweet smile and a
pleasant .prattling way with her. After
dinner her father went out, remarking
to his friend:
"Please excuse me, Bert; have an
engagement. Stay right whereyou are.
I'll be back presently"
On Wentworth's departure Lucy, who
had been asked by her father to enter
tain his friend for half an hour or so,
proposed, not a game Of lotto, but to
sit side by side on sofa and look over
an album Of foreign photographs.
During the next few weeks Mr.. It's
dale made visits to Mr.. Wentworth's
house with increasing frequency. All
seemed to go we'll
"Good boy" said the latter, slapping
the former on the back. you're doing
the job splendidly, but don't overdo It,
I don't wish you to turn her head"
Tisdale forced an uneasy smile:
by the bye" continued Wentworth,
1--WE got to go away on business.
When 1 return Lucy's school will have
come to an end for this year and I'll
send her into the country. I've noticed
that the boy has dropped out but I
think that next fall I'll take the pre-
caution to send Lucy to boarding
school. So long, old man"
Tisdale stammered goodby, adding
that he would ease off in his effort to
save Lucy while her father was absent.
Wentworth remained away a little
longer than he had expected. When
he returned he found that in his
scheme to prevent his daughter from a
premature marriage with boy he had
jumped from the frying pan into the
fire. On entering his home he was
handed telegram:
Forgive US. Berthe and have been mar
ried. It's all my fault.
Wentworth was thunderstruck.
A week later the two chums stood
facing each other.
"For heavens sake, Bert" said
Wentworth, what in the name of con-
science induced you to-
'What induced me tor
II didn't dream that you were q
natural born ..
"Any man exposed to anything In
netticOats nav he n fool"