The Connecticut labor press., 1919-09-06

deal about bass viols!" he wrote her. "T promise never to break another. " She made no response 10 the note, un- less 1t was an answer, two weeks later, when her engagement was an- nounced. She took the persistent one, Wilbur Minafer. no breaker of bass yiols or of hearts, no serenader at all.
 A few people, who always fOresaw everything, claimed that they were not surprised, because though Wilbur Min afer might not be an Apollo, as it were" he was "a steady young btsi- ness man and a good church goer," and Isabel Anderson was pretty sen- sible-for such a showy girl" But the engagement astounded the young people, and most of their fathers and mothers too; and as a topic 1t sup planted literature at the next meet Ing of the "Women's Tennyson club"
 Wilbur Minafer!" a member cried, her infection seeming to imply that Wlbur's crime was explained by his surname. "Wilbur Minafer! It's the queerest thing I ever heard! To think of her taking Wilbur Minafer, just because a man any woman would like a thousand times better was a little wild one night at a serenade!"
 "No, that wasn't her reason" said wise Mrs. Henry Franklin Foster. ''If men only knew it-and it's a good thing they don't--a woman doesn't really care much about whether a mans wild or not, if it doesn't affect herself. and Isabel Anderson doesn't care th1ng!"
 Mrs. Foster!"
 'No, she doesn't What she minds Is his making a clown of himself in her front yard! It made her think he didn't care much about her. She's probably mistaken, but that's what she thinks, and it's too late for her to think anything else now, because she's going to be married right away the invitations will be out next week. It'll be a big Amberson-style thing, raw oysters floating in seooped- out blocks of ice and band from out of town-champagne, showy presents; a colossal present from the Major. Then Wilbur will take Isabel on the carefulest little wedding trip he can manage, and she'll be a good wife to him, but they'll have the worst spoiled lot of children this town will ever see.' =. -.- 5s
 "How on earth do you make that out, Mrs. Foster?"
 "She couldn't love Wilbur, could she?" Mrs. Foster demanded, with no challengers.. "Well, it will all go to her children, and she'll ruin 'emi'';r
 The prophecies proved to be mis- taken in a single detail merely: except for that her foresight was accurate. The wedding was cS Ambersonian magnificence. even to the floating oy- sters: and the Majors colossal pres ent was a set Of architects designs for house almost as elaborate and impressive as the Mansion, the house to be built in Anderson addition by the Major.
 At midnight the bride was still be- ing toasted in champagne, though she had departed upon her wedding jour ney at ten. Four days later the pair had returned to town. which prompt ness seemed fairly to demonstrate that Wilbur had indeed taken Isabel upon the carefulest little trip he could manage. According to every report she was from the start ga good wife to him." but here in final detail the prophecy proved inaccurate. Wilbur and Isabel did not have children; they had only one.
 "Only one," Mrs. Henry Franklin Foster admitted. But Pd like to know if he isn't spoiled enough for q whole carload!"
 Again she found none to challenge her.
 At the age of nine George Amber son Minafer, the Majors one grand child, was a princely terror, dreaded not only in Anderson addition but in many other quarters through which he galloped on his white pony. By ] golly, I guess you think you own this town '" san embittered laborer com plained one day, as Georgie rode the