The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1903-06-25

o w q rSputduOn, anu III one re.
a " spect 1t seemed to outsid-
SScHS ers to be an enviable one.
In the small, select, and
self-interested town Of Fenchester she
had proved herself to be invincible in
the game Of ping-pong-oneo of those In
stitutions Of pleasure seekers that seize
communities by the neck Of their rea-
son and compel 1t to become n rage.
Every one in Fenchester who had not,
given q ping-pong party delayed not a
moment in doing so, and one after an
other they followed in quick success
sion, to be crowned at last by Mr..
Mapleton, a bachelor-the richest man
In all Fenchester-whO issued invita-
tons for a ladies' tournament, for
which was to be given a valuable
prize. This prize rumor soon stated
to be diamond ring of seemingly I'M
necessary value-eXccpt I'm the eyes Of
the local teweler, who had parted with
It.
Now II was for this that Geraldine
was envied for her reputation. Lionel
Mapleton, though middle-aged man.
was matrimonial acquisition, and
Geraldine was known Of all possible
candidates, to be his favorite. 1t was,
moreover, surmised, reported, and, in
some cases, proved, that the diamond
ring, when won, as II undoubtedly
would be by her. would be placed on
Geraldine's finger by Mr. Napoleon in
the eyes Of all the people not only as a
token Of her being the best player, but
also as an acknowledgement of his Ill
lection for her.
Such rumors as these, though they
take long time in reaching the ears
of the person most concerned in them,
most infallibly do arrive at length at
that destination.
When, a day or two before the tour
nament, Geraldine did hear it, she
wished that ping-pong had never been
invented. The position that It put her
In was this, and II was certainly for
her an unenviable one. Her people
were not remarkably well off, there
fore her mother had urged her some
time before to encourage Mr.. Napoleon
as much as possible, pointing out to
her the great advantages that such a
union would bring to her family.
To all this Geraldine had said moth
ing, for only mat evening she had
learnt truly what love meant; had not
spoken it, had NOT beard it, had only
found it-not in Words, but In Geelara-
ton in anothers eyes; but Wilfrid
Lawton's prospects were almost nil,
and, therefore, he kept silence; but
Geraldine understood.
1t was because Of all this that she
was confronted with one Of the first
double turnings in her life; whether
she should do her best to win the tour
nament and gain q diamond ring and n
lich husband, or lose and reap the love
of man to whom all her heart went
cut in reciprocation. Up to the moment
of the first game she had not decided.
There were n lot Of people there;
competitors in their leglons, all dressed,
IL not to win, at least to look their
best in losing; old ladies-mostly
ANNthNAbf NuA tObS " EtN Nhc hhdl At-
suits and greedy Of their daughters
success-and young men. silent sup
porters Of some individual girls play;
in fact, almost the whole Of Fenches-
ter was there.
Lionel Mapleton greeted them all
with the same afrability, though to
everybody present IT seemed that he
smiled more graciously at Geraldine as
he led her to the table for the first
game In the tournament. Then It all
commenced. At first Geraldine's In
stincts Of winning were strong within
her, and she played to the best Of her
ability, winning the game easily
amidst the solicitations to the loser
and the congratulations Of Lionel Ma
pleton, which made her shudder when
she thought Of what it would be at
che end when she won.
For the next two games she was
bye. listening to her mothers congra-
tuIations, and wishing that the whole
thing was over and that she had lost.
At last her turn came again, and
again she won, and following that, yet
again; now che was certain to be In
the semi7nnal, and every one was say
ing already that the tournament was
hers.
In breathless silence she played the