The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-04-28
IN BLACK
AND WHITE
By EVERETT p. CLARKE
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911.

Frank" said Evelyn to me one
evening when I went to see her-Eve-
Ign and l were engaged to be married
in about a month-"I'm all upset about
Mildred"
whats the matter with Mildred?"
1 asked.
"She's engaged to Ed Whitaker, who
is utterly worthless"
"Well, l don't see what you are going
to do about it."
"There's n thing I could do, only
you'd object. Ed is the most vacillat-
ing fellow about girls. If some girl
should make up her mind to take him
away from Mildred she wouldn't have
any trouble doing it, and when she'd
done it Mildred would not take him
back"
II see. You want to help Mildred
out by taking Ed away from her. Go
ahead. Anything goes till after we
are married. then you'll have to mind
home business and let your friends
alone"
Evelyn gave me a hearty smack and
assured me there would be no trouble
in the matter. She only wished to
show Mildred what a tickle fellow Ed
was.
A week passed during which. l be-
lieve Evelyn commenced her demon
stration Of Eds fckleness. Then we
all met at a ball. Ed and Evelyn were
dancing together when I happened to
| c0n Nfi11yso1 ctorainr o1or0 ~ 1o,ruco
we two being engaged and f1ances
being occupied with each other. I nat
urally Joined Mildred. We both made
light Of what by this time was ap-
parent between Ed and Evelyn just
as though we had perfect confidence
and didn't fear anything. Fer my
part, since Evelyn had told me just
what she was going to do and her rea-
son for doing it, | wasn't much w6r-
ried. Mildred didn't seem any more
worried than 1. In fact. she seemed
to be very well satisfied to have me
with her. I was modest enough to tell
her that I was doubtless u very. poor
substitute for her lover, but she said
I needn't concern myself about that.
for no girl wished for a mans atten-
ton all the time.
Besides" she added. looking at me
archly, who knows but that il you'd
have come along before. Ed we might
have made a match"
This was pretty frank. but l always
liked persons who blurt things out
and went OIL jokingly about the mat
ter till the next dance came round,
and we danced it together. After that
Evelyn Joined me. l asked her how
she was getting on with Ed. and she
said pretty WELL" When we left the
ball together and Ed and Mildred
passed us ! saw Evelyn give him
very meaning smile.
A few days later ] said to her that
since We were going to be married
within a few weeks l thought she had
better drew her good offices with re-
gard to her friend Mildred to a close.
She said that she wished to get Ed
down in black and white. so that she
might prove his faithlessness to Mil
dred, -~. es'--t~~~-~'"r
One day 1 received word from Mil
dred, saying that she would like me to
come and see her. I went reluctantly.
thinking that she was Jealous of En-
elyn and wished me to discuss the at
fair with her. This. of course, l didn't
wish to do. understanding Evelyn's
object. found Mildred much more
calm than I had expected. She didn't
seem disturbed at all. She asked me
If l had observed what was going On
between Ed and Evelyn. told her ]
had. but 1t hadn't troubled me.
The upshot of the matter was that I
was obliged to tell her that ! knew
Evelyn was flirting with Ed for a pur-
pose. When l had told her this much
1t was only a question Of time rs to my
telling her what that purpose "a
"If." I concluded. Evelyn a draw
Ed away from you, proving that he is
not to be relied on, l really think she
will have done you a great favor"
II agree with you" she replied. very
much to my surprise. for few girls
would look upon such an act as friend
". "When,' she asked. IAN I to
know the result?"
I decided that since our confidence
had gone so far 1~had better tell her
the whole thing. when Evelyn gets
Ed down in black and WHITE" was
my reply.
"And suppose Ed gets her down In
black and white?'
what do you mean?" I asked. start
ing.
"Here is a letter Evelyn wrote to
Ed. Ed is a careless. shiftless sort Of
q fellow and by mistake put It In an
envelope instead Of q he had writ
ten me-either this or he made the
mistake on purpose. Read It."
She handed me the letter. and I read
It with establishment. It gave him the
details Of a plan by which she pro-
posed to get rid Of. me and marry
him. She had already begun her
scheme IN certain acts mentioned ID
the letter. This confirmed me in q.
knowledge that she was deceiving me
.IHffE. .rs