Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1920-08-05
MATCHMAKER
BY MYRTA ALICE LITTLE.
% 90 % 90 % % onoo0 c

matchmaker She had always lived
in a small town and she had made al
most everybody's match except her
own in the whole vicinity. The only
reason that she was stin Miss" was
that she had not yet found Exactly
the right one, don't you know" Then,
too. Miss Darthia was very shy and
sef-forgetful.
But Miss Prentiss, though not on
the sunrise side any more, never wear
led of looking about, for her young
friends, of course, and bringing just
the right couples together in her coy
little home under the naples, while
she remained in the background in
| prim gray and lavender and white
frilled aprons and made puffy bis
cults and cakes and scalloped pota-
toes and tea for the younger folks.
When the new high school principal
came TO town and tried to get board
with the little lady, he met with
prompt refusal.
I've heard a lot about what
| quiet, honey place 'twould be and
about the cooking I'd get" The man
smiled persuasively.
But Miss Darthia flushed and folded
! her little white hands and assured
him that there'd be too much talk IL
she let him board there, and there
was just as nice places, lots of them.
But she'd invite him there once in
while with some desirable young la
| dies he'd enjoy meeting. She would
| do that, certainly. And why didn't
Mr. Randolph try to get in over at
| Johnson's?
SO Hugh Randolph, high school pro-
fessor, boarded across the street at
the Johnsons and little Miss Darthia
promptly began to plan which one Of
the three Johnson girls he would mar
ry. There was Cora, who sang beaut-
fully; and Nora, who was pretty as
pink and Lora, who made the most
delectable jellies and preserves and
! buildings.
When Professor Hugh had been in
! town a week, little Miss Prentiss in
! vited him to have tea with her. And
| she invited Cora Johnson to come over.
too, And she played Cora's accom-
! paniments on the little reed organ,
| and she Joined her with her own alto
once in while, just to show Professor
! Hugh how sweet and clear and beau
tiful the young girls voice was COM
pared with her own funny old quaver.
Hell notice all this when he's
away from Cora's home and environ
ment with middle-aged lady around
more" she told herself, as she set the
table, and practiced just how she
would bring it in nicely that Cora
| Johnson had the sweetest disposition
she had ever known
The little lady noticed after that
! that Professor Hugh used to go walk
ing of Monday evenings with Cora.
SO Miss Darthia decided it was time
that she invited Professor Hugh and
Nora over to tea.
And she sat in the full glare Of the
big lamp so that he would be sure to
contrast her tiny wrinkles with Morals
smooth round cheeks.
And after that the professor did
stroll about Of evenings with Nora.
And they often stopped at Miss Oar
thia's gate and chatted with her about
her hollyhOck and bachelor buttons.
And once the little lady found the
/ courage to offer the professor a blue
! button with white fringed edges and
! express the hurried wish that he would
find some nice young girl to sew it on
/ for him. Then she had hung her head,
fearful that she had said too much.
But the mans voice was reassuring.
TIN looking round, Miss Prentiss,"
he told her cheerily.
And Miss Darthia sighed expactantly.
And about week after that she had
Lora and the professor in for tea and
she took especial pains to tell her
! guests that Lora had given her the
recipe for the marshmaHow cream.
| only LoIa had a knack of cooking that
she could never get. And Lora bIushed
! prettily. And Miss Darthia went on
to say that Lora had sent in the rasp-
berry preserves to her last winter,
and she'd been keeping them for such
a festive occasion. For she never could
! equal Lora Johnson in preparing
! things 10 eat
And the professor had looked very
happy that evening as he babe Miss
Darthia goodnight and the little ladv
noticed that he bent very close over
Lora. as if whispering something Of
great significance, as they walked
down her path together.
So LITTLE Miss Prent>s decided that
she had done all she could for tho
present and she would lust wait
Whichever girl Hugh Randolph chose
would be the most fortunate, ideally
happy with such a husband.
Miss Dartha wound the old clock
in the corner and put ont the lights
Then She heard q sound on the gravel
path. and IN another moment She
heard d quick masterflI voice IN the
doorway, telling her things.
I've just told Lora and I've ia.
ciaed : She is glad, too. The sweet
voice like child's, filled with 1oving
and seIfishness The flowers and tha
dainty whoIesomeness an round