Gilpin observer., 1909-11-11
Her Marital
Copyright. by ]. B. Lippincott Coz
By AN NE WARN e r

never left of as she grew older. From
the day when she cited the Quot.
player" as an early example Of the
nude, because he had nothing on him
except the quoit," until the day when
she finally accepted Julius Reed for
her husband, after putting him off
for years because she already had
one husband" her record was one OF
continual brightness and originality.
She began life without any parents.
Her father. died some months before
she was born, and her mother died d.
rectly after learning that 1T" was
girl. So the baby fell to an aunt
and grandmother to raise. They
were religious and conventional. and
the baby was lively and obstreperous.
Everything was hard for everybody in
consequence, and as soon as they
could they sent the child away to
boarding school. 1t seemed no time
at all before she was through board.
Ing school and back on their hands.
Then they remembered that they had
distant coustn-a Mrs. Maisey-in
London, and to Mrs. Massey the aunt
appealed and appealed again. In the
end, Mrs. Massey undertook Eleanor
for a season. and-Mrs. Massey being
| skilful lady-Eleanor was disposed
| of before spring.
1t was Mr.. Carrick who took her off
the family backs and onto himself.
Mr.. Carrick was an indolent gentle
| man Of five and forty, who was loung-
Ing and yawning his way through life
without any very active content or dis
content with anything or anybody. He
mad faded blue eyes. sparsely settled
hair, and long, pale mustache that
he dragged opposite ways with his
two hands when he was really exert
ing himself to make an impression.
He never stayed very long in one
place. nor attended much to any one
Idea. OF marriage he had certainly
never thought seriously; therefore
Mrs. Massey thought he might be
easily captured. and. being clever, she
thought right. and. being thrice clever,
she captured him forthwith.
Mr.. Carrick and Eleanor were alike
guiltless of their mistaken marriage.
| Neither one nor the other had the
sightest designs thereo. 1t was Mrs.
Massey who did it all, and it was she
who never halted in her well-doing
until In the spring the bride and
groom were actually off for Brighton.
Then she drew long breath and re-
turned TO her usual routine of living.
AS to the bride and groom. Well.
IT must be owned that 1t is one thing
to be clever matchmaker. and ouite
another thing to be those whom she
has matched
Mr.. Carrick and Eleanor discovered
this fact before they reached Brighton
Eleanor did not know Just what she
mad expected. but learned on the train
that, Whatever 1t was, she had not
gotten 1t. Mr.. Carrick's position was
Sui. sadder; he did not know either
what he had expected. he did know
that he had not gotten it, and he also
learned In addition that he had got
something that he had not expec.ed
into the bargain.
Ihey spent fortnight in Brighton.
piling up marital souvenirs of the
most trying kind, and at the end of
the fortnight Mr.. Carrick, who had
never In his life done anything sud.
den, suddenly left for Colombo.
When is he coming back?" Mrs.
Maisey asked.
I don't know" said Eleanor. He
can't come back until he gets there
and he can't get there for a month
ana half. thank Heaven. Why
didn't you tell me that he couldn't see
joke before l married him?"
| Mr.. Carrick wrote his bride one let.
ter from Port Said and one from Co.
lombo. Then he did not write again
for year. and then she heard no
more for three years. In the mean.
time julius Reed had come upon the
scene and fallen in love with her.
| julius Reed was thin, tall man.
with brown eyes and no mustache. In
appearance he suggested a lean and
civilized Arab. and that Joke was not
built through which he could not see.
Mrs. Carrick had an apartment. and
her aunt to live with her. II she had
not also had Mr.. Carrick, she could
easily have had julius Reed instead
OF the aunt Everybody with one ex.
ception) knew that. The aunt knew
1t. Eleanor knew it. julius. of course,
knew 1t. Society in general knew 1t.
The one exception was Mr.. Carrick.
Mr. Carrick might also have known
1t II anybody had known where he
was; but no one knew. Therefore he
was left In ignorance.
The situation was very exasperat.
Ing to julius Reed. because It had not
needed Mrs. Massey to put the idea
into his head that he wanted to marry
Eleanor. He had had 1t, and had had
1t strongly. ever since their first meet.
ing. She suited him exactly. She
was constant Joy to him.
| ,Whx don't yon pnt q di,.n..a o,, l.