Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-24
The Daily Story
sURPRIsE-BY CLARIssA MACK1E.
Copyrighted. 1918. py Associated Literary Bureau

tluSllU SOND WIFI Dlue T4bpouS.
II don't know who could have told
him. said Mrs. Weldrake decisively
from her executive position before the
kitchen range. Il don't believe any
body would be mean enough to tell
about it,.
The fifteen women vociferated their
innocence from tale telling, and those
who were married exonerated their
husbands, and those who were yet I'M
chosen defended their sweethearts.
Stella weldrake looked troubled for a
brief instant and then shook off what.
ever oppressed her mind and smiled
across the room at Timothy Weed. who
had peered bashfully in at the door,
Timothy blushed and drew back. but
he had answered Stellas smile with
very betraying one, IL any one had
seen it.
Mrs. Weldrake blew out the light in
the kitchen, and ushered the surprisers
into the back parlor.
Now, all sit around as quiet as mice,
and when he comes into the front hall
the boys will light the lamps and all
the rest Of US can boiler Surprise! and
l guess he will be surprised. 1t was
pretty good luck having him step of
down street Just at this time" Mrs.
Weldrake was feeling satisfied with
herself and the result of her planning.
She had maneuvered the men out Of
the front hall, out of their cvercoats,
relieved them OF their hats and mar.
shaled them into the back parlor. Sew.
eral Of them were stationed with
matches held ready to strike at the
critical moment so that the full nature
Of the surprise might be revealed to
the astonished and delighted minister
on his return.
All at once there came the sound of
sleighbells that stopped before the
door.
The front door opened and closed lin
geringly. Then the three lamps were
simultaneously lighted, and thirty
voices screamed "Surprisew at the
thoroughly surprised minister.
If Mr.. Whitney was surprised the
owners of the thirty voices were equal
~ astonished, for their cries died on
their lips. and they stood staring fool
ishly at the minister and his compan-
ion, Althea Laden, who had not been
invited to the party! Althea stood in
the doorway looking very lovely in a
long pale gray cloak, beneath which
showed a white dress. There were
white flowers in her golden hair and
on her breast. She looked like bride.
and it suddenly dawned upon the sur.
| prisers''party that Althea Laden was a
bride. Nobody looked at Mrs. Peter
/ Weldrake.
Mr.. Whitney recovered his self pos.
session and stepped forward. There
was look of serene happiness on his
fine face. and his dark eyes giowed
warmly as he thanked them.
MY friends. it seems that my mar
rage to Miss Laden has become known
to you, and out of the warmness OF
your hearts you have come TO bid her
welcome as my wife. ] shall ever re-
! member this occasion with the great
est joy"
"Married?" interrupted Mrs Wei
drake. arising with a magisterial air
from the chair into which she had
fallen at the first shock of the surprise
that had come to her share.
Mr.. Whitney smiled and Redeemed
and went on with his little speech of
thanks. unconsciously stripping the
surprise party of its motive and view
ing 1t in the light of a carefully pre-
pared welcome for himself and his
bride. He explained that public mar
riage would have been in order at a
later date had not Mrs. Laden been
summoned that very morning TO the
bedside of dying relative in the west
and he had urged an immediate mar
rage with Althea, who was TO be left
behind. They had all driven over to
Meadville and been married by a min
lister there and had then seen Mrs. La.
den off on her western journey.
The bride cake must come later"
he ended with a smile.
OF course they all came forward and
kissed Althea and congratulated the
minister. They were heartily glad of
the marriage for Althea was a IA
vorite. and it was something of dis
tinction to be one of a surprise party
that had turned into wedding party.
Mrs Weldrake held herself we'll in
hand. brushed Althea's cheek With her
lips, majestically accepted their thanks
as the organizer OF the party and led
the bevy OF ladies who were to serve
refreshments.
AS they made their way homeward
that evening Mrs. Weldrake felt a
strange sense of defeat. The minis
ters brief interest In Stella had been
her only hope that that babyish girl
would ever be married. Her husband
trudged beside her. swinging the empty
, coffee can. Stella was walking in the
rear with Timothy Weed
At the front door the Weldrakes
, turned and looked back
Young Timothy Weed had his arm
, around Stella's capacious waist.
Il guess you'll have a wedding on
your hands after all before spring,
ma" chuekled her husband as they
went inside.
T. And Mrs. Weldrake blnshed that be
had understood Der scheming, but she
, felt strangely cornfC~ted.