New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1909-09-29
FA7E INTERVIEWED,
By WILLARD K. FlFEN.

fCopyright, 1909, by American Press Assoc
ciation.l
"Well, well, Cuthbert.. Who'd ever
have expected to see you here? Isn't
it funny what meetings there are in
this world? Last time we met was at
San Francisco You were going to sail
the next morning for Manila. Every
thing in this world is arranged by fate.
But the most singular feature of all is
that I've got a message for you. Are
you married?'
"No.''
Flows that?''
"Fate''
.'How has fate kept you from marry
ing?'
.Chucked in contemplate incident
the evening of the day parted from
you at San Francisco
what incident?"
"Come in to the club and I'll tell
you.''
sWhen parted from you that day
went to my quarters, donned evening
dress-I never wear a uniform off duty
--put on pair Of new patent leather
shoes-stifest things in the world;
they might as well be made of cast
iron-and went to dine at the quarters
of my commanding officer, then Colo
mel, now General. Chatterton.
'"The situation was this: had been
proposed as husband to Margery
Chatterton, the generals daughter, by
Skillful matchmaker and had been
accepted. When the matter was pro-
posed to me the proposer didn't know
that the first moment saw Miss Chat
terton remarked to myself. That's
wife! You can understand, then, how
easy it was for me to be steered into
that particular matrimonial hive The
arrangement having been perfected,
our mutual friend warned me not to
make botch of it by hurrying, but
preface my proposal by proper
amount of counting. Instead of being
stayed should have been hurried, for,
while had found no difficulty when
at West Point in making any number
Of sham proposals. when it came to the
real thing l was ready to sojer with
the most backward man in the army
put the matter off till the dinner
ting at table. l was handed a tele-
graphic order direct from Washington
to sail on ship leaving the next morn
ing for Manila.
81 read the dispatch to the company,
and of course it created f1utter in the
breast of Miss Chatterton, distinctly
visible on her countenance Here was
ordered away, and the expected pro-
posal had not been made. Mrs. Chat
terton, who was dead set for the match,
as soon as coffee was served said that
If / didn't care to smoke might join
the ladies' in the library. l knew
very we'll that by the ladies' she
meant Margery, and said that
would join them as soon as had
drunk my coffee.
II would have left the dining room
with them had it not been for the fact
that, sitting so long in one position, my
feet had become swollen, and the in
elastic patent leather had held them as
in wise. had slipped off the shoe
that hurt me most, and when the
ladies arose from the table l rose, too,
and stood in one shoe. The general
and the adjutant, who was Of the
party, renained, and when the ladies
had gone felt with my feet under
the table for the missing shoe. I could
n0f find If "oi1n 7
general said to his adjutant, We must
settle Swinton's case before you co.
and to me: I trust you'll excuse us,
captain. We've got an important mat
ter on hand that we must tackle
II was mighty glad to excuse them,
and as soon as they were gone got
down under the table to hunt for the
shoe. While l was there the door
opened, and heard Miss Chatterton
exclaim:
"'Well, declare!'
II put it to you as man, could
crawl out from under the table and
In one shoe face the girl who was
awaiting my proposal? l knew very
well that, hearing the men go out, she
had come in to sit with me while
slipped my coffee, intending then to
guide me to a place where we would
be alone together. l lay still as a
mouse for moment, when heard the
dining room door close and knew that
was again alone.
ut was evident to me that l must
lose no time in getting my shoe, find
Miss Chatterton and give her salts
factory explanation as to where l had
been when she had entered the dining
room. But in the first place couldn't
find the shoe. and in the second
couldn't invent an excuse. 1t occurred
to me that if could get away unde-
tected would have whole night to
make up plausible story, return in
the morning before sailing, account
for my conduct and do the job. A
window opened on to the yeranda,
and
"Why in the world didn't you walk
right into the presence of the girl and