The Somerset reporter., 1905-07-06
Delphine's
Choice
By INA WRIGHT HANSON


Copyright, 1905, by |. W. Hanson
Throwing down my paper, started
In search of Delphine. She was getting
into her auto car with Jerry. the crook
ed backed. lie was Of no more conse-
quenee than a pet doA except that his
mind in his poor ugly body was like
the pearl in the oyster shell. so he MIS-
more entertaining and, besides being
Il mental genius, Jerry could sing Ye
powers. How he could sing,
'Delphine," began abruptly. in
Holland they have four Sundays in No.
vember"-
You don't sayw raising slender
hands in exaggerated surprise DO
You suppose they ever have hveE'
Listen. -Four Sundays. known as
Review, Decision, Purchase and Pos
session. ON Review Sunday all the I'M
married men aud women 20 to church.
look at one another, but don't speak"
How silly" remarked Delphine.
"On Decision Sunday each man who
wants a wife bows low before the
maiden of his choice, and by her re
spouse he judges of her feelings to-
ward him"
Delphine Uttered.
"On Purchase Sunday he askes her
parents consent, and on Possession
Sunday they appear as actual or pro
spectiye brides and grooms ! am tell
ing You because | was once foolish
enough to promise not to ask you to
marry me. l beg to remind you that
next Sunday is Decision Sunday. the
second in November; also that there is
more than one way to kill II cat"
Delphine regarded me with amuse.
ment. "Dick. think you are the sill
est ever she laughed rs she and the
auto and Jerry went speeding away.
l looked after them, the girls 1.-the
young figure, with the blue veil
streaming out in the stiff sea breeze.
and Jerry's pathetic form beside her.
Jerry's voice was music itself, and .Ier-
rvs handsome eyes could speak more
eloquently than hundred tongues.
But what had | to fear from crooked
back?
That evening my egotism was slight
ly Jared. Hathaway of the blond
head and the big heart joined me on
the porch. Hathaway was bubbling
over with something too good to keep.
After five minutes conversation |
learned that Miss Dclphine had once
more made him promise that he should
not court her and that today she had
told aim an interesting tale Of how the
men of Copenhagen or South Africa or
some other darned place get their
wives And why should she tell him
all that unless she was limiting to him
of an honorable way to break an I'M
willing promise?
Why, indeedI thought wrathfully as
later and alone | brOoded over the
matter, leaving Hathaway and a doz-
en- others to dance with Delphne Mt the
casino. | had other fish to fry, and |
was going to fry them good and brown
too. At last my plans We're perfected.
to the casino. | buttonholed
the reluctant hathaway and finally ca
ioled him into doing what | wanted.
Then we hunted up and explained to
ten other fellows, who with one eX-
ception, entered merrily into the
scheme
But. hang it, Dick" protested the
exception. I'm already engaged"
Don't worry, Jenkins consoled
Hathaway. "She will accept Dick or
me, know"
at won't be Hathaway, | am sure"
said. shamming n confidence | did
not own.
On Sunday morning, when Delphine
and her father came out of church,
their astonished eyes beheld twelve
men lined up near the red auto.
Twelve? Aye, thirteen, for Jerry, with
smiling lips and weary eyes, stood with
us. We bowed as one man before her,
and unmindful of the staring congre-
cation, the girl responded with quaint
little courtesy.
Delighted to see you she said cor
daily. Papa. will you invite the gen
tlemen to dine at the hotel with u.s."
Bewildered looking papa complied.
and Delphine motloned Jerry to enter
the car
Don't see that anybody gained more
than anybody else grumbled Hatha-
way as we followed the autos wake.
Except Jerry" grlnned Jenkins.
At the dinners close Delphine's ia
Their told us that they were going home.
They were tired of the gay resort
"You fellows come over and dine
with US at The Oaks next Sunday" he
said genially.
We accepted with alacrity, glad to
carry out the remainder of the pro
gramme In the confines of a home in
stead of a hotel and every mothers
son of us was at the gate of The Oaks
at o'clock on the next Sunday -Pur
chase Sunday, the third In November