The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1913-11-07
An Admitted
Charge
BY LOUISE CARPENTER

Il
once to ordinary conversation, which
In common parlance means gossip.
1--WE heard" said Miss Phillips, "that
this new arrival, Mr. Edmonds, Is the
best catch that has come TO this town
In years"
"And 1 have heard" said Miss Ather-
ton, that he's not a marrying man."
mo man Is marrying man." re-
marked Miss Gregory, unless he be
tired Of single life and hunting home.
Men don't seek matrimony as we girls
do, because a man, especially a young
man, Is not ambitions to take care of
some one. We, on the contrary, must
look out for ourselves. Which one Of
you Is willing to be an old maid?"
"But I've heard" Miss Anterior
went on, chat Mr.. Edmonds has ex-
pressed himself openly as being a wo-
man hater."
"Then," said Miss Mathews, 'it is
our duty to give him to understand
that we don't wish to have anything to
| do with him. What do you say, girlsY
81 don't see,' said Miss Gregory,
that there is any necessity to show
the gentleman that we don't wish to
have anything to do with him since
he has avowed himself a woman hater,
which means that he doesn't care to
have anything to do with u.s."
THAT'S just like you, Kit" put In
Miss Britton. "You're always on the
| off side"
"How do you know that he is wo-
man hater? Did you hear him say
soT Miss Gregory asked.
mo- but May Farnsworth got 1t d.
rect from Betty Fiske, who knows him
very we'll"
"Supposing," Miss Gregory replied,
that we girls were jury to try Mr..
Edmonds on the charge of being a wo-
man hater, DO you think the Judge
would admit such evidence? If 1 we're
his counsel would show a motive on
the part of the girl who reported the
confession"
"What motlveT
"Why, don't know any better way
for her If she wants him herself to de-
stroy competition. Mind you, don't
| uCCuoc VI W Su. Il
only use the point as an illustration"
1t looked for a time as though the
matter would be dropped, but another
girl had heard the same report, and
the majority admitted that it must be
so. 1t was finally agreed that no no
tice should be taken socially of Mr..
Edmonds until 1t was known whether
| I,r ho
Then the young ladies separated, each
and every one, except Miss Gregory,
who was not in sympathy with the
rest, resolving that she would find out
for herself whether the charge was
correct.
1t was not long before it was no
ticed that Miss Betty Fiske, who had
spread the charge, was seen great
deal with Mr.. Edmonds. Then the
conspiracy broke apart, and each Of
the young ladies of the tea party man.
aged by hook or crook to make Mr..
Edmonds' acquaintance. A converse
ton very like this was apt to follow:
I'm very glad to meet you, Mr.. Ed
monds, but don't suppose you're glad
to meet me-"
"Why?" was the surprised rejoinder.
Because l hear you are a woman
hater."
Mr.. Edmonds knit his brows
"Are your"
eyes"
After the question was thus put to
him six times, each time with a sim
liar reply, the gentleman began an in
vestigation as to how the report about
him came to be circulated. One Of the
girls present at Miss Mathews "tea"
had given an account of the discussion
to her mother, and that lady gave it to
the accused.
| Suddenly Miss. Fiske found herself
dropped by Mr. Edmonds, and he show
ed by his manner to the girls who had
asked him about being a woman Halter
that he had no use for their society.
However, there was one exception.
Mr. Edmonds solicited an Introduction
to Miss Gregory and on obtaining II
said:
81 have understood that have ad-
mitted myself TO be a hater of women,
and | have admitted the fact. But
there are few statements that do not
need qualification. hate all women
who are unwomanly. who are backbit-
ers and slanderers who spread false
reports and who believe anything that
Is told them without an investigation"
This Is all the gentleman said to the
lady at the time. He remained for
some time In the town and during the
period of his sojourn lavished upon
Miss Gregory every attention she
would accept, while to the others who
had been implicated I'm the charge
against him he showed himself all that
he had been accused Of being.
II do believe" said one Of the con-
splrators to another in discussing the
matter. "that Sue Gregory told him
the story herself, putting forward her
defense Of him and lashing the rest
| Of u.s."
A year later, when the engagement
between Mr. Edmonds and Miss Greg
DRY was announced, all the girls agreed
that Sue had played her cards very