Evening journal., 1912-09-16
Her Unknown
Admirer
By DoRorHEA HALE

Gwenc7line Travers. who was ready |
to be wooed and won for a wife. met |
George Merryman. who straightway
caught her fancy Mir. Merryman was
attentive to her for a time. then sailed
of to sip honey from another flower.
One day Mrs. Travers said:
Gwen. what has become OF George
Merryman7"
Gone over to the enemy"
"What enemyT
Louise Childs. She has been angling
for him while he has been paying at
tention to me and finally hooked him."
"And what have you been doing
meanwhileY"
Nothing. II he prefers Louise
don't see how can help It."
And so you are content TO have a
designing girl take your lover away
from your"
II am above design in such matters"
'Yes, you are made OF too good stufr
10 take an unfair advantage Of a rival,
but you can at least act as though you
still considered George friend, or
can do It for you. I'm going to invite
him to dinner"
"Oh. mamma. don'tr'
There was no reply to this. Mrs
Travers went TO her writing desk.
wrote the invitation and sent It TO Mr..
Merryman. IL was accepted and on
the appointed evening the gentleman
appeared duly clad in his ''glad rags"
and a rose In his buttonhole. He look
ed rather proud OF himself. for he could
not but regard the Invitation an effort
to draw him back to his first allegiance
and It fattered him.
Louise received him as graciously as
If be had not suddenly dropped from
being attentive to her and begun to
buzz another girl. AS she was too
proud to 60 after him. she was too
proud to let him see that his change
hurt her. She did her best to act nat
urally and friendly and succeeded
Those were all the conditions re-
qulred.
There was no other guest present,
except Mr.. Merryman, and the dinner
went or much more pleasantly than
might have been expected. The truth
is that young men are usually drifters.
To a girl the matter Of her settlement
with the man she is TO marry is an
important epoch in her life. The man
usually doesn't count on settling
Many men don't wish 10 settle. and
some would run away from settle
ment George Merryman enjoyed the
prellminaries OF matrimony, but had
no use for the article itself.
All was going pleasantly at the din
ner when there came a ring, and a
servant brought In a box addressed in
a mans hand TO Louise Merryweather
bearing the trade name of a well
known florist. Opening Il, there lay
a supply Of cut flowers.
"why. there's no card with itr ex
claimed Louise.
Mrs. Travers paid no more attention
TO the matter than II her daughter re
ceived flowers every day. The gooc
lady was giving a servant orders con
cerning the dessert which was about
TO be brought In.
Mamma" said Louise. enlivened
with pleasure and curiosity, "some one
has sent me a box Of flowers anony'
mously."
"well. my dear, you needn't fear but
the sender will turn up in time.
Young men don't make such offers to
young ladies without intending 70 get
the credit of the gift"
Louise was puzzled and could not
help showing her elation at the atten-
ton from her unknown admirer. She
shifted several Of the flowers success
sively, then had the courtesy to offeT
one to Mr.. Merryman. He took It and
laid II on the table beside him Pres
emily he handed It back TO her. saying
Excuse me; ] appreciate your gif
but don't like TO accept flower sent
by an admirer The flowers were in
tended for you. not for me-"
There was a touch OF bitterness IN
his tone and his manner when he said
this that smacked Of pique, to say
nothing of downright jealousy. Louise
looked serious. and her mother re
proved the butler who had brought the
box into the dining room.
Hereafter. James," she said to him
"when anything comes to the house
while we are at dinner you will leave
It in the hall till we have finished"
Merryman had come TO dine with hi:
friends, feeling that he should exeri
himself to act cordially. After the
flower episode he found II difficult II
the first place. Louise had shown No
feeling at his dropping her, and. In thu
second, some one was evidently ready
to take his place. After dinner he and
she we're left alone by her mother
After saying little or nothing for som'
! time. with a scowl on his face. Merry
man broke forth;
IT'S all bosh for you TO say yoI
don't know from whom those iower'
came. Doubtless the fellow send
them so often that it's not necessar,
Tor him to put in a card. II you're en-
gagged you might as we'll say So"
Mr.. Merryman was a gentleman, ant
q nothing but downright jealousy coulC
e have forced him into any such rude
0 ness. Louise saw her advantage and
e made the most OF IT. With quiet dig
[ nity she asked by what right he mad
such demands upon her. The gam'
was won. Merryman left the housl
joyful that. after all. her folly had no
c5st him the girl he loved.
The next day Louise went to th'
florist and asked who sent her thu
y flowers.
.arbav are charged TO Mrs. Travers,