Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-10-19

we ii nave q GLORIOUS udy 3 sport.
do you go fishing, Mrs. Erskine?" I
asked, clinging to one of my OWL sex
for comfort.
Mother fish? A woman in boots to
her waistr' cried Mr.. Erskine, laughing.
"Oh, l thought she might fish from
the BANK l said, which did not make
the matter any better.
Mr.. Erskine looked at me with a puz-
zled expression. Perhaps he wondered
If Tom had not given me too much
credit for being a sportsman.
I pleaded fatigue from my journey as
an excuse to get away by myself and
went to bed very early. 1t seemed to
me that both mother and son were
looking at me with q view to detecting
my imposture, and l was glad to go to
my room. As 1 got into bed I was over
whelmed with wonder that l had been
such a madcap.
However. a bright morning sun gave
me courage, and l went down to break
fast determined to carry out what /
had undertaken. Indeed, from this mo-
ment l rather enjoyed-at brief inter-
vals-playing my part. Mr.. Erskine
and l were soon In his b~uggy-that
was before the coming of the motorcar
and driving toward the mountain
stream where we were to fish. Arriv-
ing there. Mr.. Erskine pulled on his
rubber boots and l pulled on mine. 1t
was no novelty to me. since l had
worn them before. | was soon stand
ing I'm the stream. bracing myself
against the current and casting about
for trout. The stream was still rather
high, and 1t was with difficulty that |
kept on my feet.
We were fishing just above a pool
that was quite deep. When l changed
position | g%ravitated toward this pool.
the water getting deeper as l ap-
preached. til it vas up to my waist
| made another step forward and
placed my foot nowhere. The current
carried me Into the pool. and l san
out OF sight
Unfortunately, In making a sports.
man of me my brother had omitted
teaching me how to swim. / struggled
under water till | lost consciousness.
The next thing | knew | was lying
on the bank, rolled hither and thither.
| caught sight of Mr.. Erskine. who was
doing the rolling. Seeing that l had
regained consciousness. he looked at
me with evident relief, but with a diff
ferent expression than before. l knew
by it that the accident had revealed my
sex.
Perhaps it was just as well that on
reviving from q drowning condition
my senses were blunted Had | faced
the discovery of my secret while in my
ordinary strength l should have col
lapsed. Mr.. Erskine said not a word
as to the knowledge he had gained, but
spoke with great kindness as to my
escape from drowning. He had not
been able to get me out quickly
enough to prevent my coming to a
state of collapse. He covered me with
what he had for the purpose, then
waited for me TO gain sufficient
strength to enable hin to take me
home. / was naturally in excellent
health. and soon was ready for the re-
turn.
On reaching the house he carried me
to my room and left me in the care of
his mother. but he soon called her out,
l knew, for the purpose of telling her
that instead of being a boy | was a
girl. However, she said nothing to me
about the discovery of my sex until l
had quite recovered, when she asked
me if / were the sister of her sons
friend. The word sister was confir-
nation of my understanding that my
! cav had haan 1sccAuoraI CO 7 admitted
that l was not really what I pretended
to be, but that | was a girl instead of a
boy. I did it in such evident pain that
the good lady kissed me, saying:
Never mind, dear. We don't know
what prompted you to do this thing,
but we will take good care of you, and
you will not have to suffer for your In
discretion. at least through u.s."
1 remained In bed the rest of the day.
and the ext morning Mrs. Erskine
brought me in clothing BETTING a girl.
About loon l donned it, arose and
went downstairs. Mr.. Erskine was
waiting for his mother and me at the
lunch table. l shall never forget the
comical expression on his face as he
looked at me. 1t told far more than
words could have told. If l could say
it l would give it something like this:
"Of all the pranks of a girl that have
eve been perpetrated since the world
began this takes the cake"
After luncheon his mother withdrew
and he invited me on to the porch.
where he put me through a series of
questions as to how 1 came to act as
/ had. When l had confessed every
thing he began to deliberate how he
could protect me from my brothers
excavations. He finally concluded to
telegraph Tom to join us as soon as
possible, his sister being with his
MOTHER
Tom came poste haste, but 1 was