The Jasper news., 1917-06-07
Irene Little
Adventure
By Katharine Howe
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bellous, but undeniably pretty Off
spring on the other side of the table
with look of mild forbearance. She
was not yet very old, and had not
forgotten her own youth. But there
were firm lines about her mouth which
indicated that her advice was meant
to be followed.
"Dearlc," she said gently, "if you
will think that over a minute, you will
see you are wrong"
We'll" persisted the girl, ut comes
so near to being never l don't see
much difference"
81 wish,". sighed Mrs. Folsom, II
could give you more good times, but
you know our small income won't al
low me to go much in society, where
/ would like to go for your sake"
"Yes, know" said Irene with some
cOntritiOn, "but if you weren't so f1ni-
Cal about whom 1 went with-there
isn't a girls mother in town as par
ticular as you"
'Perhaps l am bit old fashioned.
But 1t seems to me custom more hon
ored in the observance than the
breach"
"Yes, but If you didn't want care
fully compiled history Of everybody /
speak to-"
"Now Irene, let us get down to
facts. l simply don't want you to go
to places with young girls or men
that / don't know anything about. /
want to save you from possibly unhap-
py experiences. Perhaps / am all
wrong in trying to save you. Perhaps
I ought to let you have the bitter ex-
periences, so that you may learn from
them. 1 know you will have them af-
ter awhile, but you will be older, and
better able to face them. So many
terrible things are happening these
days Sometimes when young girls
go off with strange men, they never
come back"
"Yes mumsy, l know" coaxed the
girl. But Mr.. Garston isn't "A strange
man. you've seen him."
"Yes, just twice, and l didn't like
him."
That's because you're so wrapped
up in Jerry Carver"
"Well aren't you?" smllingly asked
the mother.
"Of course II like Jerry, but he
can't take me out as much as he'd like
to. He can't afford it. I haven't
been in an automobile In six months,
and now when Mr.. Garston wants to
take me for little spin, you don't
want me to CO."
NO" answered her mother, "decid-
edly, l don't. Who knows anything
about him. He's been in this town
just about two weeks"
"Well, everybody likes him, and
met him at Bessies house."
"Does she know anything about
hlm?"
II didn't ask about his past history.
If he was her friend / thought that
was enough"
st ought to be enough" responded
her mother. But in this place 1t
doesn't seem to be-"
"Well," said Irene looking at her
wrist watch, 81 suppose it's time for
me to go downtown for these things"
Irene now never consulted the clock,
since her birthday present had come
from her uncle. 1t was beautiful lit
tie gold wrist watch set around with
diamonds, and the mother had ex-
claimed just trile regretfully when
it came: "Oh If Uncle Albert had
Just sent check for that amount, It
would have bought your clothes for
two years. 1t must have cost two or
three hundred dollars"
But when she saw the girls delight
In wearing it, she remembered her own
pleasure in her first watch, and said
no more.
That evening Jerry Carver called
He was q wholesome. hard-workine
young fellow with the refinement and
good breeding which appealed especlal
ly to the mother, and it was plain he
was deeply in love with Irene. Mrs
Folsom asked him If he knew anything
about Gerald Garston.
NO" he answered. II don't think
anyone does, except that he stops a
the hotel, and is pretty much of high
flyer l don't suppose they'll let hin
stay much beyond two weeks, If hi
doesn't pay his bill"
"How do you know he doesn't pay
his bill?" flashed Irene with eviden
resentment.
81 don't know" he answered quietly
but her look and manner stabbed hin
to the heart.
because Mr.. Garston is popular
with everyone, that's no reason VIII
anybody should say such things"