The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-10-20
eopyriqkt. 1927 by the Bell Sundicote. Inc.

Wallie vociferous and attended by
hilarious spectators. But above all
other things, what most stimulated
the demoniac boy to prodigies of sat
ire was any tender episode or synp-
tom connected with the dawn of love.
Florence herself had suffered excru-
ciatingly at intervals throughout her
eleventh spring, because Wallie dis
covered that George Beck sent her
valentine: and the humorist's many.
many squealings of that valentines
affectIonate quatrain finally left her
unabie to decide which she hated the
more, Wallie or Georgie. That was
the worst of Wallie: he never ''let
up; and in Florence's circle there
was no. more SOLDERING threat than,
"Tll tell Wallie Torbini' As for
Henry Rooter and Herbert nlings-
worth Atwdter Jr they would as soon
have had n head-hunter on their trail
as Wallie Torbin with anything in his
hands that could incriminate them
in an implication of love-or an ac-
acknowledgements of their own beauty.
The fabric of civilized life is inter
woven with blackmail; even some of
the noblest people do favors for other
people VINO are depended upon not to
tell somebody something that the no
blest people have done. Blackmai S
born into us all, and our nurses teach
us more blackmail by threatening to
tell cur parents, If we won't do this
and that-and our parents threaten
to tell the doctor-and so we learn!
Blackmail is part of the daily life Of
a child; displeased, his first resort to
get his way with other children is n
threat to "tell"; but by-and-by his
experience discovers the mutual bene-
fit of honor among blackmailers.
Therefore, at eight it is no longer the
ticker to threaten to tell the teacher;
and, little later, threatening to tell
any adult at all is considered some
thing of a breakdown in morals. No
itoriously, the code is more liable to
infraction by people of the physically
weaker sex, for the very reason, of
course, that their inferiority of mus
Gle 50 frequently compels such sin.
If they are to have their way. But
for Florence there was now no such
temptation. Looking toward the de
molition of Atwater & Rooter, an eX-
posure before adults of the results
of '"rruth" would have been an effect
Of the sickliest pallor compared to
what might be accomplished by
careful use of the catastrophe -Wallle
Torbin.
All in all, it was a great Sunday
for Florence. On Sunday evening it
was her privileged custom to go to
the house of her fat, old great-uncle,
Joseph Atwater, and remain until nine
o'clock, in chatty companionship with
Uncle Joseph and Aunt Carrie his
wife, and a few other relatives who
were in the habit of dropping in there
on Sunday evenings. In summer,
lemonade and cake were frequently
provided; in the autumn, one still
found cake, and perhaps pitcher of
clear new cider; apples were always
certainty.
This evening was glorious; there
were apples and cider and cake and
walnuts, perfectly cracked, and Y
large open-hearted box of candy.
Naturally, these being the circum-
stances, Herbert was among the
guests; and, though rather at dis
advantage, so far as the conversation
was concerned. not troubled by the
handicap. The reason he was at a
conversational disadvantage was
closely connected with the unusual
supply of refreshments Uncle Joseph
and Aunt Carrie had foreseen the
coming of several more Atwaters than
usual to talk over the new affairs Of
their beautiful relatiye, Julia. Sell
dom have any relatives new affairs
been more thoroughly talked over than
were Julia's that evening, though all
the time by means of various Symbols
since it was thought wiser that Her
bert and Florence should not yet be
told of Julia's engagement. and Flor
ence's parents were not present to
confess their indiscretion, Julia was
referred to as 1.-THE traveller" and other
makeshifts were employed with the
most knowing caution; and all the
while Florence merely ate inscrutably.
The more sincere Herbert was as
placid such foods were enough for
him.
"Well, all say is, the traveller bet
ter enjoy herself on her travels" said
Aunt Fanny finally. as the subject |
appeared to be wearing toward ex-
hanSticn. "She certainly is in for 1t
when the voyaging is over and she |
arrives in the port she sailed from,
and has to show her papers. agree
with the rest Of you; she'll have a |
great deal TO answer for. and most
of FL about the shortest one. My
own opinion is that the shortest one is
going to hurst like balloon"
..Thc shortest one" as the demure
Florence had understood from the
first was her Ideal-none other than
Noble Dill. Now she looked up from
fhc stool where she snt with her back