The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-04-24
BY EITHER NAME.

I'VE have been corresponding for
Two years, but we have never seen each
Dther," said Alice. 1T began in fun
while we were at school Mary was
writing TO her cousin and put in her
letter a Joking remark that had made.
Then Jack sent me a message. Pretty
soon the messages back and forth grew
20 numerous that Mary told Jack to
write to me himself. He did SO, and
well-I answered the letter"
"Do you think that he will know you
when he sees your" inquired Kate.
Il should think Sc"
But, Alice, we are so much alike In
some things--we are both blond and
tall; we both have blue eyes, although
you say mine are darker; and we are
exactly the same age to a month. I'll
wager that dear little turtle hatpin
that we saw the other day that he
won't know which is which until he is
told"
Done" said Alice. Let's each OF us
pretend to be the other and see how
long It will take him to find us out"
But Mary will tell.
mo, she won't. She will come TO
meet us by herself probably, and that
will give us a good chance to talk It
over with her, and she will enjoy the
joke"
So it was agreed that Kate Raymond
was to pass for Alice Strong as long
as she could. and that Alice was to
DInr tho TpIo - F,to
train drew up at wayside station and
the two girls who were travelling to-
gether with view to visiting a former
schoolmate, gathered up their belong
ings and alighted from the car. AS
Alice had foreseen, Mary Townsend
had come along to meet them She
greeted them rapturously and the
three excited girls piled into wide,
old-fashioned buggy, Mary taking the
reins AS they were jogging comfort
ably along the road behind the fat
! and lazy steed Alice unfolded the pro-
posed joke.
At the door Of her hospitable home
Mrs Townsend welcomed the guests,
who were introduced to her under their
assumed names as well as their real
ones. The joke was explained to her
and she was pledged to secrecy. Jack
drove over that evening. Alice played
her part with easy cleverness. Kate
had a harder time OF it, for Jack had
asked her innumerable questions about
I persons and things Of which she knew
nothing. Yet she managed TO keep up
her character. To the conspirator's
astonishment and to Kate's dismay the
little game did not come to an end for
many days. Jack was almost equally
attentive to Miss Raymond and to
Miss Strong" but the make-believe
miss Strong" felt that he liked to be
with her more than with her friend.
Alice was naturally gay and daring,
while Kate was rather sedate. Having
! been introduced to the entire neigh
borhood as Miss Raymond" she was
| having a good time in her own way,
which was hardly Rate's.- rnlE cause1
Kate much uDeasiness. Little things
that were really no harm in them
selves, but which looked like noun
tains OF impropriety to Kate. were be-
ing done by Alice in Kate's name with
the utmost sang-froid. Alice would not
consent to end the play and she would
act her part in her own way.
The climax came the day before their
visit ended Kate was sitting alone in
the parlor, a rare thing, for the girls
were almost always together, when
Jack entered. His face frightened
when he saw that she was alone and
he came forward eagerly. Before Kate
could stop him she had received a
proposal OF marriage.
"But It's not THAT Is, II is I--but
you don't know me" stammered the
girl In confusion.
Yes / do, and love you dearly" de-
clared Jack.
No, you don't. am Kate. not Alice
o, dear, l ought not to have heard this.
Wait, go way--you can see her when
she comes down."
But It's you want to see, not"
20, no" interrupted Kate. I'VE ars
playing a joke. each pretending to ba
the other. o, why did we ever do iti"
Darling" said Jack calmly. Il saw
through the game ali along. Don't you
suppose l knew Miss Strong the mo-
ment that laid eyes on her? Or. al
least did after two minutes talk with
her. You may look alike. but your ma.
lures are as different as possible. IL
Is the make believe Alice Strong that
! love--the real Kate Raymond"