The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-13
HARRY HArcH,s FIRST FAuxPAs.


fashionable weddings than in town But 81
years old he already godfather cherubic
children of "ehums' and young women who had once
laughed and gioried in his uuseidsh companonsnip
Harry knew how to make love without going too far
His jokes never miscarried He everybodys friend
and everybody his He not knocker" among
and he the confidence of all the dowagers.
young matrons and bellies of his His wit pro-
verbal and his jokes practical conversational We're
the envy OF the and the delight of the women He
absolutely impartial in his Saantry Ricn
poor plain or pulchritudinous every seemed
to be in his and esquire TO or al OF
them. he unanimous hit
Though they said there many elderly
of his acquaintance who thought however. that
Harry would never amount TO much" He was too
vacilating. reckless too merry 10 cut any ice
Women with manageable daughters took him
seriously because they had nothing. And he
poor. cIerkship in bank sufced TO enable
him to twinkle merry at receptions and even shine al
the head of cotilons He danced like faun laughed
like Menus, sang and played Ike trouoadouf- y
OF who him would have established
his pre-eminent popularity. but-none of them could
think of him eligible parti" The dullest man
of his class thought of him possible rival
in love In word, he delightful triher. butter
fly of mankind bue-eyed yelov-cured. dancing laugh
ing failure. OF course, he didn't seem 10 care rap
such never do. and it all right
1t his good fortune into contrast
with other till Stephen Hatch, his cousin, came back
college swarthy. eye-gassed serious, saturnne
young man. rich his right. ambitious. hyper
critical with patronizing. superior attitude toward
women and a tolerant. depTecatng air with men. Here,
indeed a parsonage whom all women must regard
and all consider And they did all except Harry.
whom he appeared casually a incident in the
general scheme enjoying life Harry put jokes
him. laughed him. made all the nice girls acquainted
with him. and in time him devote his lumnousy
morbid mind and ample the wooing OF Dorothy
Carr the fairest most amiable loyal enthusi
astic of Harrys many girl friends. As matter Of
when the engagement was announced Harry was
mentioned leading Stephen had particular
objection but Dorothy would hear of no other
1t was some time afterward just while his cousin
in the absorbing throes of anenuptial business that
Harry Dorothy quite by chance in the corridor
of the AIbemarle Hotel.
The very man I wanted to see" she laughed you
take lunch. Harry Stephen viii be down the
o'clock boat take the matinee and I want to
have tetea-tete with you anyhow. 1t be last
chance, you know, Harry,
And they got into snug little of the cafe
and chated and laughed till the conversation turned
the tresome prelminares weddings and Dorothy said
she thought the funniest thing about It all getting
the license, and seeing ones name the paper And
she said that Stephen worried death about the
license thought it undgnifed and vulgar to have
go public place and handy his and hers
and pass money document such peidlers
and others might for patry dollar. But
Harry laughed and said he would regard it as a proud
privilege TO be able TO ask for and get a license
to marry any good woman. that if her Dorothy's)
to appear the document side by side with
his would consider his glory supreme. she quizzed
him about how he would about it, and laughed again
when he dared her to with him right then and
there and get license.
Come on, Dotty" he urged. It'll be a expert
ence I know the clerk and he'll cancel the thing
and keep it of the and when see 1t
done you tell Steve how it is and how proud
Come. let's try it"
And they laughed and. think. the waiter
brought in little silver pail with icy water upon IL
golden green bottle-neck pecping OF the ice.
but anyway they marched to the city hall and.
bushing titteng and he quite rdiculously sol
looking. they asked for and paid for. and got
license, went hotel bubbling with enjoy
ment of Harry's Joke" Stephen waiting for
them very impatient and important and Dorothy thrust
the folded license into her bosom and with quick warn
Then Harry back the marriage license desk
and called the clerk aside that he could explain the
joke and that of he didn't want the license at
all. and that it mustn't in the papers
4 just thought ia and tell you to make sure
the reporters don't find it We're going to tear
the license. and
But it's too late. Mr. Hatch said the clerk 'the
afternoon papers have got the already These
lists public property and, anyhow, the license is
issued bona hde, until you bring it back"
Then bring it back 10 be Cancelled exclaimed
Harry and not waiting nod he darted off
toward theatre where he knew Dorothy and stephen
were attending the theatre. didn't find them. missed
them in the crowd later. when he rushing
her dinner time, found her mother in tears; the
house a bedlam. The reporters had been therel The
story the license out" Harry rushed back pel-
nell to the newspaper offices have stopped" but
when he got carriage. late editions Of the
evening papers the story there looming black
sational prominent "AH about the sensation in high
society," Harry read il and-grinned- That won't
10 a thing but put a crimp in Steve. he muttered.
He pleaded with city editors and insisted that the
whole business joke They promised to do their
pest him, and interviewed him and reporters
interview Stephen. It awful mess Harry, out
# breath and pacify the Cars, FASTENED
pack Dorothys home find confusion con-
ounded stephen had been there in towering rage
He had scolded Dorothy read lecture old Mrs.
carr. cursed Harry and left in a suen huff. Dorothys
mother gIowered at poor Harry and then burst into
ears
That's for jokes. misohef-makeri' she
screamed at when tried explain and then for
he first in his life Harry Hatch was abashed dis
concerted ashamed
But Dorothy too. passion Not at Harry.
,ut at stephen. forgot her proverbia fial
pect and when mother resumed her TRADE al the
cape-grace. said with shrin vehenence:
stop How dare you scod him. what is It after al
,ut tempest in teapot few paragraphs Of silly
ensationafsIn the newspapers. j nigh, have been
source Of fun for anybody. but owl-faced block
lead like stephen Hatch 1 wouldn't hlm ncw u
IL had I'll the money in the world IN of age and the
,hole thing my doing, ard glad Of H. Sc there
And she and Harry walked away into the garden
IDENTITY but very conaSentlsliy Mrs Carr didn't spsak
@ Dorothy TIL the day of her marriage TO Harry
ut old man carr Dad" Dorothy called him. who
ked the scape-grzce and finally convinced mama that
ed rather married good Indian like Harry than