Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-20
WE ALL xANyap BOB sEA1ED ENVELOPE

will discover the cases where valen.
tines have been exchanged-that il,
where q fellow sends a valentine to
the girl who sends him one"
Bob paused and looked at me in
quiringly. He didn't feel very certain
of his plan and wondered if | sp-
proved.
well" I said, what then?'
why, there are a number Of ways
the thing might be followed up. One
IS we might have a mock marriage
between any couple who have made
an exchange of valentines. Another
is we might get the Same persons to-
gether the next St Valentines day,
and If anv Of the eychPrgers have
been married they must paw forfeit
or something like that. Seer
Bob" | exclaimed, "bow in the
world Goes that skull! of yours find
room for such gigantic inventive DOW
Prs? I'll tell you what to do to make
the affair a success"
"What?"
"Just you let me make ont the list OF
Invitations"
"IIl do it,
He clapped his palm in mine: then
sitting down at desk, we took up
writing materials and | made the list,
Bob approving in every instance. There
were only five couples, for the Ed
wards country residence Is not over
large: besides. l arranged the persons
invited to suit my own ideas. They
were to arrive five days before the 14th
and to remain two days after.
Bob. old man." ! remarked after we
had carefully revised the list and made
all the changes we thought necessary,
"that party is going TO he a love feast"
"a regular Cupfd's trollc."
Zone thing | don't INDEPENDENTLY
you invite them five days before St
Valentines day"
It's this way. They have Eve days
for preliminary lovemaking. one day
on which the announcements are to be
Tada-that's slx-and one day for a
sort Of honeymoon, you know"
by Jove. you've hit it Just right.
But isn't the honeymoon rather short ~
"ShOrt! Not at all It's very long
In proportion to a real honeymoon.
The honeymoon of q couple that lives
20 celebrate their golden wedding lasts
only one-twelfth of one-fftieth of their
married life, and that's too long for
Some of EN-"
What an old head you have on those
young shoulders of yours" said Boo
admiringly
We assembled on the 9th of Febru.
airy, most Of US arriving just In time to
dress for dinner NJ. and Mrs Ed
wards. Bob's parents. were not present
had suggested a widow. Mrs. Bar.
stow. for chaperOn. She presided at
one end of the table at dinner. Bob
sitting ut the other. No one present
knew her except myself, and knew
all about her She was twenty seven
years old and rather good looking
| And here | will divulge a secret. One
! reason had entered enthusiastically
| ..to Rob's plan and had occurred the
privilege Of naming the guests was
{ that l wished Mrs. Barstow to be of
+ the party, and | intended to send my
| valentine to her.
1t was funny to see the fellows avoid
| ing or trying to appear to avoid the
girls to whom they intended to send
( their valentines. And most of the girls
did the same thing. Every one Of
/ them, boys and girls alike, supposed
( that be or she was deceiving all the
/ rest Every one was happy and on the
+ tiptos of expectation. As for me, en-.
ioyed it all immensely. Indeed, Bob
and /, being the organizers Of the af
Fair, looked for something interesting
! Bob held the key to the identity Of the
+ guests. while I-weIl. | held the key 4
( the situation. though | was the only
. enc who knew this