Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-06
DAILY STORY
A SURPRISE PARTY.

Medways, who had just come into
enough to live on without doing any
thing, but good thing 10 have to help
i man to success who was ambitious.
Dudley Weyburn was there. a good
natured. roIicking, devil may care sort
of chap. with large fortune, which he
spent lavishly on his friends. He was
bent on marrying Laura Leonard. one |
of the girls of the party, but though |
she gave him considerable encourage |
ment, would never say yes" to any of |
his numerous proposals. Weyburn and
Midway were great friends, and one |
day Midway said to the lover:
It's plain enough. Dudley, that Lau-
ri Leonard wants you. She's only fool |
ing with you. Girls have queer whims,
and hers seems to be to bother you"
What makes you think she wants
me-" asked Weyburn, Frightening.
well. you're n deuced good fellow
young. handsome and rich. What else
would a girl want? Now, I'll tell you
what you do. Well put Laura in Il
trap. I'll propose a series of mock
marriages and ask her to begin with
you. She can dress herself in bridal
finery. All girls love to do that. I'll
get myself up as Il parSOn. and We'll
have Il marriage ceremony in presence
of witnesses. Then after it's all over
we can take the ground that it's legal
She'll he satisfied, only she'll want tG
be married over again
Weyburn after much persuasion con-
scented. Miss Leonard at first refused,
but finally consented also.
The performance was Il great sue
cess. Miss Midway played wedding
| march on the piano; the bride, followed
! by her attendants, came down the
main staircase. while Weyburn. sup
ported by his groomsmen. filed out of
| the library, meeting the bride i'll the
| hall and proceeding TO the drawing
room, where they stood at one end of
the apartment. 1t had been agreed that
the religious part of the ceremony was
| to be left out. which satisfied the bride
that there would be nothing binding
in the ceremony. The bride and groom
consented to take each other for better
or for worse, and they We're pronounc-
ed man ana wife. Congratulations fol-
| lowed, and all proceeded TO the we'd
ding supper.
When Midway. who had agreed to
announce TO the bride that she was
really married, an hour later took her
away by herself and told her of the
! fact he met with reception far differ
ent from what he had expected.
! DO you mean to tell me- she said.
turning pale. that I'm really married
to Mr.. Weyburn?'
You took him for your welded hus-
band and he took you for his welded
wife in the presence of Witnesses
But you are not a clergyman, and
you didn't put in any of the religious
part of the service" She was growing
more terror stricken every moment.
There is what is called a Scotch
marriage. in which two persons agree
ing to marry each other in presence of
witnesses are legally married"
But this is not Scotland"
Its impossible to tell exactly what
constitutes marriage in this country.
|
your being married to Dudley Wey-
burn. since he is young, handsome and
rich, it seems to me best under the cir
cumstanccs you'd better call it go
You can have another wedding, a swell
affair, you know
But don't want Dudley Weyburn.'
This was said with such agony that
Midway was terror stricken at what
he had done.
Great heavens. Laura, hope you're
not in love with any one else
Yes. | am" she said. bursting into
tears.
Midway was thunderstruck. As sooI
as he had recovered himself a bit curl
osity as to who was the possesSor OF
the girls heart overcame all other con
siderations. Could it be possible tina
, with no fortune she could decline one
with a very good fellow for a husband
, for some young man who must worl
for his living?
I'm awfully sorry. Laura he sale
soothingly. we didn't intend to %
, against your wishes Do you mind tell
ing me who the man is you wished t,
marry
"Oh. couldn't She buried her fac
, in divan pillow.
: There wouldn't he any impropriet.
, in your telling me in confidence"
Not since | can't marry the man
love?'
, Certainly
"But it wouldn't be treating my hus
band right"
What conscience! said Medwa
to himself. Then aloud: ooh, tina
would be all right. He'd never know it.
We'll. since I'm married and there
nothing wrong or immodest about tel
ing. the man | love is
"Out with it. Laura. You'll feel be-
J. ter when you've relieved your mind"
YOU she whimpered.
No pen or pencil could adequatel
| picture the expression on Edward
Z face at the receipt of this information
| The clock licked many seconds befor