Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1911-11-10
AN IlNCE:N TIVE: | ! ! E:
IONA RRlAGE
b DoRoTHEA HALE B
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911.

There is something about the portal
OF matrimony that seems to require
new conditions. A set hnmdrum state
ls not likely to be conducive to wed
lock. This is especially true Of those
who are passing out Of the heyday Of
youth. II man growing into bach
elorhood or a woman into spinsterhood
wishes to, change their condition their
best chance is to take an ocean voy-
age at a season when they viii meet
other travellers. Probably there are
more marriages concocted on shipboard
In proportion to the size Of the passen-
ger list than in any other community.
But after a couple have mutually re
solved to cast their lot together lei
them not take any more such trips sep
arately or what has been accomplish
ed may be undone.
Y i William Martindale had come to hts
thirty fifth year without being mated
and was looking forward to a lonely
old age with horror. Not being very
closely tied down to business he re-
solved to take trip abroad in order
to relieve that ennui which begins to
show itself in bachelors and spinsters
while they are crossing LIES equinoc
hal line. Miss Susan Eldridge, aged
thirty, had given up trying to make up
her mind to marry some one of the sin.
gle men she had long known and con
cluded that If she could not be inter-
ested in household she might at least
enjoy change Of scene.
Mr.. Martindale and Miss Eldridge
met on steamer running from New
York to Naples. They left the Amer
lean coast in chilly weather and found
the contrast on reaching the balmy at
mosphere of the gulf stream delight
full. They sat on deck most OF the day
and occasionally in the evening, rising
and falling with the swell, listening to
the swish made by the meeting Of the
waves and the vessel and each others
chat, now watching bird sailing
above and wondering how it dare fly
so far from land. and found it all de-
/ lightful.
what an interesting woman!' re-
| marked Mr.. Martindale to himself. IF
had before met girl like that l
would by this time. have been the ia.
Their of family" Had the young
men have known SO long," remarked
Miss Eldridge. had tenth part Of
the soul this man possesses would
not now have the prospect before me
of finishing my life an old maid"
/! On the Mediterranean trip the steam
er usually stops at the island Of Ma
deira. Mr.. Martindale and Miss Ell
bridge went ashore together and enter
ed garden filled with tropical plants
redolent Of 6owery perfumes. When
they came out Of that garden they
were engaged.
i The rest of the voyage was like sail,
ing In the heavens on a balmy moon
light night. The critical fashion in
which they had previously viewed
members of the opposite sexes from q
matrimonial point of view was re.
placed by an ideal appreciation of each
other induced by an atmosphere en-.
tirely different from any to which they
had been accustomed. They landed at
Naples, strolled together through the
exhumed streets of Pompeii. sat on the
cliff overlooking the Mediterranean at
I'Corrento and drove together to Amalfi
And 1t seemed to each that the Other
'resembled some divinity perpetuated
in marble in the galleries they fire.
,quented.
They separated at Rome to meet
later in America, where they were It
make arrangements for their wedding
The intervening time had passed
Mr.. Martindale had arrived at home
and Miss Eldridge was sailing up New
York bay. She paced the deck with 9
brow on which lowered mental dis
tturbance. Mr.. MarHndale, she knew
was on the dock waiting for her. Why
did she not wear happy expression al
the expected meeting?
And Mr.. Martindale-why did be
walk through the long dock house with
a perplexed look on his face and shud
der as he caught glimpse Of the ship
on which stood his fiancee? They met
Each strove to put on smile Of vel.
come, expression of heaven born love
The effort was a failure. Each retain.
ed secret which must be sooner OF
later broken to the other.
II can endure this no longer" said
Miss Eldridge AZ they rolled over the
stony streets in q carriage. could
never act q part. I must confess at
once"
Eyes. thought I loved you. was
mistaken. On the return voyage met
the man who at once felt was born
for me and tor whom ! was born
Forgive me for the wrong ! have done
you. l couldn't help it."
A long sigh-a sigh OF relief-es.
capped from Mr.. Martindaie.
"Your confession" he said, has tax.
en- great load from my mind. l, too
on my return voyage met girl who
charmed me and. blush to say. won
me from you"
For q moment that amour propre,
that dislike for being supplanted, to
which we are all subject kept her
silent. but when she thought Of the
complication she had escaped she said
smiling:
"Oh, how fortunate!'
Both Of these persons had met others
with whom they might have mated.
: but 1t needed that something furnish
ed by voyage to induce union-some-
thing that is as common on theAocean
as seasickness, though much pleasant
or Unfortunately all nnrSonS who de-