The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-07-29
CUPID AND DAD
BY MAPLE GRAHAM kNlPE.

dance tonight?" asked Emily Barnes
mother at the supper table.
Emily hesitated a moment
Mr.. Sands she replied finally.
Her father looked up interestedly.
mat young chap who's trying
scientific farming on the Williams
place! | must be on hand to meet
him tonight
NOW, daddy, dear, please don't start
that again." pleaded Emily. Every
time really nice young man comes to
see me, you get busy. You act as if
he was your long-lost son-in-law, and,
OF course, that disgusts any decent
fellow. What makes you do it?'
It's this way" placidly explained
her father. Your grandfather was al
ways SO cool to me each time | went
counting your mother that it made me
wilder than ever to get her. so I de-
cfded I'd use the other plan and he
so polite to the young chaps that
they'd quit coming for lack of oppo-
sition. l don't want to lose my little
girl yet
Then and there Emily resolved that
if it were possible. she would keep her
father and young Sands apart. IF
they never met. she reasoned, then
her father could not. by his extremely
clever methods, disgust him so he
would come no longer.
Accordingly that evening she met
the young man at the door with:
I'm all ready, you see"
Am l late?" he asked, with a be-
wildered look at her cloak and gloves.
mot at all. But Mrs Carman asked
me to come early to help her with the
| decorations. Lovely night, isn't it," as
| she descended the steps with the as
tonished, but distinctly happy Mr..
! Sands
Many were the subterfuges to which
i Emily was forced to resort in the next
few weeks to keep her father and
young Sands apart, but always she
! succeeded. Each day the young man
was growing more devoted and ap-
pearing at her side whenever she VEN
tured outside her gate.
Came the first day of May. fragrant
with apple blossoms and musical with
the hum Of bees The young people
planned May day picnic The girls
were to spend the afternoon gathering
/ wild flowers in the woods near the
village, and at supper time the young
men were to appear, carrying the
baskets of lunch previously prepared
by the feminine contingent.
At five o'clock of the eventful dav.
the girls. laden with spring blossoms,
were grouped about Mrs. Carter, their
jolly little chaperone, watching the
group of youths fastening down the
road toward them.
Here we are," shouted Joe Baker.
Il made them let me lead the process
sion after Billy Sands had to fall out,
and had to carry two baskets
Where is Billy Sands?" asked ev-
erybody all at once.
AT home, nursing sick COW or
silo, or something. Anyway, it's
something that swallowed an ear of
corn or can of soup or something"
: answered truthful Joe "They came
: running out for him as we passed his
farm. He was awfully sorry to miss
, the fun speak for his piece of cake
: now" he finished, thereby starting
, young riot
: Emily's lips were smiling, but her
. heart felt queer and heavy as she gath
l cred the bottle of olives and escaped
to broad stump to open them.
: What is the matter with me?" she
: asked herself desperately. q never
was this upset about a man before II
! it hurts this much now, what will it
| be when father sends him right about
$ face? There's just one thing to do
:: and that is to quit him right now
: She returned the olives to the noisy
f youngsters around the campfire and
q murmured about going to the spring
r to wash her hands.
4 Even at that distance the laughing
4 voices sounded plainly, drowning the
noise of approaching footsteps.
: Then a voice at Emilys shoulder be-
gan: Miss Emily, I'm so sorry
; and she turned to find the only man in
the world close beside her.
oh" she said, and held out her
hands as child might have done The
, heart!" gathered them close.
Then he blurted out boyishly: eve
met your father
mot really?" she gasped.
Young Sands was amazed.
you don't understand, sweetheart"
he explained. "He-he liked me.
know he did I'd always been afraid
I he despised me, because-because you
c never introduced me to him.
Emily was sobbing now, her face in
>, her hands. She believed she could see
in advance the sordid finish to her
fairy story
: Are you crying because I met your
father?" asked Billy Sands quietly.
Yes" gulped Emily truthfully.
:" The young man grasped tree trunk
for support.
Perhaps you'd rather | went away
where / could not trouble you and