The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1921-12-07
Continued from Last week.)

AS he grew older, his insatiate GU
riosity enabled him to expose unnum-
bered weaknesses, indiscretions and
social misfortunes on the part Of ac-
quaintances and schoolmates; and to
every exposure his noise and energy
gave hideous publicity; the more
his victim sought privacy the more
persistently he was sought out by
Wallie vociferous and attended by
hilarious spectators. But above all
other things, what most stimulated
the demoniac boy to prodlgies Of sat
ire was any tender episode or symp.
tom connected with the dawn of love.
Florence herself had suffered cxcru-
clatingly at intervals throughout her
eleventh spring, because Wallie dis
covered that GeOrgle Beck sent her q
valentine; and the humorist's many,
many squealings of that valentines
affectionate quatrnin finally left her
unable to decide which she hated the
more, Wallie or George. That was
the worst Of Wallie: he never ''let
up; and I'm Florence's circle there
was no more SOLDERING threat than,
"Tll tell Wallie Torbin!" AS for
Henry Rooter and Herbert nlings-
worth Atwater, 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 &C.
acknowledgement Of their own beauty
The fabric Of civilized life ,s inter
woven with blackmail; even some Of
people who aro depended upon Rot to
tell somebody something that the no
blest people have done. Blackmail Is
born into us all, and our nurses teach
us more blackmail by threatening 10
tell cur parents, IL 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
get his way with other children is q
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
ticket to threaten to tell the teacher;
and, little later, threatening to tell
any ad,llt at all Is considered some
thing Of breakdown in morals. No.
toriously, the code Is more liable to
infract!on by people Of tho physically
weaker sex, for the very reason, of
course, that their inferiorlty Of mus
'cle so 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-
posurc before adults Of the results
of '"rruth" would have been an effect
Of the siclliest pallor compared to
what might be accomplished by a
careful use Of the catastrophe, Wallie
'Torbin.
All in all, 1t was great Sunday
for Florence. On Sunday evening 1t
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 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 a pitcher Of
clear new cider; apples were always
"a certainty.
This evening was glorious; there
were apples and cider and cake and
walnuts, perfectly cracked, and u
large open-hearted box Of candy.
Naturally, these being the circum-
stances, Herbert was among the
guests; and, though rather at dis
advantage, 80 far as tho conversation
was $;aoncerfied. not troubled by tho
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 relative, 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 'Juifa's engagement, and Flor
ence's parents were not present to
confess their indiscretion, Julia was
referred TO as "tiie traveller" and other