Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1912-01-30

tell him that he must remarry Maud
Martindale. Meanwhile he can be In
trodueed to you as somebody else. and
you can win him."
Maybe l can'tr'
''Oh. yes you cam" said the mother.
you've done it once: you can do it
again
But he isn't the same man. He
may not fancy the same woman as he
4 did when he was Dick" sobbed Maud.
well. Wen try 1t, dear. Now, don't
cry any more. Leave the matter In
Mr. Steigers hands. and 1t will come
out all right"
I 1t was arranged that Mr.. Steiger
should go to Now York and bring
back Mr.. Throckmorton-Ludin be-
fore he should become enamored OF
any other woman. and upon his ar
rival Maud was TO be put in his way
In the hope that he might fall In love
with her. When the man who had
gone back TO his youthful soldier boy
days was brought TO the town in
which he had lived for nearly dozen
years and in which not a stone was
familiar to him he was taken to Mr..
~Steiger's house. Maud was there,
purporting to be Mrs. Steiger's young
er sister.
At a consultation it was decided
to take the middle aged youngster to
the country and shut him up with no
other woman under middle age except
his wife. This was the suggestion Of
Mrs. Martindale when alone with Mr..
Steiger.
Il have always heard" she said,
''and | believe 1t to be true, that IL
man lives under the same roof with
a woman who is one degree removed
from gorgon she can get him."
So Mr.. Throckmorton was taken to
a country place where there was no
other house within several miles, with
Maud as his only companion and Mrs.
Martindale for chaperon, in the hope
that the former supposed husband and
wife might become one. The object
was to keep him away from young
girls. who We're the only barrier be-
tween him and Maud. Youngsters I'M
der twenty are prone to fall in love
with older women, provided the latter
have not reached the age of gray haff
and wrinkles. Dick, or rather, Tom,
which was his real name, was pleased
with the attentions of his quasi wife
and so long as there was no rivalry
gradually fell under her influence. But
1t was difficult always to keep him I'M
der surveillance. and he was constant
~ yearning for youthful pleasures. In
the spring he insisted on joining
baseball team, but was rejected on ac-
count OF his age. I'VE don't want any
Did men on this team" the captain said
to him, and. Dick went away crest
fallen. Maud sympathized with him
on this and other similar occasions
when young people snubbed him, and
It was not long before he became used
10 pouring all his troubles into her ear.
When Mrs Martindale, who was
managing the affair, thought the time
ripe she biz upon an expedient to
clinch it. She hunted the country for
the homeliest woman to be found.
about her daughters age; then it was
announced to Tom or Dick or Harry,
or whatever his name was, that he
was about to be introduced to his wife,
and honor compelled him to do her
justice.
Sarah lite was the foil who was to
drive the man-boy into the arms of
the woman who loved him. One day
Mrs. Martindale announced to Dick that
his wife was in the living room ready
to embrace her husband. He was with
Maud at the time, and she sadly put
the corner of n handkerchief to her
eye
"Goodby," said Tom ruefully.
"Goodby." said Maud with sob.
II don't think | shall want to go
back to her"
ooh. yes, you viii. You'll forget all
about me-"
Mrs. Martindale interrupted this ten
der scene and took the lamb to the
slaughter. And 1t was a veritable
slaughter. Tom on entering the room
saw woman sitting at the other end,
peck marked, snaggle toothed and
with a green patch over one eye. She
arose and advanced toward him with
arms outstretched till she came within
a few feet OF him, when he broke and
ran. Tearing up the staircase to
room where he had left Maud, he
threw himself into her arms, crying:
"Save mer'
The next and last feature in this lit
tie comedy was the fourth act, which
on the stage Is usually devoted 10
Strengthening out the complications
and bringing everything out happily
Mr. Steiger was called in. and there
was another conference. The question
was how to make known to Tom the
plot that had been laid 10 bring him
back to his true but unlawful wife
without exciting his disapprobation
and spelling everything. Mrs. Martin
dale proposed that Mr.. steiger explain
II all TO the dupe, and Mr.. Steiger
thought that Mrs. Martindale would be
the filter person for the purpose Maud
relieved them both OF the duty by TAX
ing IT upon herself-that Is. she waited
for Tom to give her an opportunity.
The meeting Of the terrible creature
who had claimed him had added ten
years to his maturity. After a debate
with himself between his duty and his
inclination he went to Maud and in
formed her that, though he thought he
should do justice to his wife by marry
ing her, he preferred to yield to In
clination. He had not been legally wed
and was bachelor Would she marry
MIN?
Maud should have been shocked at
this want Of sense of duty or at
least yielding to temptation, but she
wasn't. She folded her beloved I'm her