Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-01
TIE DAILY YsNOVELETTE
SHE WANTED 70 GET MARRIED
Bv Frank n. Williams

MILL SONNANOHhM, tr ruOBluB
w slowly d,wh the tree .bordered
road, came to a stop at last in front
Of a charming little home which sat
There was a broad, well-kept lawn in
front Of the house, with a neat brick
walk leading from the street to the
broad porch. The house was vine GOV.
cred and vet new, and was altogether
pleasing and homelike.
A girl was standing half way be.
tween the street and the house on the
walk looking the place over carefully.
She was a slim girl, a youthful girl,
and she was dressed quietly, yet in
perfect style. As she turned, upon
feeling Wills eyes upon her, Will saw
that she was exceedingly pretty in an
animated, intellectual sort Of a way.
For q moment Will hesitated. Then
the girls piquant face lured him. He
tipped his hat y-.
queried. ''It's hot walking in the sun"
The girl looked him over apprais.
insly. Apparently her inspection was
satisfactory, for in a moment or 80 she
smiled.
"We'll see," she said. IT don't live
here myself, but I imagine there must
be some one Mt home. Come" she ex-
claimed.
Will hastened up the walk to her.
II judged you must live here" said
Will. pleasantly. "You looked as
though you might be considering a 10.
alton for q new vine or rosebush or
! The girl flashed smile at him.
M don't ,I1.t, live heTewyet;" she said ,i!
II hore JoT,t Lna., - Ae
An expression Of deep worry clouded
her face for n moment.
"Do you know" she said, this is
the first time In my life I've ever seen
this place?'
The girls words indicated a mystery
Of some sort. What had brought her
to this house? Why had She never
seen 1t before II It was possible she
was going to live here?
you interest me-" said VIII. Lets
sit here on the porch while you tell
1t seemed to VIII that for a moment
into her affairs. Then she smiled at
"It's odd," she said, "but we seem
to be like old-time friends. And yet
I've never seen you before. It really
would help to tell some one the story.
And after we get you n drink"
Never mind the drink" said viii.
I'D rather hear your story"
There were several big, comfortable
chairs on the veranda. The girl Sc
lected a wicker rocker and Will es.
tablished himself in a swing opposite
her. He gazed at the girl in a friendly
way. Their eyes met and she smiled
at him.
Its an odd thing for me to be sit
ting here and talking to perfect
stranger in this way" she said. But
it's really no stranger than the things
which have happened to me during
the past month or so.''
"1'm an orphan" she continued,
"and I've been brought up in boarding
schools. It was all right at first. Il
bad a fine time and It wasn't 80 bad
at the holidays when I had no home
OF my own to 60 to because had q
lot Of girl friends and was always
being invited by them to spend the
holidays Mt their homes.
"But things have changed during the
past two or three years. I can't stay
In boarding schools and colleges and
universities all my life. All Of my
friends have been out Aof school for
several years now. Quite number
OF them are married and have families
Of their own.
80 about six or seven months ago
l decided that I'd get married myself
! wasn't in love with any one, but l
felt If the right man came along it
wouldn't be hard for ME to fall in love
with him.
There was a young professor at
the university where was taking 4
post graduate course who was fairly
good looking and who seemed to like
me a lot.
"We had planned to elope about two
weeks ago and then"
The girl broke off suddenly. An ex.
preston of horror came over her face,
Will followed her glance and saw that
she was gazing in fascination 1T an
old man who had turned in from the
street and was laboriOusly coming up
the walk toward the home. There was
that in the way the old man walked
and in his bearing which indicated
beyond the shadow of doubt that
he belonged to the house.
"Oh, won't do it won't do it ~
cried the girl, miserably. "I'd rather
be, an old maid all my life. Come,
help me get away from here-quick -
The girl caught Will by the hand
and hurried him off the side of the
|
As they ran the girl looked back.
He didn't see us!' she cried. eve
can get away yet. Oh, l must get
away. l could never stand it to marry
that old man."
"Thank you so much" she said.
| You re probably wondering what it's
all about. You see, I've a guardian
who handles all my money and every
thing. I've never seen him-that Is, I
never saw him until just a moment ago.
When 1t leaked out at school that
was going to elope he heard about it.
He wrote me at once that he'd fallen
in love with my pictures that I'd sent
him. and he asked me to marry him.
He sent me pictures of that duck of a
house and l thought it was wonderful.
But he said he was older than am.
Still I thought I'd take a chance He
sent me tickets and everything to come
here. But never thought he was as
old as that horrid old man who started
up the walk. And how," here tears
came into her big blue eyes, "I don't
know what in the world I'll do"
| Will took her hand sympathetically
in his. She didn't draw it away.
! "Poor little girl" he said. II don't
blame you for not wanting to marry
that old man. OF course you didn't
want to marry any one so awfully
much older than you are. Now-now
would you think a fellow of my age
was too old for you?'
The girl gave him a quick, shy
glance. Her cheeks were rosy.