Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-03-09
A COMPLICATED
CASE
1t Resulted From an En-
deavOr to Make a Match
By F. A. mitchell

I 9h13h ohA0AAhS
Kate Devereaux was my chum in the
woman's college, and l confess she fas-
cinated me. Girls who have brothers
are fond of picking out wives for them,
and 1t usually happens that the brother
doesn't see the matter In the same
light as the sister at all. When l told
Ralph that | proposed to makes match
for him with my college chum he
showed no interest in the proposition
whatever.
wait till you see her." l said to him.
IF she is as homely and uninterest-
ing as most of the girls you have
picked out for me-" he replied, 81 don't
want to see her."
| invited Kate to spend the spring
recess with me. | had been just as
stupid in telling her that l had a broth
er for her as | had been in telling
Ralph that | had a chum for him,
though my plan was rather a fancy
thar a serious intention. l was quite
curious to see howethese two persons
who had been thus informed would
greet each other. Ralph and l went to
the station to meet my guest, and l did
not nave a good opportunity to see how
they were impressed with each other.
After u return home l said to Ralph.
We'll, what do you think of her?'
"She's not so homely as the rest of
your favorites." was his only reply.
L asked Kate If she did not think my
brother a fine fellow, and she said,
Every NICE but in an Indifferent tone.
W. xvot.o I'll taro+hor for txra uao1yc
with other young persons of our bunch,
but I could not see that Ralph and
Kate were especially interested in each
other. Ralph seemed rather to favor
another girl and Kate another man. 1t
struck me that | had made a new fail
ure in picking out a wife for Ralph,
but, as | have said, my doing so was
not a matter of great concern to me.
and l thought no more about it.
Kate and | weH bach to college, and
since we were to graduate in June, we
were absorbed in our preparations for
the final exams and commencement.
Ralph came to see me graduate. Kate
took part in the graduating exercises
of the class, and l asked Ralph If she
didn't look very sweet in her pure
white costume. He replied Indifferent
ly that all girl graduates looked sweet.
Kate invited me to spend a few
weeks with her after our graduation,
and we left college together. The day
after our arrival at her home Kate took
me into her room and said to me:
"Estelle, l have a very unpleasant
announcement to make to you"
DO tell me what it ISL l said,
catching my breath.
81 am going to bring a suit against
your brother for breach of promise of
marriage"
l looked at her with as much amaze
ment as if she had ORA wn a pistol and
ordered me to throw up my hands.
Observation-Disclosures l began, but
got no further.
you may remember what you said
about Ralph to me before we met.
Well, | had nc soone gone to your
house for the spring recess than Ralph
began to make love to me. Fortunate
ly l did not trust him and showed little
interest. When we returned to college
he wrote me letters repeating what he
had said to me. We met several times
after that-without your knowledge
and / accepted him. | have no doubt
now that he was simply DESTROYS to
make a conquest, for when he came on
at commencement he treated me very
coolly. not mentioning our engage
ment. Now, don't you think. dear, that
such treatment merits punishment
81 certainly do. but
But what?'
I'm surprised that you should think
of making the affair public"
"Estelle, you are barking back to a
time when we women were expected
TO suffer any treatment from men they
felt disposed to give us n hide our
feelings of grief or resentment under a
bushel. A time has come when such
self abnegation has passed. | take
this step not because l wish to-in-
deed, on your account especially /
dread it-but because l deem it my
duty to do So"
could not but admit that in princi-
pie Kate was right. but in this particu-
lar instance something must be done to
stop such a proceeding. l cut short my
visit, returning home at once. | called
Ralph into the library, where we were
alone. and after telling him that l
knew of his outrageous conduct 1 told
him that Kate in justice to her sex
was about to bring suit against lin
for breach of promise.
"How much damage does she claim?"
ne asked imperturbably.
Ralph" I cried. "What do you
mean? You don't mean that you are
going to let this disgraceful conduct
stand; that you intend to keep up this
dishonorable treatment?"
What can l do? You tell me that
you wish me to marry your college
chum. You bring her home with you for
vacation. She. having been informed
by you that I am to make love to her