The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1916-11-30
Phil Webster
BY HAROLD JOY

as u picture. aud at seventeen she WAS
prcttlcr silll Hut II she uutrrcw some
Of her tomhoy practices she retained
the tomhoy spirit
In some families all letters that come
10 the house are considered lawful
prey 10y any member and opened ut
will. one day letter came Tor Phillis
brother Jack from Florida. Jack bc'
Ing away at the time, Phlllis opened
the misslve II was from his friend,
Egbcrt FnruswOrth. who was running
an orange plantation IN Florida, urg.
inr Jack to make him vlrit. Farus.
worth said that he was without asso.
clntes. having only an aunt with him
who kept house for him. snd be wishe'I
Jack would come down and make him
q visit
phillis was seized with n desire 10
leave the rigorous northern winter for
the genial southern climate. N she
were only n man instead ~ girl she
would contrlvc. II possible. to hny"
JncL's Invitation transferred 10 herself
AZ II was. she wrote Mr. fnrnsworth
that Jack was not az home and would
not be able to accept his Kind invita-
ton.
Phlllls wrote hsnd that might cas-.
! ily hc mistaken Tor mans aud signed
herself "Phil Webster" By return
mail she r., el'ed reply from Farms.
worth extending the Invitation 10 rhil.
This was terrible temptation for
rhl',ls So FAR ~ propr,cty was cou.
cerucd. Fsrusworlh's aunt being with
him rhil might visit the plantation.
though II would not be exactly tho
thiug f"r n glrl ~ q retiring disposi
tiou ~ do.
rhi struggled With herself for some
tine then gave way.
When Eghcrt fArusvorth went a.
ne station nud n pretty girl accosted
him. saying that she WAS rhll Farus
worth. he could have hccn knocked
over with feather rhll pretended
moi to notice his surprise. hut apollo
rizcd 'ur mnkug the visit. saying that.
her father aud hiuthor lclng both
away aud she hcluc v"ry lonely. he
sides. the winter lclpr very cold aud
knowing that he lrd pu nuut with him
for 'ruucuu, she lul not the courage
N refuse nu 'i'.'. on from her broth
sr's most iu'l'g"'r frloud
Irlrrt vr i...ri io death NJ hny.
lur tir ,'t"nr aud 'uok her home Ia
~ ru"' lrw he instructed ~ ns.
sumr 'N" dirati"u of her movements.
a. n % 80 we're her DAUGHTER l'hlI up.
prH.' ua Uusuphlstlraicd ns n country
- - lIlccu aud convinced the aunt
that slc had uu idea she was doing
nr'ihiug ont ~ lrc vuv
i'rHusWorih behaved very rirum.
~, tlN lie consulted Ms aunt before
proposing ~ take l'hil anywhere with
him aud whenever the good lady de-
INJURED ~ 10 the proprlcilss the three
went together.
ihil had affected y rhildlike timidlty
ss well Hs simplicity Though she had
taken prizes IN swimming contests. she
went into the water shrlnklngly. a.
though fearing Ia wet her pink toes
Miss fRrnsworth always accompanied
her 10 the shore and charged Egheri
to see that she never got beyond her
depth. Phil enioyed The play. IN which
she was performing the principal part,
Immensely aud begged Eghert Ia teach
her how Ia swim. keeping him busy
giving her instructions.
But this kind ~ bathing did not suit
Phil at all. She longed 10 take
header IN the dock twenty feet above
the water. One morning about day-
break getting nut ~ bed she donned
her hathiug dress aud stcalthlly stole
out 10 the dock. which was hut few
hundred yards from the house. All
Was sin. snd she believed every one
was asleep Unfortunately for ber
Miss Fansworth had awakened early
and was tossing about Ia her bed
Thinking that t0 stir about her room
might enable her Ia go H. sleep again
after returning to bed, she got up and
walked the nOOr. Glsncing Out through
a window, she saw Phil In bathing
dress hnrrying toward the dock. SUR
prlsed, she paused aud watched. Phil
went Ia the far end Of the dock, then
plunged On head foremost
Miss FarnswOrth, thinking that the
girl Was either a sleepwalker or was
intending 10 commit suicide, gave
shrlek that awakened Egbert. Hastl-
~ putting ou a dressing gown, be ran
into his aunt's room. Miss Farms
worth'S eyes were strained toward the
dock. Eghert followed theu with his
aud saw some one swimming like
dolphin
who Is ~ lie asked
"Phll,' cried the astonlshed woman
win tome ~ severity, for her ewes
were opened Ia the fact that she had
been made dnpe.
When Phi finished her swim she re
turned 90 the house aud stole M 10 her
room ss warily as she had gone out.
After breakfsst Egbert held n eon.
snhation with his aunt concerning
their guest. Miss Farnsworih argued
that they would be blamed by Phirs
'amlly for harhoring her aud advOcat-
ed her being sent home at once. Eg-
bert blended for daluV savtu,. la, had