The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-01-02
THE TEST Z (.
oFAFFECT7ON
0, r. q. WRIGHT

She was a pretty girl, very pretty
girl. though Just where the center
point OF her beauty lay was hard to
determine, each man having diff
ferent idea on the subject.
Aside from her good looks. which
were free to any man with eyes. she
had subtler attractions for the indi-
vldual. Miss Maberly obeyed the in
junction Of the apostle and was all
things to all men.
| With one she rode, and very well,
too. With another she golfed. and
he was prepared to swear that she
sgolfed like an angel+--which might
be true enough. and yet not make
her mistress of the cleek and brassy.
With third she talked Of Shakes
peare and the musical glasses.
From all that has been said 1t will
be plain that Miss Maberly cut a
wide swath in the field OF unmarried
officers stationed at Sheridan bar
racks.
From Carroll who was very
young and ingenious and had pret-
ty color in his cheeks, up to the SEN
lor major, who was grizzled and a
widower, and had no color at all, ex+
.cept in his. nose, hey we're all up to
their eyelids In love.
The only reason the colonel es-
capped was because he was her father.
He was at this time perhaps the most
popular colonel in the service.
Miss Maberly came in June. bring
Ing with her "the summer and the
sum-" as Lieutepant Winthrop said
she told him. and it was now near the
| holidays She was going to give her
friends few gifts after the New
J Years Eve ball
Including the artillery and infan-
! try, there was a number OF men in
her train. 1t was manifestly ,impro5-
! able that she would give presents to
all, therefore the man who received
one would be indicated for prefer
ment.
1t was agreed that the lucky man
| should bring his present to the mess
New Years morning unopened. and
then show 1t as proof that he had
| won. After that he was to have free
field
Young Carroll felt this to be un-
| fair in way, but yet he could not in
honor warn his friends that he was
to be the lucky man.
1t was by accident he found ont.
He happened to catch Miss Maberly
at work with lot of worsted, though
what the work was he did not dis
cover because she hid 1t behind her
when he entered.
II didn't want YOU to know any,
thing about 1t until New Years." she
said 1T Is to be a urrrise-and
| anyway, please don't mention it,
He did not mention 1t, bat he
walked about for some days on air.
and threw chest that was percepti-
BILE across the parade ground He
felt vast rity for those other chaps
who were to draw blanks in the New
Years lottery.
Never had Miss Maberly looked
prettier than she did at the dance on
New Years Eve, never had she
/ danced so divinely, never had she
"sat out" so charmingly. never had
she bestowed her favors more impair
TALLY.
1t was a singularly cheerful crowd
that gathered at the bachelors mess
the next morning Each man bore
himself with an air of benevolent su-
periority to his fellows that was hard
to account for on any reasonable
grounds. It was as II none OF them
had lost, which was absurd.
Dr. S'ote, as married man. had
been selected as the master OF cere-
monies.
"And now, gentlemen" he said
when the breakfast was over, "let
us proceed If You please to the show
down. VIII the gentleman who holds
the four aces kindly put his cards
upon the table.
There was a simultaneous move
ment on the part of every unmarried
man present. simultaneous diving
Into pockets, concordant rustling
OF tissue PAPER, and then-silence.
On the table lay "a bright red nit
tens of "the kind that mother used
to make" and with each pair card
with Miss Maberly's best wishes
for a Happy New Year, and hopes
that these may be of comfort in the
winter OF your discomfort"
Major Dunwoodie was the first to
break the silence, and what he said
Is not printable. Then he rose and
pinned his present to the mantel-
shelf. Each man did the same, until
IL pairs of mittens hung displayed.
Only Carroll refused. After all."
he said, "she made 'em, and that's
something. / intend to wear NINE"
And you hope to win her yet. do
you, yolngster?" asked the junior
major. We'll. you needn't. l went
over to the colonel's last night after
tho dance and learned something
which puts you all out of the run
ming. Miss Mcberly's to be married
In the spring"
Married." The mess gasped as