Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1921-02-17
MATCHMAKER
by MYRTA ALICE LITTLE.
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matchmaker. She had always lived
In small town and she Ind made al
most everyhody's match except her
own n the whole vicinity. The only
reason that she was stiiI Miss. was
that she had not yet found exactly
the right one, don't you know" Then.
too, Miss Darthia was very shy and
self-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 cozsl
little home under the naples, while
she remained In the background In
prim gray and lavender and white
frflled aprons and made puffy bis
cults and cakes and scalIoped pota-
toes and tea for the younger folks.
When the new high schoo! principal
came to town and tried to get board
with the little lady, he met with a
prompt refusal.
"Tve heard lot about what a
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 a
while with some desirable young In
dies he'd enjoy meeting. She would
do that, certainly. And why didn't
Mr.. Randolph try to get In over ut
Johnson's?
So Hugh Randolph high school pro-
fessor, boarded across the street Mt
the Johnsons, and little Miss Darthis
promptly began to plan which one OF
the three Johnson girls he would mar
ry. There was Cora, who sang heauti-
fully; and Nora, who was pretty MS
pink, and Lora, who made the most
delectable jellies and preserves and
buildings.
When Professor Hugh had been In.
town q week, little Miss prentiss In
vited him to have ten 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 q 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 horne and environ
ment, with middle-aged lady around,
more" she told herself, as she set the
table, and practiced just how shes
would bring 1t In nicely that Cora
Johnson had the sweetest disposition
she had ever known.
The little Indy noticed after that
that Professor Hugh used 70 20 walk
ing Of Monday evenings with Cora.
So Miss Dartha decided 1t WINS time
that she invited Professor Hugh and
Nora over to tea.
And she sat in the full glare Of the
big lamp SO that lie 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 Dar-
thia's gate and chatted with her about
her hollyhock and bachelor buttons.
And once the little lady found the
courage TO ofTor the professor a blue
button with white fringed edges and
express the hurried wish that he would
find some nice young girl to sew 1t on
for him. Then she had hung her head,
fearful that she had said too much.
But the mans voice was reassuring.
I'm looking round, Miss Prentiss,"
he told her cheerily
And Miss Darthla sighed expectantly.
And about a week after that she had
Lcra and the professor in for tea and
she took especial pains to tell her
guests that Lora had given her the
recipe for the marshmallow cream.
Only Lora had knack of cooking that
she could never get. And Lora blushed
prettily. And Miss Darthia went ON
to say that Lora had sent In the rasp-
and she'd been keeping them for such
festive occasion. For she never could
equal Lora Johnson in preparing
things to eat.
And the professor had looked very
happy that evening as he bade Miss
Darthia goodnight, and the little lady
noticed that he bent very close over
Lora, as IL whispering something OF
great significance, as they walked
down her path together.
So little Miss Prentiss decided that
she had done all she could for the
present, and she would just wait.
Whichever girl Hugh Randolph chose
would be the most fortunate, Ideally
happy with such husband.
Miss Darthia wound the old clock
In the corner and put out the lights.
Then she heard sound on the gravel
path, and In another moment she
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