Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-12-12
SHE GOT A
HUSBAND
But Not In the Regu-
lar Way

FRANCES PomerOy TO her friend, Miss
Jaqueline Seaton. II have had the time
of my life. 1t has been unique have
not only spent chill November in
warm climate. but have done so mas
querading DO you remember when we
were sophomores how Bess Wharton
and dressed ourselves as boys. went
out on to the campus. kicked football
and were ordered off by the college au-
thorities? And perhaps you will re-
member what a good looking boy /
made-to say nothing of Bess.
well, we were caught as you know,
going into your room, and the whole
thing came out. The faculty notified
us that our presence was no longer re-
CURED at the university and we were
directed to repair to our homes. | ex-
pected to meet with very cold recep-
ton there, and so | did at first, but
when told the whole story to papa he
laughed and said. Il didn't believe when
you went to college that you would be-
have yourself with sufficient circum-
spection to get through, and Pm not
disappointed. Dear old pappy! never
could do anything that would seem ter
rible In his eyes. and even if | did |
always knew how to get round him so
that 1t shouldn't count against me.
ut was two years ago that | took
leave. prematurely, of my alma mater.
dare say that the day will come when
l shall regret my folly. I'm nineteen
years old, and If | hadn't been expelled
from college | would now be a dignitied
senior. I'm going to tell you a story
that puts that sophomore episode in
the shade. Compared with what I've
been doing, the first was mere baga-
telle
Last spring | was very much run
down 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 |
think was pining for something out
of the general run. don't you know;
bit of spice in my diet. At any rate,
such an opportunity occurred. and this
is how 1t came.
Mother has an old friend she hadn't
seen for years, Mrs. Varney. The
Varneys are rich and have both sum
mer and a winter home. Their winter
| home Is in the center of an orange
grove in Florida. After we got home in
September mamma wrote Mrs. Varney
telling her that she was worried about
| my health and said she feared | would
need to go south for the winter, but
| you know our income is small and
! travelling and putting up at hotels are
expensive. and | knew we'll enough that
we couldn't afford to make such 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-
ceived an invitation for me to visit the
Varneys on their orange plantation.
had been referred to as Frank, and
when | read Mrs. Varney's letter saw
at once that she thought l 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 go
with him. and don't doubt that with
in few weeks he will show consider
able improvement
"Well, now, just think of riding about
with a young man that way. Then the
idea got into my head what lark 1t
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 I'M
til l made up my mind l was going to
do that very thing.
II 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 prepare
ton made was to have a lot of mems
clothes sent 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 | bought mems in
half an hour would require from one to
two months and no end of trouble
Before | started mother said: Now.
Frank. If you behave yourself and drop
your pranks you may catch the young
man who manages that plantation. If
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 | had ever
played.
4 Humphr grunted papa. Frank
will never get husband in the regular
way. When she snares one it will be
with a trap never used by woman be-
fore
This set me up bit, though con.
fess l felt mighty squeamish about
what was going to do | sent my
mems clothes, including riding suit
by express to one Of the big hotels near
the Varney plantation and. with many
warnings from mamma ringing in nv