The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-26
An UNCONSCIOUS Matchmaker.

do tell me. old fellow, how on earth
it is possible for such metamorphosis
to have taken place. Not a month ago
we sat here. two hardened bachelors, de-
termined to remain so to the end of our
days, and now I find You transformed
| into most devoted husband"
A hearty laugh was the immediate an
swer to this outburst, and DR.. Trenton,
TO whom IT was addressed, took a puff
at his pipe before replying.
We'll. you see, JIM" he said, Il
thought it would be fun to surprise you
| thoroughly for once. But Della shall tell
you the story, and you may be surprised
to learn that you yourself, unconsciously,
I admit, made up the match
II suppose it is for pennance, VIII, that
I am to narrate my own mistakes and
misdeeds to Mr.. Allison. Two months ago
l was a stupid little country girl. Ny
eldest brother had sent for me to keep
his house. Our parents have been dead
many years and / have lived with an
aunt. Henry, my brother, had written
me that it would be impossible for him
to meet me at the depot, and that
should drive to the Tudor Flats, where
he was living on the fourth floor. Ny
poor brain was certainly in a whirl after
my long drive through the noisy streets.
When I Arrived at the Tudor Flats I
walked bravely up the stairs.
II know you will laugh at me dread
fully, Mr.. Allison, but you must remem-
Der that had never before seen so many
stairs. In my ignorance 1 was unaware
that the entresol does not count; there
fore, when 1 arrived at a landing where
a door was ajar and an old man servant
replying to an inquirer that the doctor
would not be home until 2 o'clock, 1 nat
urally concluded that 1 had reached my
journeys end, for my brother also bears
the title doctor. To old James astonish-
ment I walked calmly in. saying;
The doctor expects me-. Please have
my luggage seen to-
But, miss, 1 don't know he ventured,
I have the strictest orders never to al
low any one to enter my masters study
during his absence
g am the Doctors sister, and ne him
self arranged my coming I answered,
condescendingly.
with that ne admitted me, muttering:
Never heard about a sister, into the
smoky, dusty apartments, which I assum-
ed to be my brothers.
much to James CONSERVATION, I set
to work and busted furniture and books.
spread a clean cloth on the table, and
prepared a lunch Though James informed
me Master never eats at honey of fresh
butter, homemade bread, cheese, ham,
and apples; then decorated the room with
roses and honeysuckle brought from
home
ITO pass away the time, took up
book and began to read. A note fell out
of this book. Ny eyes fell on the first
words and my attention was Instantly at
tracted. It was signed Charlie Allison,
and read:
Dear Old Man: So you have decided
to install that awful creature in your
house, though you acknowledge that all
hopes of peace and comfort of your life
will be gone. My dear fellow, do be ad-
vised and give up this preposterous idea.
At any rate. don't be surprised If I cut
your acquaintance for the present and
leave tyou to enjoy the company of Miss
Della. Your friend,
CHARLIE ALLISON"
my dear lady" interrupted Charlie,
you don't mean to say-it isn't possible
that any misunderstanding arose out of
that? My dislike and
81 do mean to say So" she replied,
laughing; at was quite possible-indeed,
natural-I should assume that those
words referred to me. 1 was at first high
~ indignant and then began to cry. My
resolution was soon formed; I would go
away at once and not ever see the heart
less brother who had discussed me in
such a manner before my rival.
while repacking my bag came upon
a photograph of myself. A sudden i'm
pulse made me write a few words on the
back of it and leave it on the table Then
4 heard steps outside 1t was Henry, I
thought. He should not find me there
Seeing the door of a small room open,
I slipped in and closed 1t behind me-
Let me tell the rest" interrupted the
doctor; II fancied I was dreaming as I
became aware of the invitingly-spread ia
BILE; then I noted two covers laid as II
for delightful tete-a-tete, and upon my
napkin a photograph of the sweetest face
had ever seen. Listen to what was writ
ten under It:
AS I am so ugly; as I destroy your
peace and drive away your friends, I
leave you to lunch alone and shall find a
home elsewhere
while puzzling about what this might
mean, I heard a terrific yell from Della,
my parrot; 1 opened the store-room door
and Della, my wife, fell into my arms
After explanations had been made I
restored her to brother Henry as house
keeper, but claimed her in five weeks for
my own. Now, do you believe that you
are a NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Post.