The Twin City star., 1918-05-11

Sally Wilmarth, the very charming wife
Of an old friend.
"Oh, Sally" he almost shouted, seiz-
ing her by the arms. and shaking her
a bit.
"Unhand me, villain!" said Sally de-
murely. II am perfectly nice mar
ried woman who loves her husband"
I which they both laughed.
II want to know" he demanded
eagerly, do you know girl over here
by the name Of Adele Aldrich?"
"Oh, you poor man - exclaimed Sally
her matchmaking eye agleam. "Adele
Aldrich is the lovely rock upon which
many man has wrecked the May
flower q his affections!"
II don't care" he said determinedly.
IT want you to help me out, will you?"
And they parted with the under
standing that she would see what could
be done.
That very evening Sally <egan her
propaganda. She and her husband
were fellow guests with Adei- Aldrich
at an informal little gathering, and
Sally skillfully unanswered the unsus-
pecting Bert so that Adele overheard
her saying: "Bert. dear, met Richie
Merker today, and thought he was
going to kiss me he was so glad to see
me-"
Her husband grinned. 'Fine chap.
Richie. Haven't seen him for weeks
We ought to have him over, If yOu
think you can withstand his fascinat-
ing ways" he teased.
And Adele caught herself thinking
how jolly 1t must be to be so happily
married as the Wilmarths so appar-
emily were. Later in the evening she
got Sally alone for a moment, and
asked in an off-hand way:
"By the way, Sally-do you know a
man named Richie MerkerT'
my DEAR" said Sally pityingly, with
a diplomatic CLEAN in her match-mak-
er's eye. "Richie Merker is the stall
wart rock upon which many a fair
maid has wrecked the Mayflower Of
her affections"
But there was a warm excitement In
the brown eyes Of Adele Aldrich as
she whispered eagerly in the amused
ear Of Sally Wilmarth.
A week later, under the orders Of his
wife, Sally, Bert Wilmarth conveyed
Merker home with him to dinner and
as Merker slid out of his coat he
smiled Mt the charming and hospita.
BILE Sally.
"Why, Sally, you look so sweet I've
a notion to kiss you" Whereupon to
the CONSERVATION Of her own and be-
loved husband he did that very thing.
and to his own CONSERVATION and sur
prise he lifted his head to gaze into
the eyes of Adele Aldrich herself sit
ting across the room an amazed spec
tator to his amorous gallantry.
"Of all things!" he exclaimed, strid-
ing over and grasping Adele's two
hands in his own, and looking deep into
her surprised brown eyes.
"Kiss her. Richie" sang out Sally
blithely. 1T isn't polite to show par
tiality." : --.
Whereat Richie Merker just drew
the reluctant Adele to her feet and
kissed that surprised and struggling
young woman square on the mouth, not
only once but several times with de-
liberation and lingering emphasis.
'T'll never be able to keep up with
that absurd man." she confided to Sally
in the kitchen after dinner. "He just
insists on being married tomorrow.
the ridiculous thing"
"Well, why not" demanded the prac-
tical Sally. "Tomorrow's just as good
a day as any, and the longer you put
1t off tie longer you'll have to wait"
II suppose you're right" murmured
Adele and then she giggled. "You
know, Sally, the funny part Of the
whole thing is that the letter he found
and mailed to me, IL dropped myself.
You see I was over in New York that
day and I'd just met Mary Wagner,
and Mary had this letter with her in
tending to mail 1t to me. Well, she told
me what was in it and I just slipped
it into my bag. While waiting for a
car on Broadway I saw Richie and he
looked so nice and everything. just
thought I'd drop the letter and see
what he'd do. Strangely he didn't see
me drop it and he just put it in his
pocket and mailed it the next day."
Romance" mused Sally wisely,
"is never accidental Romance Is al
ways made-and after you've made
your own it's always up to you to help
other people make theirs"
And In few days another recruit
was added to the Society Of Match