The Meeker herald., 1919-05-03
Dse Fifth
Internnarriage
BY JANE OSBORN
Copyright, 1913. by the Mcclure Newspa'
per Syndicate.)
BY JANE OSBORN

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copyright. 1918. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)
Mrs. Stewards house parties were
always admiringly planned, and 1t was
because everyone was always sure OF
finding a congeninl companion Mt her
house that the younger members OF
her kindred and acquaintance always
accepted her Invitations. For II truth
were to be told there wns nothing lux
urious In her hospitality. and there
was little amusement or entertain
ment save what the guests md the
hostess could provide by their own
wits, for the fine old Stewart mansion
contained none Of those short cuts to
hospitality and amusement II one
wished to dance there was no phono-
graph to provide music-and the dane
Ing could not progress unless one or
the guests happened to know some
dance tunes to be played on the old
plano. There was no nearby country
club and there were no automobiles in
the Stewart stables. But despite these
shortcomings Mrs. Stewart never wea-
rled of getting up little parties and
thought nothing of filling her eight
guest rooms ut n time, md the guests
always came with enthusiasm. The
secret OF her success WINS TINT she was
Mt heart a matchmaker. and though
she did not think Of every girl ut her
parties as possible wife for one Of
the other guests. she always did think
of them as partners for country
walk. She never invited n girl unless
she was sure she could provide some
nice young man who would find her
society delightful, and never Invited
even the lenst prepOssessing of young
men without making sure that there
was one young woman in the number
gifted enough to appreciate the fine
points of his personality.
Mrs. Stewart even went SO far as to
mike little lists of her guests on the
backs OF discarded envelopes-for she
was instIlled with the spirit Of old
time thrift as well MS with the lavish
ness of old-time hospitality. And In
these lists she would pair her guests
OF, making sure. OF course. that they
would pnir. and that there would be no
three-handed affairs-no two men
hanging mt the feet Of one young belle
while one OF the young girls went
partnerless.
For the first pnrty Of the season
she had planned to hive all the guest
rooms filed. md as four of them con-
talned large. double beds, this meant
that she would have IL guests. Most
Of them were young people who had
already met at similar partics-some
Of them already engaged as the result
Of her careful planning. The only
names on her lists that she had not
been able to link up with any other
MINES We're those Of Miss Nancy Mar
bury and Mr.. Nathaniel Stobridge.
There really isn't anything they can
hive in common" sighed Mrs. Stewart.
"AfIss Nancy is college girl, keen
about suffrage nnd tennis shark,
and a perfect dance fan-and poor Nh.
thnniel can't abide college women, Is
an anti ut heart and the most indolent
old dear that ever drew breath. He
could lie all day in hammock under
shady tree with dusty book OF
family records in his hands and an
occasional renewal Of cooling bever-
age at his side and think himself de-
lightfully entprtnined-while to keep
I'D with Nancy mnn would have to
take cross.country tramps, play tennis
madly and know NIL the new dance
steps"
Mrs. Stewart tried to revise her list
M m. 60 ,,utr on,po ono mn with Mr.
Stobridge and have some one left over
that would be congenial with Nancy.
But the arrangement for the other
guests was perfect. The afflnity be-
tween each of the other two couples
was Inevitable. So Mrs. Stewart took
the most recent letter she lind re-
ccived from Nancy and the letter she
had from Mr.. Stobridge accepting her
Invitation from her desk md read
them through In search Of some SYM
patty in common.
II shall be mighty glad Of little
rest" said Nancy In her letter, "for
have been working night and day for
month or more on the Marbury Family
Record. Our family association COM
missioned me to get the data together
and put 1t in shape for publication.
You'd be surprised how interesting 1t
has been and Of course my work In
college fitted me for that sort OF re-
search. What we were most anxious
to show was that the Marbury family
Is one of the Stobrldge-Claridge con-
nection. You have heard Of them.
am sure. It Is m alliance Of a group
Of the most distinguished colonial FAM
lilies In the state and to prove our con-
nectIon We have to show at least I'VE
lntermarriuges with either Of the two
families since they came to this coun-
try. Well, 1 have at last been able to
find the fifth intermarriage, though