The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-04
Our Daily $bcrt Story

brilliant scene within. In the room were groups of msn and women. who turned with ssser and joyous faces toward the open osnised them ss his most intimate friends with their wives and sweethearts He saw that his den beyond had been turned into dining room, and table was spread there sparklings as for feast. Dodden could scarcely believe his eyes whsu he saw his modest apartments turned into this place of Gaety.
 Peterson rushed out to meet him. Int something at sight of Dodden's face made him stop short. rsrpiexity snd surprise
 why. old boy" he cried. where's the-- the iadv7"
 The la.Iyt" xasped Dodden.
 Yes. the lady" repeated Peterson. By forward. and Dodden found himself the cen ter of . questioning circle.
 Where is she--your wife?"
 Dodden had .opeer sensation in his throat. Then it seemed to go to his knees. He thought he must be the victim of some sort of conspiracy. He could not decide upon the stand he ought to take. A cold sweat started out on his forehead. He stag gered and made . clutch at the banisters.
 My wife! Why. Peterson-Longworth--- you know I have nc wife"
 Now. Mir Dodden. you are playing a joke on us said reproechfuI feminine voice. Where have yon left her? You may as well confsse. We know all about t."
 Theodors Dodden. bachelor. stood in their midst. quite white. and collapsed.
 My friends" he said in . weak tremb- ling voice. ''I swear to you. do not know what you mean I--there has evidently been mistake. ] have" with an attempt at dignity. ''I have always been a bach elor"
 Dodden's honesty and his wretchedness were not to be doubted. Astonishment swept over the entire party. There was a dead silence. then Peterson said: 'But your trunk. Dodden. how do you account for your trunk? 2"
 "I am not aware that there is anything the matter with it." said Dodden.
 Heavens man." cried Peterson. seizing his arm. "come and see 1t.
 Dodden. still in a maze. allowed Himself to he led to where his trunk had heen deposit ed In the afternoon. He Eazed at it mute ly Fastened to its sides were two placards on which. in glarinS letters that could be read a block off were the words. Make groom Cometh." It was further adorned by a motley array of old shoes of all sizes and descriptions.
 You see old fellow. we thought--there really does seem to he a mistake----"
 we thought you were married" inter rupted a merry voice. "and We planned a little surprise for you and your bride--and you arent--Oh! it's too funny!''
 There was peal Of laughter, but 1t was smothered at sight of Dodden's miserable, face. He sank into q chair. Then a great light burst upon him There flashed before him the incident in the waiting room at M----. the prospective bridegroom and the gay party that had come to wish him Rod- speed His trunks must have gone earlier on the same train as his. Dodden's. The friends of the bridegroom. instead 0: the bridegrooms trunk. had by mistake decorat- ed h,s-the trunk of Theodore Dodden. bachelor. He saw 1t But it was too much, too much. His friends quietly slipped away. They expressed many re- . srets for their error. but in the midst of the profuse apologies could be heard peals of stified feminine iauRhter.
 Left to himself. Dodden sat and thouEht it all -over.-;f He probably arrived at the conslusion that he had reached the limit of q bachelors humiliations. and that there could be nc worst now.
 Before he slept that night he wrote a letter to his brothers wife's sister. very humbly asking her to become--Mrs. Theo- dors Dodden.