The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-29
OATH OF THE cELIBATE CLUB.
How Miss Dora DarIish Took IL and
How Understood 1t.
From Black and White.


Der.
Miss Hunch: o, Mrs. Egerton. you are
just in time. We are now 10 take the oath
binding ourselves TO refuse all offers Of
marriage.
Mrs. Egerton-Perhaps I had better re-
urei as wife, and mother OF a family l.
Miss Enthusiastically not; we welcome
any witness, and, after all, We owe much
10 married women. since every one OF
them is a Curtius who, by a leap into the
muluirudet
Mrs. Clare Graham Qaughing)-Gra-
clous. did not know 1 could leap any
where. Pray tell me how IL is done?
Miss Hunch (glaring through her spec
taclesl-Ihe subject y too serious for
trlnlng Marriage IS calculated 10 pen
munity- You know our motto, Aut Viam
lnveniam aut iaciam?
Mrs. EgertOn-I see il all over the room,
but that doesn't tell me what II means.
Miss Hunch-It means we VIII ind a
road out Of our bondage or make one!
Mrs. care CIrdham (glsSllng)- san from
Scylla into Charybdis, eht You see / al
low the tragedy OF both destinations.
Miss Hunch sarcaStically)-A kind con-
cession. but a frivolous: stin We prefer
Of the known.
Mrs Graham to Mrs. Egerton (aside)-
What on earth does she mean2 How
many times has she been married?
Mrs. EgertOn (aside); Hush. You
mustn't offend the prejudice of the club.
All, how 90 you do, Miss Darlish?
Dora Darlish Goining them)-Charming
rooms, aren't they? So glad TO see you
Mrs. Glare Graham-Thank you. but I
feel rather like a fish out Of water. 1t
takes long time to cultivate amphibious-
Dora-O we're not amphibious-we
mean to keep high and dry
Mrs. Clare Graham-I thought you didn't
forswear love and romance and all that
kind of thing, but
Dora-Nor do we: we look on love as
the divine revelation of life
Mrs. Glare Graham-O! And then?
Dora-When love has ceased to be love,
We
Mrs. Clare Graham-Scramble to the
bank to sun yourself till ready for anoth-
er dive? must tell Charlie
Dora-Don't. You will put wrong con-
struction on things. OF course We would
merely preserve the right to scramble
out in self-defense-
Mrs. Clare Graham Qaughing)-I thought
so! How about amphibious? You ought
to rechristen the club
Miss Hunch speaking above the buzz of
conversation)-Let US 3oin hands and
make oath that, however pressed to marry,
we viii refuse
CThe "Celibates" join hands,.
Mrs. Clare. Graham (ciutehing Dora's
dress and whispering)-Dora, don't be
fool. You know Charlie is devoted to
Miss Hunch (severely)-Let me beg 81
| lence while the oath is taken.
Chorus of The Celibates" with clasped
| hands)-We solemnly swear that. how
| ever pressed 10 marry, we will refuse.
Mrs. Glare Graham pulling Dora TO her
/ side): Dora I'm disguised with you. Only
yesterday you gave my brother book
| with an inscription.
| Mrs. Glare Graham: read it-there was
something about Pure romance Of love,
| Idyllc and ideal as could be, All policy
| and prudence far above"
! Dora: I'm not ashamed of it. Why
shouldn't our love be idyllic and ideal2
! Why should wedlock of soul mean pad
I Ill sHf~~HH n
| Mrs Clara Graham (angrily): Why, in
! deed2 But don't talk against policy and
prudence. Your theory seems the quin-
| Scene II-AIrs. Graham's drawing-room.
! Charlie Cheyne and his sister Mrs. Clare
/ Graham are seated)
! Mrs. Clare Graham: Now, l have told
| you the whole story surely you don't
intend to proceed with your absurd court
I ship?
Charlie: mean to marry Dora, if that's
| what you are driving at.
| Mrs. Glare Graham: It's impossiblei How
| ever much she wanted to accept she would
| be bound-as a matter of honor-tO refuse.
Charlie (stroking his chin contemplate
| ively): After all, marriage is merely a mat
| ter of form, and if it pleases Dora
(Enter Dora in Partisan bonnet)
| Dora: I'm afraid I've disturbed the con-
| versation; 1 see Clare is ruffled.
| Charlie (hesitatingly): No-that is-she
| was angry with me.
| Dora: About?
Charlie:s o, because you and agreed
with each. other so well, on all subjects,
Dora pressing his hand: My beloved
Charlie: l said it was a rotten institu-
tiOn-or something of the kind
Dora (charmingly): An effete conven-
Charlie quitting him arm around her
waisD: Only suited to reckless people who
risk the disappontments of the future for
the effervescence of the present.
Dora: What did you say?
Charlie: She began to talk about my
sisters boy inheriting the property, as
though we cared.
Dora: Will he2
Charlie: OF course. It's entailed. But
he's a fine lad and we, who will be all in
all to each other, need not grudge it him.
Dora Ohoughtfully): l suppose not.
Charlie: / believe that is the source of
James affection for me- She knows how
safe am in the matter of marriage.
Dora: Then you have never contem-
plated It?
Charlie (emphatically): Never
Dora (horrified): And you made love to
me without any idea of proposing?
Charlie: You forget; you explained your
creed at the outset.
Dora (paling): Then you deliberately
ayailed yourself of the opportunity
Charlie drawing his moustache over the
corners of his lips): OF adoring a girl
whose theories correspond with my own?
/ Yes.
Dora with tears in her eyes,: o! You
mean-you would not have loved me if
your cOurtship had involved marriage?
Charlie-I can't say. We both abhor to
be handicapped by LOCALITIES. don't we?
" . bONu EAJOg the SAINT I4SuLS OF lnQe-
| pendence-
Dora rising angrily)-Then if loving me
had necessitated the surrender of your
liberty. you could not have done it?
Charlie tearnestly)-Could you?
Dora (sobbing)-Could 1? I would have
| loved you always
Charlie (taking her in his arms)-I would
have loved you in the same way.
Dora-Not if 1 had wanted TO marry
you?
Charlie-I won't say. You never put
me to the test.
Dora (excitedly)-But if I should? Oh
Charlie-tell me, would yOu-won't you
marry me?
(Mrs. Graham enters and, finding them
in each others arms, prepares
to leaVe)
Charlie-Clare, We want your congrat-
ulations. Dora has proposed to me and
am to name the happy day
Mrs. Clare Graham. What And how
about her Oath2
Dora (blushing)-O, I only vowed that
however pressed to marry / would re-,
fuse. But was not pressed; was /,
Charlie sedately)-Certainly not.
SILVER BICYCLE.