The Washington times., 1919-11-09
the Sort of Bride His
Dead Father Had
Wanted Hi to I larry

. grounds surrounding a stately
Southern mansion-and girl whom people
called the reigning beauty of region
famous for its beautiful women.
All the makings of romance? Yes, for
at the side OF this fascinating heroine sat
a man wearing the uniform of major in
the aviation service. And speeding toward
her at that very moment as fast as
highly powered airplane could carry him
was another mana flying cadet
Unkind critics would have said that the
major was "old enough to be her father"
But no father ever looked so intensely
earnest, and the way he bent his head
depths Of her lustrous dark eyes was not
at all parental. When at last he pressed
one of her slender hands in both his own
even an amateur in romance would have
guessed at glance that he was about to
ask this girl to be his wife.
Just as his trembling lips were begin
ming to frame his eager hearts message
the distant hum of an airplane motor
came purring through the air The girl
gazed upward, fitting her pretty head in
an adorable. hirdlike way that made the
poor major more madly in love with her
than ever. He looked up, too, and pres
emily they both could see the plane speed
ing toward them mere speck against the
distsSt blue.
Directly over their heads it came and be-
gan a series Of wide circles, descending
lower and lower with each one When it
drew so near the earth that the white num-
bers on its wings were plainly visible the
girl leaped to her feet FROM her bosom
she drew little flag and began waving it
frantically, for all the world like youth
full reincarnation OF Barbara Frietchie.
At the first hutter of the flags silken
folds the airplane started behaving as If
bewitched- Up it shot like a rocket, only
to come sliding down the next instant in
spectacular nose dive. Side slips, tail
spins and other aerial acrobatics followed
in breathless succession. And all the time
the girl kept wigwagging her flag as if life
depended on 1t, while the wondering major
still clung fondly to her other hand
Il can't marry you," she cried, when the
plane finally settled to an even keel and
disappeared to the north "Tm going to
marry the man in that plane. He asked me
to be his wife yesterday and promised to
wigwag my answer when he flew by to-
day. And I've just said yes"
All this happened not in the pages of a
novel or the films of motion picture play
but In real life-on the lawn Of a hand
some home in Montgomery, Alabama.
The girl who gave her hearts answer in
this unusual manner was Emily Castleton
Ligon. known through the length and
breadth Of the South for her bewitching
brunette beauty.
The aviator who made his plane perform
so daringly in his joy at sight of loves sig
nal was George Temple Bowdoin, million
aire son OF a former partner of the late ].
Pierpcnt Morgan and himself a ward of the
present Mr.. Morgan
The majOr-well, 1t is onl kindness to
let him be nameless He was one of many
army officers whose hearts ere almost
broken when young Mr. Bowdoin carried
of this exquisite matrimonial prize.
Miss Ligon and Mr. Bowdoin were mar
ried last month. The wedding was of IN
usual interest, not only because of the
romantic wartime wooing which made it
possible, but because young Bowdoin in
marrying Just as he did was realizing one
VI HIS ucdu ldlueT lO0UeSt lODeS.
Millionaires' sons have a habit of disap-
pointing their fathers. The same domineer-
ing qualities that enabled the older men
to amass great fortunes seem to make
the younger ones intolerant of advice. As
a result they become reckless spendthrifts.
marry the wrong girls or ruin their faith.
ers' hopes In still more unpleasant ways.
But George Temple Bowdoin is brightly
shining exception to this rule. II ever
there was son who did lust as his father
wanted" he is the one. Even in love as
his recent marriage has proved. he is
steering close to the course which his
father, Temple Bowdoin, carefully charted
for him years ago.
Emily Ligon is Just the sort of wife the
elder Bowdoin would have selected for
George could he have lived to do the choos.
ing-a girl Of beauty. refinement and
wealth, but most important of all a girl
sprung on both her fathers and mothers
side from the oldest, sturdiest American
stock
Family, you see-the sort of family whose
genealogical tree has people of distinction
adorning every branch-was something
which Temple Bowdoin worshipped. No
European nobleman ever took greater pride
in his race or was more eager TO see il
perpetuated in all its purity OF strain. He
delighted In the fact that his forebears had