Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-11-08
AN INCENTIVE
TOMARRIACE
By DOROTEEA HALE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
ella zion. i9il.

OF matrimony that seems To require
new conditions. set humdrum state
Is not likely to be conducive to wed
lock. This Is especially true OF thos,
who are passing out of the heyday OF
youth. If Il man growing into bach
elorhood or woman into spinSterhood
wishes TO change their condition theii
best chance is To take an ocean voy-
age at season when they will 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 couple have mutually re
solved TO cast their lot together lie,
them not take any more such trips sep
arately or what has been accomplish
ed may be undone.
William MartinGale had come TO hi
thirty-tfth year without being mated
and was locking forward to a4onely
old age with horror. Not being very
closely tied down to business he re
solved to take Il trip abroad in order
to relieve that ennui which begins t.
show itself in bachelors and spinsterS
while they are crossing life's equinoc
:ial line. Miss Susan E,dridge. aged
thirty. had given up trying to make VI
her mind TO marry some one of the ssh
gle men she had long known and con
Guided that IL she could not be inter
ested in n household she might at least
enjoy a change Of scene.
Mr.. Martindale and Miss Eldridgt
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 t.
the swish made by the meeting of the
waves and the vessel and each others
chat, now watching n bird sailing
above and wondering how it dare fly
so far from land. and found it all de
lghtful.
What an interesting woman" re
marked Mr.. Martindale to himself III
had before met a girl like that ]
would by this time have been the IA
Their of a family" Had the young
men / have known so long" remarked
Miss Eldridge. had a 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
] cd
redolent of howery perfumes. When
they came out OF that garden they
were engaged.
The rest of the voyage was like sail
Ing In the heavens on a balmy moon
light night The critical fashion IL
which they had previously viewed
! members of the opposite sexes from 1
me rlmonial point of view was re
paced by an ideal appreciation OF eacl
other induced by an atmosphere en-
: tirely different from any to which the.
had been accustomed. They landed n
Naples, strolled together through tn
D exhumed streets Of Pompeii. sat on tn
cliff overlooking the Mediterranean a
= Corrento and drove together to Amalf
e And it seemed to each that the Othe
e In marble in the galleries they fra
] quented.
|. They separated at Rome to NEE
l. later In America. where they were
l. make arrangements for their wedding
a The intervening time had passeS
Mr. Martindale had arrived at hom'
u and Miss Eldridge was sailing up Ne
IS York bay She paced the deck with
l. brow on which lowered a mental di
Is turbance. Mr.. Martindale. she knew
r was on the dock waiting for her. VII
Is did she not rear IA happy expression
Is the expected meeting?
If And MIR. Martindale-why did b
d. walk through the long dock house wit
id a perplexed look on his face and shu'
n der as he caught glimpse Of the shi
IN ON which stood his fiancee? They me
= Each strove to put on IA smile of we
come, expression OF heaven born low
nj The effort was n failure. Eaci: retail
OF ed a secret which must be sooner
n later broken to the other.
v II can endure this no longer" sa
is Miss Eldridge as they rolled over Il
60 stony streets in a carriage. Il cou
e. never act part. | must confess
No once"
nj Contest"
he "Yes. | thought loved you. l w
ma mistaken. On the return voyage | m
the man who at once l felt was bo
or for me and for whom l was boz
IN. Forgive me for the wrong l have do
nv you ! couldn't help It."
va A long sigh-a sigh Of relief
90 capped from Mr.. Martindale.
ou "Your confession" he said. has ia
M IN ,rraof Load from my mind I 4.