Grainger County news. (Rutledge, Tenn.) 1917-current, 1919-05-29
Lets EIope"
n
BY R. RAY K

between Ethelyn Hamsdell and Charles
HnlStead.
The persons were her father and
his mother. The miles were those that
interviewed between HarbOr Springs.
n northern Michigan town, and Grand
Rapids, the furniture manufacturing
center Of the same state.
Charles had voted for the first time
in his life and Ethelyn had just passed
eighteen, when he decided he had been
single long enough. She agreed to help
him out of his state of unwedded un-
happiness, when he preached the sub
Ject to her, and they stayed MP till
midnight to discuss the plans-and
they would have continued the discus
sion needless Of the fact that there
were things such as clocks, and per
sons such rs fathers and mothers, II
they had rot heard Mr.. Ramsdell step
out of bel on the floor above and
clear his throat. This brought Charles
out of his semi-trance and he sudden'
ly recalled that the air outside was
wonderfully invigOrating and that his
lungs yneeGed some Of it.
The neat morning Mr.. Ramsdell
called his laughter into his study and
took the negative and winning side of
the debate: Resolved, That n young
lady, just past eighteen, ought TO leap
into matri nony with the only young
man she has even known. especially
when he has no financial prospects
whatever
Ethelyn argued in vain that she
never couI1 care for any young man
but Charles, and she pleaded tearfully
and at some length, but her father
said he was looking out only for her
welfare when he forbade her going
about with Charles any longer.
About the same time Mrs. Halstcad
was having q similar interview with
her son in the house next door; for
the Halsteads and Ramsdells wefs
nelghbors. When Ethelyn was a child
her mother had died, and Mr.. Hal
stead had departed from this earth
before his son had mastered a vocabu-
larry of fifteen words. Ethelyn and
Charles had gone to school together
when they were in the lower grades
as well as in high school, and he had
been graduated only one year ahead
of her.
Charles had not made a confidant
of his mother in the matter Of his
love affair, but she had kept an eye on
him and intuition, coupled with his
long absence from home on that i'm
portant night, told her that the eli.
max had been reached.
"What can you know about loveT'
she demanded. you're too young. |
know you are of age and ought to be
capable of judging for yourself, but
just the same I'm going to interfere
for your own sake"
The young people knew very well
that they could not give each other
up, especially since their affection
seemed to Increase 100 per cent. after
they were forbidden each others so
ciety. SO they met surreptitiOusly
when opportunity offered and when
these opportunities did not come suf-
hciertly frequent of their own accord
they were manufactured.
But Charles was wasting his time,
and he realized it. He had no pro-
f~essiOn. no business, and If he was to
marry he must find a way to carve a
career or at least obtain n job that
would provide for two. Furthermore,
he felt ashamed that his mother should
continue supporting him out of the
comfortable but not in%eXhaustible sun
his father had left her.
At last he decided to leave his
home town and seek his fortune in n
larger city. To his surprise his mother
consented, even encouraged him in the
idea.
II dislike having you leave home,
SON" she said, but ! realize it is Cor
the best. My sister will come and
live with me. Yes, it is for the best
The young people had not abandoned
their plans for the future. After once
bringing up the subject of matrimony
Ethelyn never mentioned her inten.
tons to her father. for MI. Ramsdelrs
refusal to consent to "any such non.
sense" had been firmness itself
Charles had met like failure in his
attempts to PERSUADE his mother that
Ethelyn was the girl for him; so they
continued their clandestine meetings
secretly rejoicing in the risk and mys,
terry attached to them.
When Charles left home he wrote
regularly three times n week to Ethe
Iyn, and at first he received letter FOL
letter in reply.
AT least they don't care if we
write" he said. "That's some graft.
fcati0n."
But her nSwer became less fire.
1uent. He continued his three let
ters n w.tk. bur the replies diminished
~