The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-08-16
His Affinity
BY WILLIAM CHANDLER

"Jim," said my friend Mrs Now
bry. why don't you get marriedTi
Nonsense. Helenl You know a
well as that we men don't marry III,
women, they marry us"
But" Helen persisted. nc no won
an chooses 10 take the trouble to brln,
you down and you don't care 20 re
main single, deprived OF wife. chill
dren and the comforts OF home, 4
seems to me that you had better bestil
yourself"
Helen was a matchmaker | knew
she had some scheme ON hand and
waited for her 10 declare II.
Il can make II easy for you" she
continued. II know a girl who. like
you, has put or matrimony too long
and has begun 20 realize that she Is
drifting toward a lonely old spinster,
! hood. | have offered 10 help her out
| have invited her 10 spend July and
! August with me at Fernwood. | shall
have other guests during the summer,
both men and women. shall tell her
| that | have a man In view for her.
How would you like to be that mauT'
Helen" | exclaimed admlringly,
"you are the queen OF mtchmakers!
Had you told me you had a girl for
me and introduced me TO her. she and
|. knowing OF your plan, would doubt
less have spurned each other. Your
proposal is delightful. enter into It
with all my heart. But why do you
assume that there VIII be a natural Sc
lection between us?"
Il don't. simply assume that you
are persons OF opposite sex who seek
a mate. The mate being at hand, per.
haps you will recognize II II you are
left TO yourselves 10 do so"
spent a number OF week ends nj
Helen's country seat besides two
weeks in August.
| fancied she had got up the scheme
TO make match between me and
some dear friend of hers. and | be-
lieved that might find out the young
lady by the fact that she was some
one Helen adored. But l knew that
Helen would conceal this alteration
from me.
settled upon Miss Jewett. one OF
her guests during the summer whom
had heard her speak of quite often
before as the lady between whom and
me there was 10 be a natural selec-
ton Miss Jewett was evidently
young woman not especially of beau
ty or endowed with such lightweight
frivolities as are usually attractive TO
men In other words there was a lot
to her, though l admit the words are
a very poor description. | met her at
a week end visit early in the summer
and, having settled upon her as the
lady intended for me, showed her con
siderable attention. To tell the truth,
she interested rue in conversation and
preferred her company.
| met her at Helen's again In July /
and was counting on further pleasant |
moments with her, but this time she
was principally taken up with a Mr..
Judkins, whom she seemed never to |
tire OF. II were talking with her and
Judkins came up she would dismiss
me with a nod, accompanied by
smile, and | was thus commanded TO
give place to him. After three days
It Fernwood went back to town dis
,runtled
During the longer period l spent at
Fernwood Miss Jewett was again a
lott hA I'd 1nIt 10 :
meet me again, and we were getting
IN nicely when that fellow Judkins re-
appeared, and again my association
With Miss Jewett was broken up.
II suppose" l grumbled to my host
.ss, that you've got another couple
'esides me and my unknown to bring
ogether-Miss Jewett and that cad
udkins. What she can see ii him )
Helen smiled and turned away with =
nut listening to the rest OF it, and l
vent OF to hunt up some Of the other
pinsters, none of whom interested me
n the least Judktns went away Sun
ay afternoon. and l spent Sunday
vening In tete-a-tete with his Sc !
ection," which was what considered
er. She had the tact to ignore him
ow that he was gone, and had never
nown her to be so entertaining t
Not long after this told Helen that !,
er selection plan for me must have n
one awry, since l had evidently run
cross Judkins' affinity. But she turn h
d the subject, giving me no satisfac !,
on. a
The summer passed without any Sc u
,ction between me and a girl, so far "
S I could see, but during the winter
aw a great deal Of Miss Jewett. h
eased to be interfered with by Jud- h.
ms and-well, to make a long story =
hort, l made a match with Miss jew oil
t. Tom Mowbry and his wife were e.
/ the wedding, and after the cere- m
lony Tom handed his wife valuable II
earl necklace. asked how he came re
give it to her on that especial oc-
lsion. =,
"She won 1t on a bet. Last winter ia
lie bet me that within year she is
ould make a match between you and w
e wife you have just married" a. a.
/ turned to Helen: You played me pl
Use. Ny affinity was in your secret" 10 IL
"Of course she was. Didn't you say.
We men don't marry the women; they