The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1909-06-11
Making a Match.

making. ~ Itu vi. N'h'Ai' -
L.upton took up his residence In the
CITY Of Mrs Hunniman's home ana
presented a letter Of introduction TO
her. her first thought was how TO pre-
sent him to society, the second how to
present him with a wife She de
termined TO invite the social leaders
70 meet him at dinner and to give him
for a table companion a lady, also
newcomer. in whose social preferment
she took a deep interest
Mr.. Lupton was a man Of forty. IN
tellectual. good looking, well TO do ana
Of aristocratic mein. He had been
abroad for some time. and Mrs. Hunni-
man knew nothing Of his antecedents
except that he was vOuched for in the
highest terms in his letter Of introduc-
tion. But no one would mistake him
for anything else than a gentleman
Miss Overlander. whom Mrs. Hunni-
man designed for Mr.. Lupton's wife.
was thirty-two years old and still a
beautiful woman. But friend OF Mrs
Hunniman told some one. who told 9th
ers. that Miss Overlander was not
Miss Overander at all.
When the dinner guests were assem-
bled in the drawing room, Mrs Hunm
man took Alr. Lupton's arm and led
him to the lady beside whom he was to
sit at table There was something So
distinguished in both Mr.. Lupton's
|, and Miss Overlandcr's person and
manner that the hum Of conversation
ceased. and all eyes were fixed upon
the couple Both bowed low. the mar
} made some casual observation. the
/ woman replied by an asserting nod
r the guests resumed their chat and moi
{ long afterward all passed into the din
5 ing room.
, There is one thing that matchmaker
r who are real matchmakers never DO
T. They carefully abstain from any wora
b or act that will intimate their inten.
, tious TO the objects of their designs
Mrs Hunniman had thus abstained ii
the present case. though it had been
whispered among the dinner guests
that she had intentions concerning MI
Lupton and Miss Overlander. and dur
- ing the dinner the couple were the re
: cipients Of curious glances. The con
: versation between the two seemed al
. first a trihe constrained. and Mrs
Hunniman was not especially encour
: aged as to the matter she had in view
= The lady seemed not especially nj
. tracted TO her dinner companion. who
showed a trihe Of embarrassment con
seouent upon her GOODNESS. and whei
. shortly after the soup she entered int
- conversation with the gentleman 81,
ting on her other side Mr.. Luptor
: turned TO the lady on his other side
!. and became animated.
But az a dinner party one canno
ignore his or her dinner companion
Is very long without being considered
l. rude and Mr.. Lupton and Miss over
II lander soon found themselves forced +
u entertain each other or sit in silence
d The lady by this time seemed to hav'
II made up her mind TO make the best O.
r 4 bad bargain and ventured several re
to marks 10 the gentleman. who sat yer.
N stiflv beside her restlessly fingerin'
D. the stem Of his wineglass and only re
u piled I'm a perfunctory manner 1t be
v came evident to several Of the com
nanv who were in the secret Of th
hostess matchmaking that Mr. Lupto'
Il. at least was showing sure sign o
70 entanglement-p ique. Then he mad
10 some remark in tone too low 10 b
N heard except by Miss Overlandel
u. whereupon she haughtily turned he
n back on him.
n This was near the close Of the dill
H. ner. When the guests were departing
70 Mrs. Hunniman asked Mr.. Lupton hoN
N be was pleased with the lady she la
" assigned him for the evening. His re
m plv was a snort and an angry turnin
away. As Miss Overlander came dow
from the ladies' cloakroom she It
ceived the same question with regar
., TO Mr.. Iupton. Delighted" was he
~ reply in a tone calculated to freeze IN
. marrow i'm the bones Of the questione
=. When the last guests were depar
ing. Mr. Hunniman, who had gone on
no 10 put lady in her carriage. returned
y with a blank look on his face an
80 whispered to his wife:
-. MY dear. what do you Think
= What"
"Mr Lupton and Miss Overland'
have gone in the same carriage.'
re- "For heavens sake! What does
ue mean
An Now. the departure Of the newly fl
ne troduced couple was seen by two me
ne Of the party who were starting 4.
at their club. Moved by curiosity, the
ic- followed iu their carriage. Two houi
re later they returned TO the Hunnima
lc- mansion and called for the head of n
OF house Tie came down from his Dee
ne room IN pajamas.
en- "Hunniman" said one Of the visi
ors. eft is our duty as your friend