The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-10-02

the water getting deeper as | ap-
preached, till it was up to my waist.
made another step forward and
placed my foot nowhere The current
carried me into the pool, and sank
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 I knew I was lying
on the bank, rolled hither and thither.
caught sight of Mr. Erskine, who was
doing the rolling. Seeing that | had
regained consciousness, he looked at
me with evident relief, but with diff
ferent expression than before. knew
by 1t that the accident had revealed my
sex.
Perhaps it was just as well that on
reviving from a 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 word
as to the knowledge ne had gained, but
6POhG WILL great hll1QUcSS us u uly
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 him 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,
knew, for the purpose Of telling her
that instead Of being boy was
girl However, she said nothing to me
about the discovery of my lex until I
had quite recovered, when she asked
me If l were the sister Of her sons
friend. The word SISTER" was confir-
nation OF my understanding that my
sex had been discovered, so l admitted
that l was not really what pretended
to be, but that was girl instead of
boy. / did 1t in such evident pain that
the good lady kissed me, saying:
Never mind, dear. We don't know
what prompted you 10 do this thing,
but we will take good care Of you. and
you win not have to suffer for your In
discretion. at&east through u.s.
l remained1n bed the rest OF the day,
and the next morning Mrs. Erskine
brought me In clothing BETTING a girl.
About noon donped II, arose and
went downstairs Mr. Erskine was
waiting for his mother and me at the
lunch table. ! shall never forget the
comical expression on his face as he
looked at me. 1t told far more than
words could have told. If could say
1t would give 1t something like this:
~Of all the pranks of q girl that have
ever 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 series of
questions as to how I came to act as
! had When had confessed every
thing he began to deliberate how he
could protect me from my brothers
excoriations. He finally concluded to
telegraph Tom to Join us as soon as
possible, his sister being with his
mother"
Tom came poste haste, but l was
kept out Of his way till Mr. Erskine
had spent an hour with him, pleading
my cause. Then Tom forgave me.
Tom and l spent week with Mr..
Hrskine and his mother, the two men
bunting and fishing. Tom proposed to
leave me behind on their outings, but
Mr. Erskine would not hear Of 1t. He
said that any girl who had the hardi-
hood to play such prank as I had
played was worthy to hunt with MINI
rod. This turned my shame into as
surance and was inclined to be proud
Of myself AS luck would have it when
We went fishing caught more trout
than either Of the men.
We left the Erskines with regret, and
didn't see Mr.. Erskine again for
more than year. was then eight
cen and nearly nineteen. The interval
had made great change in me. He
bad parted with half child and found
woman.
The day after he came to see us he
told Tom that he was not going to
leave till he took me with him
went as his wife.