The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1896-12-31

! country-seat of
Joshua Warren, capitalist, who had
built it just three years previously, and
1t owned neither a ghost nor gallery
OF solemn-visaged ancestors. As q mat
ter of fact, Mr.. Warren, albeit a quiet
man, and one not given to boasting,
was rather proud of the fact that he
had neither pedigree nor family
skeleton to keep him awake nights.
His principal desire, now that he had
made his fortune, was to enjoy life and
t. make those about him happy without
worrying his head about genealogical
trees or ways and means of forcing him
self into the upper ten" On these
points his wife and their only daughter,
Madge, agreed with him-and being
agreed, they succeeded in making the
most of life They were jolly entertain
-ers, and always had houseful, more
Or less, of company, usually a lot Of
young people, whom they preferred as
being more likely to make things live
"; and during these particular holidays
they were housing at least dozen
young folks, on account of Madge, who
was to be married in the middle of jan
uary TO Will Braden.
There were all kinds of jolly times
during that closing fortnight of the old
year. The sleighing was faultless, there
were lots of social festivities at Cliveden
rsnd neighboring houses, and there was
every opportunity in the world to drive
dull care away-yet Will Braden, de-
spite his approaching marriage with
quite the sweetest girl in the world, was
unhappy. Not all the time; for &C.
casionally Madge would devote to him
an entire five minutes, oil at once, there
by filling him with ecstacy-after
which, alas! she would neglect him for
hours together to attend to her duties
as hostess, whereupon he was plunged
into despair, and became gloomy and
<sullen, much to the amusement OF all
the rest, who called him Hamlet" be-
hind his back, and cracked jokes about
~'green-eyed monsters" and so on, to
the mystifcation of Mrs. Warren, who
earnestly insisted that poor, dear Will
lies" eyes were not green, but hazel.
But there was no doubt that Will was
Jealous, just as most young men are
1ilsely to be when the attentions of the
adored one are demanded in other quar-
tiers, even though by the laws of hos
pitality. He told himself he didn't mind
1t, but he did. What CALLED him partic-
,llarly was the presence of that pedi-
greed prig from Philadelphia, Mr.. Mar
tmdale, whom he had long suspected of
sneaking affection for Madge. who, by
the way, was particularly pleasant to
him, not to say somewhat confidential
with him. For, at least half dozen
times, Will had seen them, apart
from the rest, talking in guarded
tones about something or other,
and at these times both had looked
very serious. 1t was getting past en-
durance, decided Mr.. Braden, and he pro-
posed to put stop to it. So when they
returned from their sleighing party, on
New Years eve, he drew Madge, who had
seemed to be flirting desperately all the
evening with Martindale, into a recess
In the hall, where he proceeded to pro-
test with much vigor against the treat
ment accorded him.
Madge laughed merrily, then pre-
tended to be offended. "Doi't he an
idiot. Will" she said, sharply. II think
4 know what I'm about"
"You know nothing of the sort, or
else you don't care:" declared Will,
with some heat. 1T seems to me am
entitled to some consideration, instead
of which you do your best to make me
feel badly and to make a laughing
stock of me. Darling" he went on,
more gently, this is the last year of
our single lives. Can't we watch it out
and tho new one in just by ourselves,
since the New Year means so much to
Us both!"
Madge was touched, but for some in
ocrutable reason CID not choose to let
him seett Just then. "Don't be spoon