Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-10-01
A Double
Mistake
BY SARAH BANTER

zen MIN III De down directly.
! Tho visit was not unexpected Miss
! Rivers mother, n widow, had some
time before written her daughter that
she had decided to marry again; that
her tiauCo was not by any means an old
man, but FUN OF life and spirits. He
would DO useful to them both His
name was Roger ropenjoy. and no
was quite we'll of, The mother. who
was not given to long letters. deemed
this quite sufficient explanation for
| the present and closed by saying that
Mr.. "opcuioy would be In the city
where they lived and would call that
very day to make the daughters ac-
Quaintance.
When her toilet had been satisfac-
torily arranged Miss Rivers went down
stairs to meet her future stcpfather.
She was surprised to see n man about
thirty years old and with all the airs
and graces of n man OF the world. Her
mother was only forty, but Angela
never dreamed that she would marry
man ten years younger than herself.
However, good breeding required that
"bt Si'N EuIILlSNs dLSUHIuluL~
ment nor any other emotion. she adj
vanced, extending her hand graciously.
Mamma wrote mo that you would
call today"
Indeed. expected to call soon, but
| was not aware that there was any
especial appointment ms to tho date"
"llavo you been In the city long"
"oh, yes. l live here"
Miss Rivers was surprised Mt this.
She supposed that her mother had met
her second fate In the city where she
was visiting, Tho young lady would
have liked to ask how long no had
lived In tho city OF her homo and why
she had not met him In society, but
this would have been to imply that no
was not OF the select social circle. the
social circle TO which tho Riverses
belonged
"l've been living here only month";"
he said. II came here to so into bust
ness"
I'm so short n time you could not
have made many acqunintanccs. I
shall have tho pleasure OF introducing
you to some OF my friends"
Thank you very much"
"Of course. considering tho relation
ship, we shall have great deal OF
freedom In going about together Wo
won't need II chuperon."
Not mt NIL"
only l wouldn't like mother to DO
jealous" This was said archly and
with smile.
I'm more afraid OF father as to
thnt"
Father"
Yes, father" looking at her with
surprise.
How old is your father?"
How old Is my father2 Haven't
you been told how old be is2 why,
he's flfty-flve."
Il confess haven't heard anything
about him"
That's singular. l should have
thought he would have told you ey-
erything."
81 haven't ever seen him"
The young man looked at her with
opening eyes,
What kind OF n match do you call
this. anyway" he asked presently.
Il think 1t very good match. SO
long MS mamma Is plensed | am"
"Oh. your mothers consent was nee
essnry. or course 1t was. How stu
pid OF me!''
81 should think 1t was"
AT this moment there was n ring at
the doorbell. Tho maid answered tho
on nj Al
the drawing room, at tho same time
bearing n card on salver. Miss Riy-
ers took II up ana looked ut Il won
deringy. On 1t was the name "Mr.
Roger Popenjoy." While she was still
staring ut 1t an elderly gentleman en-
tered.
Morning. father" remarked the Mr..
earlier.
Morning, my boy. Happy to find
you here. Present mo to-
Your fianceei How can that be nee
essary"
Miss Rivers looked on and listened
with amazement. The last conner adj
vanced toward her with outstretched
hand and said cheerlly:
"Your mother wrote you, I believe.
that | would call"
Miss Rivers looked from ono to the
other OF the two gentlemen for some
moments before replying
mamma wrote me that her 6ance,
Mr.. Poponjoy, would call, but she did
not say that there were two fances.
Can 1t be that mamma has forgotten
she Is no longer Of an age to engage
herself to two men at the same timer
Dad" cried the younger man. didn't
you write me to call on your fiancee.
Miss Rivers?"
~ asked you to call on my fiancee.
Mrs. Rivers"
II see" exclaimed Angela to the
elder PopenJOy. "You are to be my
stepfather. wondered II mamma had
lost her senses TO engage herself to