Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-10-12
Picked Out For
Each Other
An Attempt at Matchmaking
That Met With a
Setback
By EDGAR MlNTURN
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation 1911.
By EDGAR MlNTURN
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. ISL.

note from Eileen Duncan, who had
married my chum, Charlie Duncan.
inviting me to their country place in
entertain house party" said Mrs.
Duncan, (which will be incomplete
without you. Charlie and l are so
happy that we wish to confer a like
happiness on you. A girl will be
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
for her, though we have told her that
such a man is to be present. We are
going to leave you to find each other"
WELL now,' l said to myself, Il
like that. Heaven protect me from
those girls whom l am told l am ex-
pected to marry! But in this case
there is an element of uncertainty. 1
am left free to choose, and the lady
is as free as l. There's something of
the game of hide and seek in it.
I'll attend the house party"
Charlie inherited 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 l found near
ly that number assembled. three-quar-
tiers of them being young unmarried
persons l have no faith in woman's
idea of justice or fairness and thought
1t more than likely that Eileen Dun
can would give the girl for whom she
had picked me out an advantage over
meat least a hint as to when she
was warm or when she was cold
as the children do in their hiding
games-but Charlie said on his word
of honor we should neither of us re-
ceive the slightest assistance in the
matter.
l looked the women over, feeling
sure that if my hosts had struck the
right one for me l would know her at
once. Whether or no l struck the girl
they had decided upon, certainly no
ticed one whose general makeup pleas
ed me very much. She was a Miss
hcSlcE aOdulS. ouc VI IllG RucSJS,
John Crowell. was attentive to her, so
that 1 did not at once get much OPP
portunity to devote myself to her.
And here was a point in this little
game wherein l, a man, had an advan-
tage. l 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, a corps of observation, watch
ing the enemy's movements.
Within week l found myself rival
ing John Crowell and several other
men for the favor of Hester Adams.
She was by no means the most promi
nent young lady in the party, but any
one with discernment could detect in
her a certain worth which, after all,
other things being equal, determines
the real standing of both men and wo-
men. CrOwell seemed to have the in
side track, the rest of us standing
about even, although I can remember
looking back to that far period, that
was not left without an occasional
morsel of comfort
But one afternoon a terrible gulf
came up between Hester Adams and
myself We men were all roOmed on
the third floor, while the women were
on the second. Going up to dress for
dinner, l was obliged to pass Crowell's
ROOM His door stood aiar, and, look
ing in, | saw a lady standing before
the dresser. She took up a jeweled
scarfpin and examined IT. Her back
was toward me, but | saw her face
reflected in the mirror over the dresser.
She was Hester Adams Sticking
the pin in her corsage where it would
be hidden. she was turning when l,
not wishing her to see me, went on to
my room.
OF all the positions in which | have
ever found myself this was surely the
most singular, the most unpleasant. /
had seen n guest, one in whom I was
beginning to be Interest ed, in the
mems quarters steal jewe'rv. Wheth-
er she knew it or not I could not tell
but the man from whom she was pill
fering was CroweIl. who was devoted
to her.
An hour later we assembled at din
ner. Naturally / looked at Miss Ad-
ans. l failed to catch her eye. bit l
saw in it troubled expression. Dur
ing the dinner she seemed tn be think
ing of something else than what was
said to her. Fearing 70 show n differ
ence in my treatment of her. did not
address her while we were dining nor
during the evening.
My secret weighed upon me What
surprised me was a certain disappOint
ment l felt in Hester Adams. 1t con
WINGED me that the little god had
wounded me. though l had not known
it. brooded over the theft | had
seen. Was it an effect OF kleptoma
MIA? Surely the girl had no occasion
to steal. had noticed a frightened
look on her face which indicated that
she was cognizant of what she was
doing I wondered If she knew that