The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-07-22
ARidiculous
Affair
By r. A. mitchell

"what is 1t, John?"
.Its a very simple Job IL done right
but a rather delicate one"
"Well, go on"
Lucy. you know. is emerging from
childhood into womanhood."
"Your daughter LucyT
Eyes. She is fifteen, a very danger
GUS age. And she is just now In great
danger"
How SOP"
"a youngster of eighteen has been
! making up to her, and Lucy seems to
fancy him. You never can tell what
these youngsters may do. Lucy needs
10 go to school for several years yet
And as for this young MARYLAND, he's
nothing but a boy and is dependent on
his father for living"
But what have ! got to do with all
! thisf'
.If I can tide Lucy over these bars
till she gets old enough to have some
| sense she will take care OF herself.
! You are thirtytwo years old and
bachelor, within three years Of middle
age. You are my friend and to be i'm
plicitly trusted with my daughter. IL
you will pay Lucy little attention
and Just enough to fiatter her at re-
ceiying II from mature man she will
drop the boy. The spell being broken.
she will be all right again till the next
And
quite probably she'll be nineteen or
twenty before she experiences another
affair, and by that time she'll have
some sense"
aid like to help you, John, but /
can't see how an elderly fellow Ike
myself can have any influence over
child of fifteen"
II don't wish or expect you TO get
her in love with you. ! simply wish
YOU to let her see the difference be-
tween man and an undeveloped boy"
well, to please you I'll see what |
can do. but / shall feel very queer try
ing to make believe that ! am struck
with 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 a 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. | know it will bore you," added
his friend, but really, Bert, think
you can do me great favor. There's
nothing | dread for young persons OF
both sexes like the period until they
reach manageable age"
Mr.. Tisdae had often seen Lnc'
Wentworth. but not since she bad p
away her doll. At the dinner the neAe
day he noted her especially. She had
somewhat developed since he had last
seen her and was now 1.-THE creature,
whose skin and other features sun
partook of the softness OF chiids.
She had very sweet smile and
pleasant prattling way with her After
dinner her father went out, remarking
to his friend:
"Please excuse me, Bert; ! have an
engagement. Stay right where you 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. AL
seemed to go well.
Good boy" said the latter. Shaping
the former on the back. You're dong
the Job splendidly. but don't overdo IL
| 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 | return Lucy's school will have
come to an end for this year and III
send her into the country. I've noticed
that the boy has dropped out, out 1
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 of in his effort to |
save Lucy while her father was absent. |
Wentworth remained away a little
longer than he had expected. When |
he returned be found that In his !
scheme to prevent bis daughter from a
premature marriage with boy be had
Jumped from the frying pan into the
fire. On entering his home he was
handed a telegram:
Forgive us. Berthe and have been mar
ried It's all my fault
Wentworth was thunderstruck.
A week later the two chums stood 1
facing each other.
"For heavens sake. Bert" said
Wentworth. what in the name Of con-
science induced you to-
what induced me tor
81 didn't dream that you were
natural born
ANY man exposed TO anything In
pettIcoats may be fool"
But Lucy! She's barely passed out
Of childhood. However. what cant be
cured must be endured. You'd better
take Lucy to Europe for year or 50.
By that time she'll be more mature
and the affair won't look so ridieu-