The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-18
EVENING STORY
The Matchmaker.
(By Susan E. Clagett.)


The moon was at it's full and the
old-fashioned garden at Ellerslie was
very beautiful this late September
night. Great clumps of dahlias and
varied colored chrystanthemums made
spots of color in the dim light and the
hum of voices and gay laughter came
from all directions.
The Shelleys were entertaining the
young people of the neighborhood. 1t
was not a dance, merely supper par
ty and after that the wonderful garden
and the tree shadows and the scent of
late roses and sentiment.
And it was sentiment indeed. Some
of it was very earnest. good deal of
it was play, but so we'll played that
more frequently than not it ended in a
game of cross purposes that threaten
ed serious consequences.
1t was in such play that Warren
Addison and Nell Iglehart were the
principal actors. The other boy and
girl were only accessories. They did
not know it. If it had been suggested
to them that there was lack of earnest
ness in either of their companions
they would not have believed it. To
all appearances, Nell and Warren were
absorbed in the give and take that
passed for conversation, but in reality
they were in the grip of misunder-
standing and deep-seated anger.
warren had come from Baltimore
TO meet her here. She was late in
arriving. When she did appear it was
with man he did not know. The
man and her lateness+in Warren's
mind an Intentional thing-made him
turn to the first pretty girl in that
garden of southern prettiness and. as
Iate would have it, girl in whom
rumor said-he had once been inter-
ested beyond the point of friendship
Neil knew this. She also knew her
sen gulltless of Intentional delav As
man-Sha n TIM
save as the means of dealing a hurt.
ana as she passed her angry fiance her
race, fllied with laughing interest, was
always turned toward the other. the
Dig % nj moonlight making distinct every
varying expression
II they had known a little more of
lie the two foolish things wonId nor
nave mad an unhappy moment but she
vas 1 and warren not quite 81. She
Cried herself to sleep that night and
| warren took the early train for Raj
tlmore Neither had spoken ten words
\ to the other VI US
Uncle Charles was a matchmaker
He would have resented this if any one
| had had the assurance to declare II
for his matchmaking extended no
further than his favorite niece and
that boy. as he called Warren Ad-
olson He had done everything in his
power to further a marriage that was
violently opposed by the girls father;
had even promised to help them when
they were ready to set up housekeep-
proverbial church mouse and had
| looked forward to a long wait before
| building up their home
This home looked farther away than
ever before that evening at Ellerslie
| warren had not been in the country
since then and Uncle Charles could NOT
understand this. He questioned Nell
but could get nothing from her save a
shrug and toss of her head If War
rem dldnt care to come and was tired
OF writing, she wasn't going to worry
herself about it, she declared That
was all the old gentleman could learn
but the fact that letters had ceased
gave him food for thought
He had not suspected the trouble
has gone so far as that. He must do
something to circumvent a ruthless
fate. But what? He knew how TO
manage men, for he was a politician.
put "nen 1t came to patching up Il
proposition entirely and needed more
finesse than he laid claim to.
| He talked the matter over with
Aunt Mary. She was interested, but
advised not to NEEDLE. That was ex-
actly what he had made up his mind
to do. however, and the best way to
do it, he decided, was to have a house
party of his own.
Very much pleased with himself he
went to church the mkt morning and
after service called two or three of the
young men to him. Telling then his
intention, he was soon the center of a
fluttering group of acknowledgements
girls. some not quite GOOD looking
as others, but making up for that lack
by unusual brightness, but all delight
ed with the prospect of "a week of
gayety. For this happening took place
when house parties were an event in
young lives whose chief social interust
lay in the weekly me ting. in the
churchyard.
And Uncle Charles did not male
them wait for their pleasure The
next evening found the gay crowd in
hi; home and thereafter, every day
every evening, was filled with some
form of amusement.
Nell and Warren were to all appear
anceS the gayest of the company hut
those who knew them v ell felt there
was something wrong between them.
possibly revealed by the extreme DO
likeness of the one to the other
When two days had passed. and
then a week. and L lie Charles saw
no prospect of :. settlement of their
: quarrel, he decided upon his final
scheme, q ride TO napolis-twenty-
. seven miles away-dinner therN and a
return home by moonlight If that
did not bring about results it was his
intention to have heart-to-heart talk
make up. BY this it will be seen he
was sadly in need of that intuitive
sense of what one should not do as
a go-between. Another mistake he
: made-he thought Nell horsewoman
She was not She had ridden lit
tie but there was no pleasure for her
in the exercise. She was afraid OF