The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-15
THE UNIT
BY JEANNE g. I,oIZEAtrX.

a
the desk beyond that their argument not closed.
II meant some more words Well, all right-Harrls,
II he was his superior. could have them and there
would be nc uncertain sound to his trumpet either.
And his expectation While they were
the stenographers clerks were chatterng hufang
at their hair pinning their hats, Harris. junior
u want word with you. Wiltsie Going walk
All right, I'll ride shanks mare. too"
The young fellow put his and girded him
self Tor the verbal fray-he was quite as determined
as Wiltsie and was that, being married man,
his o." wisdom was infinite They started into
suddenly Harris began.
raoblglng fellow! What good YOU friend
if you won't help Madge@and little? What
or earth are we to do with Tesse Gray our hands
the next two months If YOU don't be decent? What's
the Of you're being Madges second cousin If YOU
can't help entertain her guest And what earth
for a few weeks don't see, It's lust as easy
to to the office from house from your
old boarding house. What ails you?"
Wiltse shrugged his shoulders and stuck his
Jaw again. Il like YOU and Madge, and your charm
ing house-you know that But I'm not sinner
in the company of the lair ones don't want to be
too plain but you'ye pestered me til I'm positively
hater--rm And of being a bachelor--whch
plead guilty II you must have 1T straight, tn
determined to keep on being bachelor tor some
And I'm dead such gtrl-lover, that
my only safety is In flight and numbers. And am
other thing Madge my cousin before she was
that she's the most deadly matchmaker in my large
experience I'm thirty. and though she's three years
my junior she's been trying to get me in love ana
married for ten solid years. And you can't deny.
blinded by her charms, that she has chosen
Tesaie Gray as the final instrument for my undotns'
Not for thanks
Harris had to laugh outright lie would tell Mad2e
that her methods hidden and subtle as size
magined--it would do her good!
You selfish old bachelor don't you know that YOU
don't count You're nobody and nothing-ust lost
half floating about. and useless the world Don't
you know that the family the two-in-one is the unit
society, Why, man. you're a cipher"
All right-but m pretty good at backing up units
terest, III and your wonder. bqt / ~ara
YOU that ! won't marry her. OF course e.e>
unconscious of the dire intention Ret her married
She won't like me. I'll decent-take her about
into the mesmerc circle Of house party
r, sed of married couple, two engaged couples aad
extra girl | know enough 10 keep ont OF dan
This is my corner and I'm off. So long, and
tell Madge III come 70 her dinner and be siad-hut
few e'<nings later groomed within an nyh Of
Mr., Howard wiltsie betook himself to the house of
his employer and second cousin lay marriage, The
host were their best He already knew them an
hut Miss TeSsie Gray, who fulfilled the extrava
giant promises which Madge had made fer her beauty
and charm, The bachelor introduoed-and gal
vanzed With surprise The lady like piece OF
ioe-to him so fault could be found with the per
lection OF her manner. bat neither could OF
warmth be discovered In her.
0f she fell To his lot dinnerand insisted
talking to Cooper the other side, To that
temans embarrassment since his haneee demanded
mis- fun attention Nitsie then tried Mabel strand
on other side--but she imperNious
than a few laughing remarks chinked in between
the paussS of her interest in her host who telling
her hoyhood "reminiscences of John Gardner. her
nanCee. MAdge was PLAINLY worried, ana lefsle LOOK
faFaa 70 sFr@N <i'S strange HN5Es Z" nv ts@ Iilen
that young man. bound to redeem himself with Madge
out 10 be nice. lie was very funny. indeed. and ev-
erybody laughed: he talked a lot-and well-and the
ton. Harris wondered what had happened TO Madges
dinner. she usually knew how to make successful
evening He was perplcHed but he sa" that his
friend was rising 10 the situation.
After dinner follow Miss Tessie Gray
/ the paror, and thence TO the porch. lie used
to being smiled at and the change amused him she
tried TO escape nut in vain To whom could she fee
n m a
let herself fall pitifully back the host
She endured his assiduous attention, but she
did thaw. lie enjoyed bothering
After that there We're parties, and 81 little dance.
/ and a few picnics and many dinners. Drawn into
good naturedly always paired off with girl though
Madge had tried vainy To get some other satisfactory
and unattached man.
4 believe everybody the worlo aut Tessle and
Howard engaged" fretted Aiadge her husband
I'm a fragile, They each other. and
yet they have together There's other way
about and being raptly attentive she's horrid-and
any other girl would be Wild with delight. He's So
good looking. and clever, and hen be a partner next
Harris assentcd. but tnwardIy he was greatly
amused.
A few weeks later on, after a home dinner and
when the couples had innocently enough lost them
selves about the garden. the porch, anywhere to be
I com paratiyeiy alone, Howard Wsie took banjo
began strum and sing odd little songs and to be
generally entertaining lie did his very best The
dark eyes She was little and graceful. very Spanish
looking and dsdainful Why could she not have a
little spanish warmth as We'll as spanish iight ana
temper? At length she spoke him with a little
i laugh interrupting his music.
Don't try hard to be nice to me- II tires you.
and quite a superfuous sacrifice, Take it
easiIy--you running half the risk you think
you There is nothing mesmeric about and
/ | don't like matchmaking any better than you do.
and II wanted to be married. can assure you
you, of all quite safe, appreciate
in thus coming into the danger to help
out your cousin, but / it's pleasure to
to be entertained so strenuousy. I'm going back
home next week And wish ia never GOMEZ"
Tears her flashing eyes, and before he
could find a word answer 10 this crushing TRADE.
the girl jumped fsr and went into the house
/ You can tell Madge l have headache and don t
want to disturbed ] dislike asking You TO tell
1 a lie. hut since you act them so beautifully, perhaps
won't mind"
She gone, Tho young man stared little: then
h elaughed. When his hostess asked for Miss Gray
/ e coolly remarked that the young woman had bad
attack OF temper and had gone to her room He him.
waited until he got word with Harris in the
den He straight TO the point
Did you tell Nadge what said about her match
making and all that stuff that night coming home