Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1912-06-07
Playing
COachrnan
1t Created Important
Complications

By EDNA CRUIKSHANK


guzzling and smoking. at the Meadow
creek Hunt club. They were Bert
Stevens, Jim Galloway and Ned How
land. 1t was not the hunting season,
and these gentlemen, whose lives were
absorbed in hunting. horses and
hounds. had little amusement. so they
lounged. chaffed one another and made
bets whenever they could find 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 if they should have to
go to work.
Il would hire for a chauffeur" said
Stevens.
IF | went in for that sort of thing"
said Rowland, I'D hire for a coach
man. l have no fancy for dead ma
chine, but l love live horse"
I'D 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 OFF for a coachman."
"Pll bet you a thousand l can"
Stevens took out a pocket check
book, wrote a check and handed it to
Galloway, daring Rowland to cover it.
But I should have to prove that |
can, and that would involve getting q
situation or keeping it for a stipulated
time"
$50 you would. 1t would be a lark,
wouldn't it?'
81 don't know that 1t would"
"Try it. Ned" urged the stakeholder.
Rowland didn't consent just then,
but he did later, and an additional
$1,000 was left in Galoway's hands as
stakes for the following bet: Rowland
to secure IA place as coachman and
keep it four weeks without any mem
Der Of the family for whom he worked
knowing that lie was gentleman. But
if his identity was discovered through
any means not in accord with the spir-
it in which the bet was made the bet
was to be considered a draw. When
all was settled Stevens said:
"I'lf bet you another thousand. Ned
that il 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.
1t was not long after this that Mr.
Edmond Delano, who had gone, with
his family. to his country place for the
summer, received q note from an en-
ployment agency that an excellent op,
portunity had occurred to hire an ele-
CANT coachman. Mr.. Delano directed
the man to be sent up at once. He was
surprised to see handsome young fell
low Of athletic build, though shabbily
dressed.
Your name?' asked Mr.. Delano.
Patrick Horne"
You're not Irish. are you? You have
no brogue."
MY grandfather was an Irishman."
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 major general than a
coachman. There were five young la.
dies in the family between the ages of
fifteen and twenty-five, so that his bet
with Stevens should have been five to
one in Howland's favor and as every
one of the girls was beauty even
fhar
been given.
The eldest daughter, Miss Margaret
Delano. was fully the coachman's age
Besides, she was rather strong minded
having charge of section devoted to
archaeology in the woman's club of
which she was member. Miss Edith
was twenty-three and eminently sensi.
BILE.
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 it was evil
dent that Rowland. to use a Hiberni-
cism. had walked into a hornets nest.
The eldest treated him as coachman,
and as coachman he 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 Mr..
Rowland running across some one who
knew him. though he had shaved of +:
full beard. and his livery also changed
his appearance. Fortunately he knew
no one In the place where he served.
ana the Delanos We're an old family.
not inclined to mix much with the
commercial aristocracy of the present
day. But one afternoon Stevens and
Galloway. who knew where Rowland
was, appeared on the street as he was
Fiuing by In the rumble Of Miss Jacuue-
mes pony cart. The girl was turned
square away from the pony. chatting
and laughing with her footman. when
ne eSp,ed his two friends looking at