The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-07-10
A Matrimonial
Scheme
By EDITH V. ROSS

too. so sac c0ncOcted n Scnelne 10
trap ME into the double life. She got
up house party for my especial bene-
fit. composed of half dozen young
men and a dozen young women, and
informed me that one of the young
men was intended for my tiance. But
when asked her to name him she de
cined, saying that to do so would
spoil it all He had been informed
that one of the girls of the party had |
been picked out for him, but he. too,
was to be kept in ignorance as to her
identity.
When the party met | looked the |
young men over, but did not think |
could fall in love with any one of
them. A man might passively submit
to ignorance in such a matter but not
woman had not been in the
house five minutes before | began to
try to find out who the man was who
had been picked out for me. But
Clementine had made this not so easy
matter as would appear by telling
every one the same story she had toId
me. In other words, the party had
been divided into couples with matrl-
monal intentions. But this was only
better to keep me and the man picked
out for me from discovering each
other.
Nevertheless all took kindly to the
plan. especially the girls. each one or
whom was as much bent on finding
out her partner.
NV favorite was Alan Coleman;
therefore | was sure he was the man
who was intended for me. But Alan
! did not reciprocate. and after showing
nv preference for him | suddenly
dropped him and lavished my favor on
George Burke, who acted as II was
| the girl picked out for him or at least
was the girl he hoped had been pick
ed out for him.
As soon as dropped Alan and snow
ed preference for George Helen
Smith who had conceived an Idea that
| George was intended for her, showed
her spleen toward me, treating me
with the greatest GOODNESS. Alan also,
seeing the change in me, considered
himself very much injured. barely
speaking to me, and 1t was evident
that there was an antagonism between
him and George.
What took place among the four
that | have mentioned occurred with
the others as well. Every girl became
antagonistic to every other girl; that
I knew. But l didn't have as clear
an insight into what was going on
among the men. don't believe men
think as much about marrying as wo-
men do. Marriage in the case or men
usually comes about unintentionally,
while women intend to marry II they
can fnd the men they want and can
get them. However, we had not been
working out Clementine Woodbrtdges
matrimonial scheme long before her
husband admitted to me that there
was nearly us much rivalry among the
men as among the women.
During the first few days OF our
house party it was very enjoyable
During the next few days constraint
began to appear. though 1t was var
nished over with apparent good will
BY the time we had spent two weeks
together the house was in an up
roar Many of the girls did no,
sneak to one another. and, as fol
the men. they looked as II they
would like to shoot one another
Several of the girls told our hostess
that they were about to take their de
parture, making some trivial excuse
and were only prevented from break
ing up the party by Clementine tell
ing them that If they didn't finish thu
term for which they were invited
twenty days-she would feel offended.
Finally the day before the expira
ton of the term Clementine called III
all into the library and said that sh
had been urged by her guests to re
veal the names of the couples as sh
had intended them to unite and woul'
3 read them out from paper on wh1cl
. she had written them and sealed In tn
2 presence Of witnesses on the day Tn
!, invitations were sent out. She the
] broke the seal Of an envelope. took GU
= the list and read aloud:
8 walter Hartley and Jennie Hart"
: "Oh. nay goodness grac"- exclaime
( Miss Hart. stopping the exclamatio
$ by putting her hand over her moutf
; Mr.. Hartley's eyes bulged, his fac
, | ,,,I bO Ioplyn1 q 9 III his gh1I
collar were choking him. They ha
paid each other no attention whateVel
Henry Depue and Helen Dough
s erty."
|: Miss Dougherty arose from her see
e and with her head in the air, sweI
le out of the room. Mr.. Depue sat still
n staring at the ceiling.
y Donald Mix and Celia Moffat.'
lie what an ideal" exclaimed Miss Mo
ID fat. with n vicious giggle.
The last couple called was myse
c. and nv partner, Everett Clarke.
n had fortunately the experience
rt three girls who had shown rudene'
tie and had resolved when my turn can
II. to show myself lady. threw XII
lie TO the partner who had been provide
to for me.
le That act made my matrimonial ma
n ket Mr.. Clarke was so delighted Wi
or NV act that. smiling alHovcr, he re
IA nut tn the conservatory. pIucEed
few bowers end. Fastening b1eE. han
pl them tp me- amid q c"ppinE
CO.. %. ... .rr..r .I..ua .u.rHn 90 b.