Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1912-04-26
Playing
COachnnan
1t Created Important
Complications

BY EDNA cRUIKsHANK

O.-s-.-.-.-.---s-.-.-.-.-.
Three young men sat about table,
guzzllng and smoking. at the Meadow
creek Hunt clu, They were Bert
Stevens. Jim Galloway and Ned How
land. 1t was not the huating season.
and these gentlemen, whose lives were
absorbed in hunting. horses and
hounds, had little amusement. so they
iounged. ehaffed one another and made
bets whenever they could end an I'M
certainty. They could well afford to
do so because every one Of them was
rich. The subject turned upon what
they would do II they should have to
90 to work.
81 would hire for a chauffeur" said
Stevens.
IF went in for that sort Of thing
said Rowland. I'D hire for coach
man. have no fancy for a dead ma
chine, but love a live horse"
"Td like to see you in livery" said
Galloway
"I'll bet you a thousand" said Ste
vens to Rowland. "that you can't pass
yourself OF for a coachman."
"rn bet you a thousand l can"
Stevens took out q pocket check
book, wrote a check and handed 1t to
Galloway, daring Rowland to cover it.
But l should have to prove that !
can, and that would involve getting a
situation or keeping it for stipulated
time"
$50 you would. 1t would be lark.
wouldn't ftp
81 don't know that It would"
'Try 1t. Ned" urged the stakeholder.
Rowland didn't consent Just then,
but he did later. and an additional
$1,000 was left in Galloway's hands as
stakes for the following bet: Rowland
to secure a place as coachman and
keep 1t four weeks without any mem
Der Of the family for whom he worked
knowing that he was a gentleman. But
If his identity was discovered through
any means not in accord with the splr-
It in which the bet was made the bet
was to be considered draw. When
all was settled Stevens said:
'I'll bet you another thousand. Ned.
that II there is an unmarried woman
In the family you serve between the
ages of fifteen and twenty-five you run
away with her within your term of
service"
Done" said Rowland, and Gallo
way was handed the additional stake
by each party to the wager.
It was not long after this that Mr.
Edmond Delano, who had gone, with
his family. to his country place for the
summer, received a note from an en-
ployment agency that an excellent OPP
portunlty had occurred to hire an ele-
giant coachman Mr.. Delano directed
the man to be sent up at once. He was
surprised to see a handsome young fel-
low of athletic build. though shabbily
dressed.
"Your name7r asked Mr.. Delano
Patrick Horne"
you're not Irish. are you? You have
no brogue''
my grandfather was an freshman"
So he was and baronet.
Ned Rowland was engaged and when
he reported for duty appeared in a
brand new livery. in which he looked
more like a major general than
coachman. There were five young Ia
dies in the family between the ages Of
fifteen and twenty five. so that his bel
with Stevens should have been FIVE to
one in Howland's favor. and as every
one of the girls was beauty eve.
greater odds than this should have
been given.
The eldest daughter, Miss Margaret
Delano. was fully the eoachman's age
Besides, she was rather strong minded
having charge Of a section devoted to
archaeology in the woman's club OF
which she was a member. Miss Edith
was twenty-three and eminently sensi
bic.
Miss Annette was twenty and de
voted to society. She directed the so
cial affairs Of the family. Then came
Miss Gertrude. inclined to be lackadai-
steal, while the baby girl. Miss Jacque
line, or Jack. as she was universally
called. aged seventeen, was the very
flower of the family garden.
Since each and every one of these
young ladies' was attractive 1t was eyi
dent that Rowland, to use a Hibernl.
cism. had walked into a hornets nest
The eldest treated him as a coachman
Md as coachman be was in no danger
from her: but. as for the rest of the
girls, from the first there were con
slant chickering's among them as to
which one should drive out with him
he either holding the reins or sitting
In the rumble.
There was constant danger Of Mi
Rowland running across some one VIII,
knew him. though he had shaved of
full beard. and his livery also changed
bis appearance. Fortunately he knew
no one in the place where be served
and the Delanos were an old family
not Inclined to mix much with tn
commercial aristocraey Of the presen
day. But one afternoon Stevens an
Galloway. who knew where Howlan
was, appeared on the street as be wa,
riding by IN the rumble Of Miss Jacque
lines pony cart. The girl was turne
square away from the pony. chattin
and laughing with her footman whel
he espied his two friends looking
him. their sides sinking with laughter
He was leaning forward ut the time
gazing into the girls sparkling eyes
"a HET w