The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-28
A Double
Test
Bv DONALD CHAMBERLIN

| lest his son should make a mesAlliance.
Mr.. Mathews Seniors idea OF mes,
alliance was not solely a marriage be-
tween persons Of different stations, diff
ferent degrees of refinement and all
that; it included the matter OF income,
or, rather, the want of income on which
to support family. He had made a
snug fortune by hard knocks and hoped
that It might he added to when his son
, came into it by another fortune in the
possession of his sons wife.
"It's just as easy, Ben," he said to his
son, ito marry girl with means as
without. Young persons haven't any
sense about marriage. and girls are
caught by trihes. Till they are Older
they don't usually realize the differ
ence between what they call love in
cottage" and love in stone front resi-
dence. The way for you to do Is TO
refrain from getting mixed up with
poor girl and to cultivate the rich
ones.'
! Advice to young persons il usually
thrown away. When Ben met the girl
he wanted he woOed and won her Her
father had been well to do and had
educated her, but had lost his property
about the time his daughter was Of an
age to make her debut in society. Miss
Arietta BOrland was a fine character
and SO long as she remained unmarried
would be abundantly able to make her
living. Ben in announcing his engage
ment to his father told him that though
his fiancee had no fortune she was a
fortune in herself.
Ben's description of Arietta had
about as much effect on his father as
his fathers advice upon matrimony
had upon Ben. Mr.. Mathews saw only
the fact that his son was about to
marry girl who had been brought up
in affluence and had been reduced to
poverty. He told Ben that he was
making a fool Of himself and that he
must either break his engagement or
lose his inheritance. Ben replied that
good wife was better than fortune
for any young man who was interested
in making himself independent, and he
declined to give up Arietta.
VERY WELL" said the father, since
you have chosen your course for the
future, we shall from this time live
separate lives intend to take pre-
cautions against loneliness. l shall
look about me for wife"
When Ben told Arietta Of this she
looked grave. She said she would
think the matter over. She doubted if
she would do right to separate her
lover from his father and deprive him
Of fortune. If Mr.. Mathews married
and had son there would be faint
hope Of Ben's ever being reconciled to
his father, and he would surely lose his
fortune, or at least part of it. She
must have time for reflection as to her
duty in tar matter
The next day she told Ben to ask his
father for means to go on trip. to be
absent some months. If at the end of
that time Ben found 1t would not trou-
BILE him to part with his fiancee he
would give her up; If he still preferred
her to his inheritance he would give up
the latter.
Ben told Arietta that absence would
make no difference in his choice. but
she declined to marry him without the
test, and he was obliged to yield Mr..
Mathews was delighted with the boys
decision, remarking that he had no
idea he had so much horse sense" He
at once provided his son with the
means for trip around the world,
trusting that he would be cured of his
''infatuation" on his return. Ben left
Arietta lugubriously, she having ex-
acted promise that he would remain
away until he received word from her
TO return.
That word reached Ben four months
after his departure. He hurried home
to claim Arietta and relinquish his
fortune. On his way he received a let
ter from his father stating that he had
met woman with an extraordinary
amount Of practical good sense. He
had also been converted to the princi-
pie that first rate wife was a fortune
In itself. He had engaged himself TO
marry this prodigy OF practicability
Ben was welcome to marry his fiancee
and his father would settle on him q
third Of the estate at the time OF his
marriage
Ben was delighted at the prospect of
getting portion of his Inheritance and
Arietta instead Of having to give up all
the former
Ben arrived at home at 10 O'Clock In
the morning and found note from his
father asking him to come to his office
Ben preferred to visit Arietta first but
decided to do as his father desired
On reaching the office there sat Mr.
Mathews debating to a stenographer
The stenographer was Arietta
Mr.. Mathews extended his hand 70
his son. chen, turning to Arietta, said.
This is the lady of whom I wrote
you"
Ben stood like a statue. his eves
fixed on the stenographer. Could II ba
that she had deserted him for his fa-
therf She answered the question nv
throwing herself into Ben's arms
No man likes to find himself foola,
Mr.. Mathews found it hard to smile at
tho imn0Sifion biS