The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-11-11
An Admitted
Charge
By LOUISE CARPENTER

Miss Mathews tea" was in session. |
and the young ladies who had met for
the mental improvement to be gained
by an exchange of ideas, having eX-
hausted the topics the young hostess
had laid out for them, descended at
once to ordinary conversation, which
in common parlance means gossip.
I've heard" said Miss Phillips, that
this new arrival. Mr.. Edmonds, is the
best catch that has come to this town
in years"
And have heard" said Miss Ather-
ton. that he's not 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 man. especially young
man, is not ambitious to take care of
some enc. We. on the contrary, must
look cut for ourselves. Which one of
you is willing to he an old maid?'
But I've heard" Miss Anterior
went on. that Mr. Edmonds has eX-J
pressed himself openly as being wo-
man hater."
Then" said Miss Mathews, cit is
our duty to give him to understand
that we don't wish to have anything to
do with him. What do you say, girls?''
= Il 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 Il 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
so?' Miss Gregory asked.
mo. but May Farnsworth got it di-
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 l were
his counsel would show a motive on
the part of the girl who reported the
confession
what motiveY"
"Why, l don't know any better way
for her if she wants him herself to de-
stroy competition. Mind you, 1 don't
accuse her of intending to do so. l
only use the point as an Illustration"
1t looked for time as though the
matter would be dropped, but another
girl had heard the same report, and
so. 1t was finally agreed that no no
tice should be taken socially Of Mr..
Edmonds until it was known whether
he was or was not woman hater.
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 a 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
tion very like this was apt to follow:
ssI'm very glad to meet you Sir Ed
monds, but l 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 tie 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 woman hater
that he had no use for their society.
However. there was one exception.
Mr.. Edmonds solicited an Introduction
to Miss Gregory and on obtaining it
said:
81 have understood that l have ad-
mitted myself to be Halter of women.
and / have admitted the fact. But
there are few statements that do not
need qualification. l 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 In the charge
against him he showed himself all that
he had been accused of being.
81 do believe" said one Of the con-
spirators 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
ory was announced. all the girls agreed
that Sue had played her cards very
cieverly. but Mr.. Edmonds declared
that he had been attracted to his
fiancee from the fact that she was the
first woman he had come in contact
with who wouldn't believe anything
that was told her without proof.