The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1911-06-01
Matchmaking
By LUCY M. ROE
Copyright by American Press Asso.
citation. 1911.

''Tom." said Mrs. vandeveer to her
husband. I've need more recreation-
l don't mean going out in the evening
after you have come home all tired
out, but some one to come in and chat
with us or play cards."
"Well, my dear. all l have to say is
that I'm content as it is. but If you
care to invite any person or persons in
here so that | won't have to go out
and see them don't object"
Il have plan all laid out. There's
Ralph Eldridgc. He's thirty-five. and
it is time he was married Now, my
old school friend Margaret Shaw
would be Just the woman for Ralph.
She's twenty-six. What do you say to
getting them in occasionally to dinner.
With g game Of bridge or five hundred
in the evening. 1t may be great IA
vor to them to bring them together.
They may make match
"Do anything you like. my dear,
provided you don't put me to any
trouble" -. -
So Mr.. Eldridge and Miss Shaw
were invited to dinner. with cards in
the evening. Mr.. Eldridge of course
played with Mrs. vandeveer. Mr., Van
devecr playing with Miss Shaw. 1t Is
singular what little thing will start
persons on n different track. 1t was
all In the cards. Mr.. Vandeveer and
Miss Shaw held all the court cards in
the pack from 0 O'clock. when they
sat down. till IL. when they arose.
This made Mrs. Vandcveer trifle ir-
ritable. 1t produced corresponding
exhilaration In. Miss Shaw. Further.
more. seeing that Mrs. Vandeveer was
irritated. Miss Shaw, moved by per.
versity. became very enthusiastic In
her expressions to her partner, giving
him glances that his wife. being in IN
Ill humor. construed unfavorably. This
led the hostess to say number of
nice things to Mr.. Eldridge.
When the evening was over and the
guests had departed Mr.. and Mrs.
Vandevecr went to bed without
word. Mrs. Vandeveer suspected that
in introducing Miss Shaw into her
house she had warmed serpent in
her bosom. Mr.. Vandevcer, for the
first time in his married life, felt a
spark of Jealousy ofiMr. Eldridge. who
was an extremely good looking and
attractive man.
The next week when Mr.. Vande-
veer came home one afternoon from
business his wife told him that Miss
Shaw had invited the party to dinner
and for cards in the evening. Mr..
Vandcvccr, fearing that If he declined
to accept his wife would think he
wished to keep her from again meet
ing Mr.. Eldridge, consented. His wife
was much surprised and set down his
willingness to u desire to again meet
Miss Shaw. s...r. ,st .-i
At this meeting the cards ran more
evenly. but Miss Shaw seemed to be
even more en- rapport with MIR. vande-
veer than before. while Mr.. Eldridge
treated Mrs. Vandeveer with defer
ence that was, to say the least. ex-
tremely noticeable. Not for the world
would Mr.. Vandeveer show that he
noticed certain glances with which
Mr.. Eldridgc favored his wife, but
within him he was burning with a
smothered fury. and part Of his irrt
tation was for his wife that she did
not resent such treatment instead Of
seeming to he pleased with it.
The four continued to meet once a
week at the house Of one or the other.
Mr.. Vandeveer would have been glad
to give up the meetings. and his wife
made no objections to doing so. but
MIR. Eldridge and Miss Shaw were SO
urgent when it came their turn to do
the entertaining that the vandeveers
felt obliged to yield. Mrs. vandeveer
attributed Miss Shaw's persistence to
a desire to meet her husband, and
Mr.. Vandeveer attributed Mr.. FL.
bridges persistence to desire to meet
his wife. .1.4s l.,e. @5.l riIi
"Your plan. my DEAR" said Mr.. Van
deveer one evening before one of these
meetings. "for making a match be-
tween Eldridge and Miss Shaw doesn't
seem to work."
"H'm!" was the retort: ''Miss Shaw
seems to be predisposed In another d.
rection.'" ,....,,e,,.l :. t,.atf 7
II don't know anything about. that"
'snarled the husband, "but it's very
plain that Eldfidgei q preoccupied."
/; '"The next time I attempt 70 make Z
match, rejoined the, wife. "I'll ses
that there d no ono lbott to lead the
lady In the case from her sutton, ii
Hail an hour, later the party was
ct Mr.. Eldridge's bachelor quarters,
where the meeting was to. takS place.
When the game commenced tor. the
6rst time Mr.. Eldridge and Miss shaw
refrained from any Jealousy inspiring
glances at tho tvandeveers: .Mrs:4 Van.
deveer. who was more .observant than
her husband, detected q tender look
passing between the unmarried cou-
PIE. When the cards were put aside
Mr.. Nldridge got cut = light luncheon
and bottle Of iced champagne was
brought into the room. There was q
cork salute. ana the host aiied the
glasses and said to his guests:
MANY thanks for giving me. the love.