The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-12-11
SHE GOT A
HUSBAND
But Not In the Redu-
lar Way
By r. A. mitchell

pr my life. 1t has been unique. have
warm climate, but have done % mas
tuerading. Do you remember when we
we're sophsmores how Bese Wharton
fnd dressed ourselves as boys. went
put on to the campus, kicked football
nd were ordered off by the college au-
horities? And perhaps you viii re-
<nember what n good looking boy l
9nade-te say nothing OF Bess.
We'll. we were caught, as you know,
going into your room, and the whole
Thing came out. The faculty notified
is that cur presence was no longer re-
tuired at the university and we were
directed to repair TO our homes. ex-
3ected to meet with a very cold recep-
ion there. and so | did at FIRST, but
when told the whole story TO papa he
laughed and said, 4 didn't believe when
Fou went TO college that you would be-
have yourself with sufficient circum-
fpection to get through, and I'm not
disappointed. Dear old pappy! never
Sould DO anything that would seem ter
fible in his eyes. and even II did
always knew how to get round him 90
hat it shouldn't count against me.
1T was two years ago that took
leave, prematurely, OF my alma mater
dare say that the day will come when
shall regret my folly. I'm nineteen
Fears old. and if hadn't been expelled
from college / would now be a dignified
senior. I'm going to tell you a story
hat puts that sophomore episode IN
he shade. Compared with what I've
been doing, the first was a mere baga-
! Eelle.
Last spring l was very much run
flown in health. Papa and mamma
worried about me just as If had been
good and took me out on a farm, hop
ing ! would get better. But didn't
hink | was pining for something out
pr the general run, don't you know; a
pit OF spice in my diet. At any rate.
Fuch an opportunity occurred, and this
Is how IT came.
Mother has an old friend she hadn't
been for years, Mrs. Varney. The
Earneys are rich and have both a sum
|ner and a winter home. Their winter
home Is in the center Of an orange
grove in Florida. After we got home In
Feptember mamma wrote Mrs. varney,
telling her that she was worried about
|ny health and said she feared would
heed to so south for the winter, but
you know our income is small, and
travelling and putting up at hotels are
|ye couldn't afford to make such a trip,
for mamma wouldn't take me without
papa. and for the three of US the outlay
would be something awful.
Mamma, in reply to her letter, re-
feived an invitation for me to VISIT the
Earneys on their orange plantation. I
bad been referred to as Frank, and
when l read Mrs. Varney's letter saw
ht once that she thought ! was a boy.
MY son Albert, who has charge of the
plantation she wrote, every morning
rides over it and is constantly In the
open air attending to the needs OF the
trees, the packing Of the oranges or
some such matter. Your son can 60
with him, and don't doubt that with
I'm few weeks he will show consider
able Improvement
well, now, just think of riding about
with young man that way. Then the
idea got into my head what a lark it
would be to go riding around with him,
not as girl but as the boy he thought
me! l couldn't get IT out. 1t stuck and
simmered and simmered and stuck un-
til | made up my mind l was going TO
do that very thing.
81 answered Mrs. Varney's invitation
myself and didn't say a word about her
mistake or that l was girl. accepting
her invitation and telling her when /
expected to arrive. The first prepara-
ton ] made was to have lot Of mems
clothes ssnt home to try on and kept
what fitted me, sending the rest back.
What an easy time the men have buy
Ing their clothes! Why. to buy as much
wOmen's things as l bought mems in
half an hour would require from one to
two months and no end OF trouble.
Before l started mother said: Now,
Frank, II you behave yourself and drop
your pranks you may catch the young
man who manages that plantation. II
you do your future will be provided
for
my goodness gracious, right on top
OF this advice / was about to put in
practice the worst prank l had ever
played.
"'Humphv grunted papa. Frank
will never get husband in the regular
way. When she snares one 1t will be
with a trap never used by woman be-
fore
This set me up bit, though l con-
fess l felt mighty squeamish about
what was going to do. sent my
mems clothes. including a riding suit,
by express to one Of the big hotels near
the Varney plantation and. with many
from mamma ringing in my
ears, started on my way for Florida.