Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1918-02-22

COED COURTSHP.
NY SYLVIA TURNER.
tOsgyrash.. lsIr. y ,hs Mscaare Nswsp.

Ccopyrseht. 1871. BY the Mcclure Nawwpn-
peF &yndicAt@A
The principal reason Why the fam
lily decided that Hilda should 60 70
Sycamore college was because Il was
coed. Aunt Jane held that In = strict
" female seminary > girls mind was
apt 20 be 50 filled with her studies and
! feminine pursuits that she was unified
/ for her life role OF wifehood. The
doctor took an entirely different view
Of the situation. a. he told Hilda the
night before abe left.
'Dear giri, you've lead lonely. mo-
motOnous sort OF life at this old place.
with Just Jean and myself. You need
eompaniOnshlp Of boys and girls your
/ own age. Long ago your mother,
bless her, was q student az Sycamore.
lou are to have the same room she
had. and her seat In the dining hall.
Have q good time and don't have too
many love affairs. by the way. you
may ind a stepmother here when yon
como back, ono whom know you win
love"
You mean Mrs. Everdon. dadY' she
asked. . little break in her tone.
= mean Paula Everdon." he TO
| sponded. quietly.
When she had been at Bagamore
Just two weeks, far too busy to dwell
upon her own personal troubles. she
was one day on q tail mountain spur
overlooking the Hudson for miles. A
storm had been brewing and she had
been trying to make the college
grounds before II broke. But In her
hurry, she stumbled on the rocks, lost
her footing and fell She tried TO Tisa.
but could not, and suddenly there came
a drenchlng downpour OF rain. with
crash of thunder.
She wore q short military cape, and
| threw this around her like q pOncho.
| trying 10 shelter herself from the
downpOur. All at once she felt her
self lifted bodily in strong arms and
carried On 9 run 70 the shelter Of an
old. deserted shack used by wCrkmen
who had been blasting.
IL was dark inside the lint, 20 dark
that she cOuld hardly discern the face
Of her rescHeF. The terrific nOiSe out
side barred any attempt At conversa-
ton, hut he had removed her cape and
was busy trying to light Elre on the
old stone hearth. When the blame
nared up she caught glimpse o. his
face. II was strong young ono. lie
turned and smiled az her, feeling her
scrutiny.
Were apt % be here for some time.
You'd better make yourself c0mfOrta-.
Bile. I hope you're not far from your
homer
"Just Sycamore" replied HIlda. hold
ing out her hands TO the Gre. "Tm
afraid can't help myself very much.
! MS shoulder and ankle both seemed
70 catch u when fell. Perhaps when
| you 80, you might Leave word It the
college. 40 they'd send for ma. ia be
awfully obliged"
Il think can manage 70 get Jon
over. myself he said; @at least az
| far AZ the gates then can run down
| after you In the deans car"
II did not seem that they were to
gether long before the storm cleared,
yet three hours had passed when Hilda
finally reached her own room.
%Isn't ne q perfect darling" said
Anne Rathburn, her roommate. when
Hilda was snug on the big couch.
| drinking tea. II haven't seen him 10
any Of the classes. ne must be q
+ senior"
It surely gave her prestige among
the other freshmen, this being cared
for in cavalier fashion By = senior.
His name was Ralph. Ehe found oat
from some Of the other boys. Ralph
KingsIake. After she grew 60 know
him better, be told her something Of
his own life. HlldM had been fear
fully curious over the visits Of
very handsome woman In black who
came and left the college grounds II
q large touring car every Sunday.
'.Oh, THAT'S the mater" Ralph told
her. -sbe's fearfuIiy good 20 me.
she's just my stepmotheF. but we've
been regular pals ever since my IN
Their died. she pat ne tAFough col
lsge. and we rather kesp an sye on
each other. You see. BY the terms II
my fathers wifi. II she maEries before
I'm twenty-five, she losrs al but hsT
dover right in the estate. But thea
again, II 7 marry before rye eetAb-
lIshed myself under twenty-five. IN
lO@e . whole Tot and she wilma"
Hilda looked at him appreeistiveiy.
Il ahould think II would be splea-
did 70 50 deliberately against such
WILL" she enId.
The mopfhs passed. and Juns Iooms6
ahead. Hilda Viewed its coming anx-
iously. Her fathers wedding was set
for the latter part Of June.
Somehow alse felt that she eoald not
so home ana and q stranger IN her
mothers place. Ralph told her bic
plans one night when they were walk
ing up the Embroidered campus.