Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-09-20
An Escapade
1t Was Perpetra.ed by &
Girl cf Seventeen
By ETHEL HCLMES
By ETHEL HCLMES


"'''uer at my innocence. was simply
uhtefilhed ut any proposition. do moi
mean that was unterritied at facina
the consequences of any propositiop
When | got myself into difficulty | do
pended upon circumstances to get me-
OUT and circumstances sometimes man.
age our affairs far better than we can
manage them ourselves.
My brother Tom. much older than
myself, and were orphans and lived
,oeether, Tom being more of father
10 me than brother. He was a sports.
man from the crown of his head TO the
soles OF his feet, and since he made a
companion of me he taught me q lot
that sportsman should know. At sew.
enteen l was a good horsewoman q
good shot and cid not hesitate 10 stand
In rubber boots in stream of rapidly
running water casting for trout.
One autumn Tom was Obliged TO 90
away on long trip. Before leaving he
left certain of his affairs in nv charge
1nstructing me to open his mail, reply
to such letters as was able and for
ward the others to him. While he was
away an invitation came for him to
visit friend in the mountains. I'VE
have some good trout fishing" said the
gentleman, land other amusements
that | think will enable you to pass the
time pleasantly By the by. bring that
little brother of yours. who, you say.
mas your sportsman tastes. We will
enjoy having HOdngster with u.s."
l had heard Tom speak of his friend
Edward Erskine the writer of the let
ter. bat had never seen aim. Toms
little brother probably meant me- NV
name Is Wilhelmina, and Tom had
doubtless mentioned me as Billie. CIV
ing Mr. Erskine the impression that
was boy,
An unfortunate idea popped into my
head. At first it was only an idea, for
1t was beyond the. pale of common
sense. But it gradually worked it's way
into my brain as something to be ac-
complished. 1t was this: to write MI
Erskine that my brother Tom was alb
sent and could not accept his kind in
yitation; that |, Billie, was much dis
appointed that I must be deprived of
what promised to be a delightful visit
on this account If Mr. Erskine re-
piled, extending the visit to me alone,
my scheme was to get myself up in
boys clothes and go alone.
I wrote the letter, refraining from
mentioning the fact that l was a girl,
and mailed it. Back came the invita-
ton I had coveted, with the words.
II don't know how old you are, Billie,
but If you are something of child my
mother will give you every attention.
"Your brother has often spoken Of you
as being good sport, and 1 feel con-
fident can make it all right with Tom
without him. Mother and | will enjoy
having boy in the house, so pack
your valise and come along. Don't
bother to bring any fishing tackle. as
I have all kinds here. including high
rubber boots"
certainly would have dismissed my
idea had it not been for this state
ment, for l was not so innocent as not
to know that girl could not visit
man, unless he was very old man.
without another woman in the house.
AS it was was three days getting up
my courage. / had no business to leave
home with Tom away and without his
permission. But the bee had got into
my bonnet, and could not get it out.
My first yielding was to buy suit of
youths clothing. l concluded that l
would pass very well for boy. The
next thing was to buy more boys
clothes, and the next was to pack
them. All this while / had not made
up my mind to carry out my idea. In
fact, I never made up my mind to
carry it out; it carried me- Even when
on the train I considered getting out at
the next station. And when l had
passed it l considered getting out at
the next.
The train and my idea took me to
station in the mountains where dWelt
MI. EEShule. was IAS oiiiS P$SoNHSS'
to alight at the station. I called cab
and asked the cabman to drive me to
Mr.. E,skine's. He knew where Mr..
Ersksne lived. and was soon dumped
out at cottage, half frightened out
Of my senses. A gentleman about thirty
years old was on the porch mending
some fishing tackle Ee locked at me.
evidently wondering who was and
what | wanted.
"Are you Mr.. Erskine?" asked.
Yes my boy What can do for
Jour
'I'm Billie" faltered.
"Billie? Billie NettletOn? I'm de-
lighted TO see you Sorry Tom is no'
with You Come in. Give me that suit
case
He called Mother" and an old lady
with a pleasant face showed me to a
room. where made my toilet. TOOK
great deal of time for it and after II
was finished spent great deal more
time in trying to screw up my courage
to go downstairs When ! did so
oil