Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1917-02-22
A COMPLICATED
CASE
II Resulted From al Tn.
deavOr to Make q Match
u, l. MITrnrI
By F. A. mitchell

\
many which are made public are not
very sweet smelling
Kate Devereaux was my chum In the
woman's college. and confess she fas.
cinated me. Girls who have brothers
are fond OF picking out wives for them.
and IL usually happens that the brother
doesn't see the matter In the same
light as the sister at all. When | told
Ralph that | proposed to make a match
for him with my college chum he
showed no interest In the proposition
whatever.
Wait till YOU see her said to him
If she Is as homely and uninterest-
ing as most of the girls you have
picked out for me, he replied, II don't
want 10 see her
i invited Kate 10 spend the sprinq
recess with me. ! had been Just as
stupid in telling her that had broth
er for her as ] had been Ia telling
Ralph that | had chum for him
though my plan was rather a fancy
than a serious intention. was quite
curious 10 see how these two persons
who had been thus Informed would
greet each other. Ralph and went to
the station 10 meet my guest, and did
not have good opportunity to sea how
they were impressed with each other
After our return home l said to Ralph
We'll, what do you think OF her?r
She's not SO homely as the rest OF
your favorites." was his only reply.
| asked Kate If she did not think nv
brother tine fellow, and she said
Very nice. but IN an Indifferent tone
We Wee all together for two weeks
with other young persons OF our bunch,
but ! could not see that Ralph and
Kate were especially interested in each
other Ralph seemed rather 10 favor
another girl and Kate another man. 1t
struck me that l had made new fail
ure III picking out wife for Ralph
but, as I have said my doing so was
not matter OF great concern TO me
and thought no more about IL.
Kate and went back 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 | asked Ralph IL she
didn't look very sweet in her pure
white costume. He replied Indifferent
~ that all girl graduates looked sweet
Kate invited me 10 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 10 me:
"Estelle, | have very unpleasant
announcement 10 make to YOU
Z do tell rue what II is" said
4 catching my breath.
II am going 10 bring a suit against
| your brother for breach OF promise OF
+ marriage"
] looked a, her with as much amaze
ment as IL she had drawn a pistol and
ordered me 70 throw up my hands.
"When-how-w here r'- began. but
/ got no further.
you may remember what YOU said
about Ralph 10 me before we met
Well, | had no sooner gone to your
house for the spring recess than Ralph
began TO make love to me. Fortunate
| ly did not trust him and showed little
interest. When we returned to college
he wrote Inc letters repeating what he
| had said 10 me. We met several times
after that-without your knowledge
and i accepted him. l have la doubt
now that he was simply DESTROYS TO
make 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"
II certainly do but
But WHAT"
I'm surprised that you should think
| OF making the affair public"
"Estelle, you are barking back to
time when we women were expected
TO suffer any treatment from men they
felt disposed TO give us and hide our
feelings of grief or resentment under
bushel 4 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 ! deem II my
duty 10 do So
pie Kate was right. but in this particu.
lar instance something must be done TO
stop such n proceeding. | cut short my
visit. returning home at once 7 called
Ralph into the library. where we were
alone. and after telling him that !
knew 81 his outrageous conduct ! told
him that Kate ia Justice TO her sex
was about 10 bring suit against him
TOR breach of promise
How much dame se docs she claim =
ne asked imrcrturbabl>
"Ralphr cried What do you
mean You don't mean that you are
going 10 lct tins 1isgiaccful conduct
stand: that YOU intend 20 keep up this
dishonorablc treatment
What can dog You tell me that
you wish me % marry your college
chum Yon bring her home with you for
vacation She having been Informed
~ Won hat ! am a. make love 10 her
and marry her. acts accordingly act
accordingly TOO She takes 81 all seri
puSly whHeas $50 were both deferring
~ your wishes.
ON Ralph"