The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-11-26
By RUTH GRAHAM

there vas any hurry about taking steps
for the bridal.
Ten years passed. Miss Graham had
turned down q number of suitors-not
because she was true to Mr.. Flint, for
they had simply dropped apart without
ever seeing or hearing from each other
after their parting at Annapolis. The
lady, now twenty-seven years old. was
verging on old maidhood and begin
ming to fear that q husband, home and
children were not to be hers.
One day she received a letter bearing
q foreign postmark written In an un-
familiar masculine hand. Opening 1t,
she began to read, and noticing that
she had received a love letter naturally
cast her eyes down for the signature.
"Flintw she muttered. who's Flint"
Then, reading further, she was enlight-
ened. MI. Flint wrote reminding her
that she had been haz.f1ancee since their
engagement made ten years agone,
which had never been broken. He vas
now a commander in the navy and
considered his salary sufficient, etc.
Then she remembered her juvenile fir
tatioh at Annapolis.
Miss Graham jumped at this chance
to escape being an old maid and re-
piled f%avorably. Then came a letter
from Commander Flint stating that he
could not get leave to 60 to her and
| would she come to him? After much
correspondence 1t was arranged that
Miss Graham should sail for London
and thence for Port Said. ut which
point Flint's ship would he at a GER
tain date. After marriage the bride
could join her husband at the different
ports on the Mediterranean ut which
his ship was expected to touch.
On Miss Graham's voyage from Lon
don a gentleman wearing the nndress
uniform Of an officer in the British
army solicited an Introduction to Miss
Graham and at once showed signs Of
being desperately smitten with her.
The lady appeared to reciprocate. but
lost no time in informing him that she
was on her way to Port Said to he
married to an officer in the United
States navy. The Englishman. Colonel
Montgomery. took the announcement
very hard. declaring that for him the
world had collapsed. Miss Graham took
pity on him and thrust a new thorn
in his side by telling him that had she
not pledged her word to another she
would favorably consider his proposal.
Several British officers came aboard
at Gibraltar, none of whom knew Mont
gomery. This seemed to render Miss
/! Graham doubtful Of him.
i However, he Don succeeded In re-
gaining her confidence, and she show
ed signs of willingness to break with
her iance and marry the Englishman.
When the ship approached Port Said
Colonel Montgomery pleaded passion
ately, and at last Miss Graham said
that she had not seen her lover for ten
years. She would meet him once. con-
TESS that she had been; won by anoth-
er and, II he held her to the engage
ment, would tell him that he must mar
~ her without her heart. OF course
he would relinquish her.
This satisfied the colonel. and it was
agreed between them that they should
meet and be married at Cairo-tbat Is.
provided the lady could be freed from
her previous engagement without
blame. Commander Flint had agreed
to meet his fiancee at Cairo. and this
rendered the swapping Of lovers con-
venient-that is. provided they could
be kept apart. AS Don as the mar
riage ceremony between the colonel
and Miss Graham had been performed
they We're to proceed together to join
his command in India.
Their temporary parting was quite
distressing. Montgomery, who appear.
ed elated with his success. did not
seem to mind 1t. but the lady gave EVIL
dence Of dreading the ordeal Of break
ing with her American fiance. She
chung to her new lover. saying:
what IL l am spurned for dishOnOr-
able conduct"
Come to me, sweetheart. will Con-
vince you that there Is nothing dishon-
orable in a maid following the dictates
Of her heart"
Thus assured. Miss Graham tore her.
self away.
On reaching her hotel she left a note
IN the Office for Commander Flint.
briefly confessing that she had been
won on the voyage from London and
that they had better not meet. She
also left q note for the colonel that she
had repented her dishonorable bargain
and would never see him again.
The same afternoon Commander
Flint sent up his card. begging an in
terview. Consent was given. and he
appeared. The lady advanced to meet
;,im with a smile and o~utstretched
srmy.
What induced you to play Colonel
Montgomery? 2" she asked.
.'Yon knew mey"
KNEW you? OF course l did. the
moment YOU were introduced to me-"
II wished to win you again. e
your propensity to play with edged
FOOLS is moi diminished"
"Nor yours"