The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-26
MARRIED TO ORDER.
The Way Theodore Clayton
0beyed His Father to
the Letter.
Rv Lewis A. Browne.

|
down the gangplank of the lake steam
er to take the Center Harbor stage
| for Sandwich he was in a peculiar
state of mind, and there seemed to be
sufficient reason for this. His father
had actually ordered him to go up to
a little summer resort in central New
| Hampshire and do nothing more or
less than marry one Jean Weston!
"Theo," the senior Clayton had said,
| 'it is high time you were settled down
| in life. You've dallied about in nearly
every country on the face of the globe,
you've met all classes of women, and
| you've failed to bring home wife.
| Now, i want our firm to continue un-
der the same family name long after
! both you and / have gone to meet our
| illustrious ancestors ON the other side
/ would have been eminently satisfied
with any choice of a wife | feel sure
you would make. but as YOU have
! failed to make this choice after every
opportunity in the world. and [ be-
| lieve you never will, do it unaided.
| II have in mind young woman
whom / shall expect you to marry.
Her name is Jean Weston. ! have
seen her: she is attractive, about your
age and eminently suited to you as a
life companion. / have two reasons
beside all this why | want you to mar
ry her. She is the niece of a young
woman, whom / was about to marry
when she died, and she has an ample
store of health and the worlds goods
| Now"
i But. father put in the astonished
Theo. chow do you know she will have
me? How do you"
How do | know! How do / knowW
sputtered Clayton, senior. I've ar
| ranged all that. Her father would be
pleased with the match--he knows you
and his daughter has your photo
graph, over which, from reports, she
seems to be raptured besides, do you
want me to think a Clayton would
doubt his ability to win any bride he
had set his heart upon? You"
"'But, father" again interposed the
astonished and perplexed son.
" But me no butts young man.
You've had your fling and a good one
too. Now, do not doubt my ability to
choose for you, who, evidently. can not
choose for yourself. You'll find Miss
| Weston stopping at the Hollywood
House up in Sandwich, New Hamp-
shire. Run along, now, pack up your
best suits and your golf clubs and
start. Send me reports of your pro-
| gress'
This. then. explains young Clayton's
| peculiar state of mind as he ap-
preached the Center Harbor stage, in
which he was to complete the journey
to the bride-to-be of his fathers
| choice
"Fyew want tew go this trip yew'll
haf ter set up on them air mail bags"
said the driver of the ancient vehicle
to Theo; so he clambered UP and
perched himself like a watch dog over
Uncle Sans mail sacks, where he pro-
ceeded to enjoy a cigar.
The nasal jargon of the stage driver
below attracted his attention, however,
and he was soon deeply interested in
learning that an elderly lady could be
accommodated with a seat upon an
empty egg crate placed between the
two top seats of the stage coach IL her
daughter would not object to 'settln'
up thar with that feller on tn mail
sacks"
Theo was pleased to see the young
lady accept this only alternative and
end gracefully over the rear wheel to
position beside him upon the mail
sacks.
She brushed a few willful locks OF
hair back from her forehead with an
! easy gesture, and as Theo made
move as to throw away his not half
| consumed cigar she exclaimed.
"Oh, don't stop smoking on my ac-
count, please; possession gives you this
attractive place by nine points of the
| law, / believe, and besides, | adore
the odor of good cigar!"
Thank you" said he, and soon he
commenced to marvel upon the
strangeness Of his errand. which was
naturally occupying about all his
thoughts at that time. He had fm-
plicit faith In his fathers Judgment
and never had he considered for mo-
ment the idea Of disobeying him since
he left his teens, hence no such
thought occurred to him at this time.
"Ah!!-Oooolll"
Theo awoke to his surroundings in
time to see the young lady beside him
clipping, mail sack and all, towards
the coach wheel below.
Grasping her firmly with one hand
and the mail sack with the other he
quickly brought both back to a place
of safety.
You were evidently moved with the
contents of those letters" ne remarked
cheerfully. II was absent in a day
dream or | would have prevented your
fright. II / am to guard against young
ladies taking away whole sacks of
Uncle Sans mail / must keep bet
ter watch"
His companion was blushing furl-
ously, and with downcast eyes she
murmured a word of thanks. Then
Theo saw that he had not removed his
arm from her waist. IL was his turn
TO become embarrassed as he took his
arm away.
II think" he hesitated--"T think n
time we introduced ourselves" and he
honded her his card.
She was gazing down over the side
OF the coach upon the hugh wheel that,
but for him. might have crushed her,
and she became pale.
You and your novel toboggan would
have slId over the wheel. not under e."
he said. divinging her thoughts as he
held towards her his card.
Flushing once more. she grayely read
the name and as gravely handed him
her own from out her pocketbook.
Then Il WAS his turn 10 do the light
ming change act with his features. for
ho read
MISS WESTON
90 %. 90 90 90 %. ss tr 20
II beg your pardon" he stammcrod.