Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 71, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1916 — Phil Webster [ARTICLE]

Phil Webster

By HAROLD JOY

Phillis Webster as a little girl was a tomboy. At fourteen she was pretty as a picture, and at seventeen she was prettier still. But if she outgrew some of her tomboy practices she retained the tomboy spirit. In some families all letters that come to the house are considered lawful prey by any member and opened at wilj. One day a letter came »'or Phillis’ brother Jack from Florida. Jack being away at the time. Phillis opened the missive. It was* from his friend. Egbert Farnsworth, who was running an orange plantation in Florida, urging Jack to make him a visit. Farnsworth.said that be was without associates, having only an a tint with him who kept house for him, and he wished Jack would come down and make him a visit.

Phillis was seized with a leave the rigorous northern winter for the genial southern climate. If she Were only a man instead of a girl she would contrive, if possible, to have Jack s invitation transferred to herself. As it was, she wrote Mr. Farnsworth that Jack was not at Imme and would not he able to accept his kind invitation. > Phillis wrote a hand that might easily be mistaken for a man’s and signed herself ‘’Phil Webster.” By return mail she received a reply from Farnsworth extending the Invitation to Phil. This was a terrible temptation for Phillis. So far as propriety was concerned, Farnsworth's aunt being with him. Phil might visit the plantation, though it would not be exactly the thing for a girl of a retiring disposition to do.

Phil struggled with herself for some time, then gave way. When Egbert Farnsworth went to the station and a jltetty girl accosted him. saying that she was Phil Farnsworth, he could have been knocked over with a feather. Phil pretended not to notice his surprise, but apologized for making the visit saying that her father and brother being both away and she being very lonely, besides, the winter being very cold and, knowing that he had an aunt with him for chaperon, she had not the courage to refuse an Invitation from her brother’s most Intimate friend. Egbert was tickled to death at having a girl visitor and took her home to his aunt, whom he Instructed to assume the direction of her movements, as if Phil were her daughter. Phil appeared as unsophisticated as a country girl of fifteen and convinced the aunt that she had no Idea she was doing anything out of the way. Farnsworth behaved very circumspectly. He consulted his aunt before proposing to take Phil anywhere with him, and whenever the good lady demurred as to the proprieties the three went together.

Phil had affected a childlike timidity as well as simplicity. Though she had taken prizes in swimming contests, she went into the water shrinkingly, as though fearing to wet her pink toes. Miss Farnsworth always accompanied her to the shore and charged Egbert to see that she never got beyond her depth. Pbil enjoyed the play, in which she was performing the principal part, immensely and begged Egbert to teach her how to swim, keeping him busy giving her instructions.

But this kind of bathing did not suit Phil at all. She longed to take a header off the dock twenty feet abovie the water. One morning about daybreak getting out of bed she donned her bathing dress and stealthily stole out to the dock, which was but a few hundred yards from the house. All was still, and she believed every one was asleep. Unfortunately for her Miss Farnsworth had awakened early and was tossing about in her bed. Thinking that to stir about her room might enajile her to go to sleep again after returning to bed, she got up and walked the floor. Glancing out through a window, she saw Phil in bathing dress hurrying toward the dock. Surprised, she paused and watched. Phil went to the far end of the dock, then plunged off head foremost.

Miss Farnsworth, thinking that the girl was either a sleepwalker or was intending to commit suicide, gave a shriek that awakened Egbert. Hastily putting on a dressing gown, he ran into his aunt's room. Miss Farnsworth's eyes were strained toward the dock. Egbert followed then with his and saw some one swimming like a dolphin. “Who is it?” he asked.

“Phil!” cried the astonished woman, with a tone of severity, for her eyes were opened to the fact that she had been made a dupe. When Phil finished her swim she returned to the house and stole up to her room as warily as she had gone out. After breakfast Egbert held a consultation with his aunt concerning their guest. Miss Farnsworth argued that they would be blamed by Phil’s family for harboring her and advocated her being sent home at once. Egbert pleaded for delay, saying he had a plan that would obviate all danger. Miss Farnsworth was persuaded, and Phil was permitted to remain awhile longer. But Egbert informed her that her game of childlike simplicity was played out * Egbert’s plan was to take her home as his fiancee. This he did, and it served to protect her from a severe reception. They were all glad to get rid of the responsibility of keeping her In order.