Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-01-27
IT WORKED WELL,
By ANDREW G. EWING.

theorist. These few words are abun-
dance Of preface to my story.
/ have two friends who offered to
put themselves In my hands for an
experiment IN the Line Of my matrimo.
NAL theory. John AuchlncIoss frankly
averred that be believed in marriage,
but had always considered II matter
Of fate. Ny idea OF taking 1t out Of
the hands OF fate struck him f0rcibly.
Besides. the plan II properly worked
by q third person afforded the best
possible chance TO at least avoid any
bad matrimonial blunder. Helen Eng
lander pretended to make her PROPOSE
ton In a spirit of banter, but admitted
that to spend week continuously
with any man would cause her to hate
him, and IL she married at all It must
be as a plunge into cold bath. Fol
lowing these two lines Of reasoning,
both agreed to marry any person
might select, the pair not to meet un.
| I'll one minute before the wedding.
had long considered Auchincloss and
Miss Englander as eminently fitted
for each other and selected them for O
matrimonial venture. One stipulation
was made by the bride. After the GER
emory she was to have a month be-
fore living with her husband. he
must leave her Immediately after the
benediction. This, she said, was nee
essary to permit her TO gather her
forces for what she considered "the
great sacrifice on the altar of family
| ties and affection"
| There are people who do not impress
us at once, but grow on us slowly. The
principals In this case both impressed
those who met them on sight. Every
one said on meeting John Auchincloss.
what splendid man!' And Helen
Highlander called forth like encomi-
ums. Would the strong individuality
In both harmonize2 This must be left
TO fate, but 1t is better 10 take one
chance than a dozen, and In this case
there was no chance whatever that
either would get an unworthy life
partner.
The wedding was in every respect
worthy of the practical couple con-
cerned In It. 1t occurred at II in the
morning. and the only persons pres
ent except the bride and groom were
the brides mother and myself. At IL
O'Clock John and l stepped up to the
Highlander front door, rang the bell
and were ushered into the drawing
room. where Mrs. and Miss Englander
were awaiting us. OF course ! watch
ed anxiously for the first look that
should come over the face Of each at
beholding the other. Johns counte-
nance was perfectly serene. II there
was disappointment In 1t failed to
discover It. Helen's lit up with
| quick pleasure. and she drew long
breath as if she had been freed from
| q great dread. But for these scarcely
| to be detected features one might have
supposed the two had met for the pur-
pose of transferring a piece Of prop
erty.
As we entered drew out my watch
and noted the time, then went across
the hall, where clergyman was In
waiting. brought him in. and the cere-
mOny began exactly forty-eight sec
onds after the principals had met.
John answered the responses as me-
thodically as IL he were making an
afildavit before a notary. but Helen
bungled everything. 1t was plain that
there was no small commotion beneath
her rapidly rising and falling bosom.
As soon as she had been pronounced
q wife she turned to salute her moth
er. her chief object being to hide the
turmoil within her. Then. suddenly
turning about. she looked her husband
/ full in the face. For the first time in
my life l wished such a woman would
give me such look.
John had ordered a carriage to call
for him at I've minutes past II, and
the FIRST glance between husband and
wife was cut short by the butler an
nouncing that it had arrived. John
bid adieu to his mother-ln-law, then to
his wife. The latter kept her eyes on
the carpet till the last moment, then
looked up. with soft reproach In her
eyes.
MAY l beg a few minutes indul-
geneef' said John. II assumed that
our contract made It obligatory on me
to depart at once"
| NuA AG1AGAA1GA NhAt NAS N-A0~S
time was stated" said the bride, with
q blush.
This was a positive untruth. She
had used the word immediately"
Mrs. Highlander asked me II would
partake of some refreshment, and, ac-
companled by the clergyman. we went
out to another room. leaving the newly
married pair alone together.
Up to this point | have told that in
which | was an important actor. The
rest Of the story can only tell by In
ference. John had agreed to lunch
with me at o'clock. He did not APP
pear at the appointed time. nor did
sec or hear anything of him during
the afternoon. In the evening l went
10 his rooms, but he had not been
there. A messenger had called with
written permit to enteF the rooms and
remove any articles be chose. A trunk
was necessary to take what he select