The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-03-12
THE MATCHMAKER,

gossip IN tne town or lIlnWood. Hollis Har-
riman was the chief merchant of I.inwood.
He was handsome bachelor of S5, and he
had the nerve to call his place of business,
with its two counters and ono clerk, an
emporium. He had inherited the business
and other property from his father and
was laying Midas touch on every enter
prise he took hold of.
AT present he was building o house
quite an ambitious brick, with more rooms
than the usual number of four down, and
two up stairs, which was the common for.
mula for Linwood residences. OF course
Linwood speculated az to his purpose in
building it. When men passed tho grow.
ing structure, standing high in a COM
manding positie2, on the grassy slope OF
gentle hill, they nodded carelessly to
their companions and said: "Nice placel
Wonder what Harrimsn's going to do
with its The women nodded, too, but
with more decision, and oracularly, with
suppressed earnestBess, remarked, "De.
pend upon IL that Hollis Hartman is go.
ing to get married." The truth of the mat-
ter was that Linwood industries were
bringing in an increase in population, and
Mr.. HarTiman's house was being built as
what he called "a spec.'
Miss Ferret was troubled with keen
desire to solve the mystery, for, not hav-
ing any business of her own, she dearly
loved to meddie with that of others. So
one pleasant spring day, after having spent
an hour or two in pricing all the costliest
goods at Mr.. Harriman's store and hay
ing numerous samples supplied by the
long suffering clerk, she bought n book of
improved seedic pointed pins' and 5
cent roll of tape before turning to the pro-
prietor with the insinuatipg question:
"Who is the happy bride you will take
to the new house, MIR. Hartmann"
Its a dead secret F." whispered he, with
a glance over his shoulder at the grinning
clerk, who Immediately assumed an ex-
preston of deep solemnity.
+ Come over here where he can't hear
us. Nowl You needn't be afraid to tell
me. never carry tales"
Mr.. Hartman thought 1t would be
good joke to give her tale to carry and
sec what would come of it. So, without
taking that sober. second thought which
is often a deterrent to the too free play of
the unrufy member, he smiled and whis-
percd "Gou certainly won't tell?"
Never! I'm sure to be close as wax
and mum as oyster"
! 'Well-now he sure you don't tell it
it's Judge Mayo's daughter Blanche"
Miss Ferret fairly few along the street
va way tlo DtNS us
she went, for she was almost bursting
with sense of her own importance at be-
ing the first repository Of this exciting in
formation. And those to whom she con-
fided it,with many charges never 20 breathe
single syllable of 1t, went of at tangents
in as many different directions, carrying
1t far and wide.
81 must go up and tell Blanche the
joke, and we'll have good laugh over it
before she hears from any other quarter
thought Hollis Hartman as he smiled to
himself. But one thing and another con
spired to hinder, and the story had wing
ed its way throughout the community for
three days, and Blanche Mayo had recelv
ed dozen congratulatory calls from wo-
men anxious 20 be shown the trousseau
before the merchant made his appear
anae. When he finally did so, he was dunn
founded to find that Miss Mayo received
him with power of oool stare In her
clear blue eyes equal to 40 brownstone
fronts.'
With the hope Of dispelling this cool.
ness he told his funny story, but for some
reason which he failed to comprehend
Blanche did not laugh.
$50, sir, f" snid she, "you made my name
the butt of n joke and gave It to med
dlesome old gossip TO carry all over this
town. Iam highly honored, assure you.
1t was manly thing to do"
"But, Blanche'--
"Miss Mayo, il you please"
IL didn't think you would take It
thai way
"No. dare say you didn't It's very
amusing, no doubt, to slander young
woman TO whom you never-nevcr''---
"Slandert Blanche-Miss Mayo-do
You think SO meaily of me as to believe
that | would slander you;"
"What is slander but the malicious ut
ternnce of n false report, which is always
dangerous when it involves woman's
name2"
you knew, of course, that we were
not-nos2- Blanche's voice faltered and
died away
Mr.. flarriman's throat was very dry.
He cleared ii before speaking. "Not-not
formally-no!"
"What-what do you mean by formal
Typ"
Mr. Hartman had not meant anything
special by it, He had blundered upon the
word while trying to temporize ant excuse
himself. But now, as he looked at Blanche
while she asked him this question and
saw little softening Of the Icy expression
of her countenance-a little flush of EN-
barrassed pink color usurping the pallor
of her face-he thought to himself for the
first time, that no other fellow should ever
have her if hecould prevent it.
1t is of no use to tell you how this art
ful young man, after much self abasement
and many protestations, managed at last
to convince this irate young woman that
he had only spoken out of the fullness of
his hearts desire and hope and prayed
that she would set the seal of her 'form-
all promise on what, perhaps because of
his firm determination to win her, he might
have taken too much for granted. You
and both know that he never could have
succeeded had not her heart, long since
enlisted, traitorously pleaded in his favor
They have been married for three years
now, and Hollis Hartman is a most low
erlike husband. And neither Blanche, the
people of Linwood nor Miss Ferret herself
has ever once suspected that thetown gos
sip made tho matoh.-Minnie W. Baines
Miller in Cincinnati Post.