Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-09-16
Picked Out For
Each Other
An Attempt a, Matchmaking
That Met With a
Setback
~ EDGAR MlNTURN
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation. 1874.

INVITING u.e 10 their country place IN
the New Hampshire hills We are 10
entertain Il house party" said Mrs.
Duncan. (which will be incomplete
without YOU Charlie and are so
happy that we wish 90 confer a like
happiness on you A girl will be a
member Of your party whom we have
picked out for you We are not going
TO tell you which one OF our guests
she is. nor are we going TO tell her
who Is the man we have picked out
for her. though we have told her that
such a man Is to be present. We are
going 10 leave you TO find each other"
well. now said TO myself. II
like that. Heaven protect me from
those girls whom | am told am ex.
pected TO marry. But in this case
there is an element of uncertainty. |
am left free to choose. and the lady
Is as free rs |. There's something Of
the game Of hide and seek in It.
I'll attend the house party"
Charlie Inherited n large fortune and
owns one of those big tracts OF land
on which our rich Americans are set.
ting up their country places The
house would easily accommodate fifty
guests. On my arrival found near.
~ that number assembled. threcquar-
tiers of them being young unmarried
persons. | have 10 faith in woman's
idea of justice or fairness and thought
il more than likely that Eileen Dun.
can would give the girl for whom she
had picked me out an advantage over
meat least hint as TO when she
was warm or when she was cold 8
as the children do In their hiding
games but Charlie said on his word
OF honor We sho,; j neither OF us re-
ceivc the Siieht, assistance in the
matter
looked the women over. feeling
sure that II my hosts had strlch the
right one for me | would know her at
once. Whether or no | struck the girl
they had decided upon. certainly no
ticcd one whose general makeup pleas
eel me very mn h. She was Miss
/. .sier Adams One Of the guests.
John Crowel was attentive to her. 50
that | did not NJ once get much or
portuuity tn devote myself to her
AMI here was n point In this little
game wherein !. man. had an advan
tagc ! could seek out the girl who
had been chosen for me. while she
must remain passive. On the other
hand. she might remain hidden within
herself. corps of observation. watch
ing the enemy's movements.
Within werk found myself rival.
ing John Crowell and several other
men for ID" favor ~ Hester Adams
She WAS by no means the most promi-
nent young lady in the party, hut any
| one with assortment could detect IN
her n certain worth which. after all.
other things being equal. determines
the real standing of both men and wO-
men Crowcl seemed To have the in
side track. the rest of us standing
about even. although | can remember,
looking back 10 that far period. that /
was not left without an occasional
mOrsel Of comfort.
But one afternoon terrible gulf
came up between Hester Adams and
myself. We men We're all roomed on
the third floor while the women were
ON the second Going up 10 dress for
dinner. was Obliged to pass Crowell's
room. His door stood aJar. and. look
ing In. saw lady standing before
the DRESSER she took up n jewe.cd
scarfpiu and examined Il. Her back
was TOWARD me. IN; ! saw her face
reflected IN Tie mirror over the dresser.
She was Hester ADAMS Sticking
the pin IN her corSagr where II would
be hidden. she WIS turning when /.
7 not wishing her 60 see me. Went Oh 10
my room.
+ or al the positions IN which | have
ever found avsrif this was surely the
. MOST singular. thr rl' unpleasant
had secu guest. one IA whom was
/ hccinnig- 20 Bee Interested. "a ihe
mems quarter steel lewcry Whet',
cr she traw II or not could not tell
but the mau from whom she was p.i
fcring was Crnwrl who WAS devoted
10 her.
An hour later we assembled NJ dir
ner Naturally | IL ked ~ Miss al
ams failed 10 cafrh her eye. but
saw init n troubled expression Dur
ing tho dinner she seemed "a he thiak
/ ing Of something else than what WAS
said 10 her Fearing To show differ
cnce In my treatment Of her. did moi
address her while we were dining nol
during the evening.
My secret weighed upon me What
surprised me was certain disappoin'
ment felt In Hester Adams. II con
vinced me that the little god had
wounded mo. though had not know
II. broodcd over the theft had
seen. Was il AN effect ~ kleptoma
MIA? Surely the girl Ind no occasion
to steal. had noticed frightene
look on her face which indicated thl'
she was eognizant of what she was
doing. wondered II she knew that
she was In Crowells room saw hor
going into her own room the nexi
1 Il a.