The Raymer enterprise., 1923-05-03
A Successful
Campaign
b II. IRVING KING

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%. lssa. By Mcclure Nswspapsr syndicats.)
That very attractive widow, Mrs.
Pemberton Jones, had brought her two
daughters to Midway Beach for strictly
matrimonial purposes. OF the daugh.
ters. Geraldine-familiarly called Jer
U-was twenty, and Margaret-Mar.
Gle for short-was twenty.three. While
not raving beauties, they were more
than ordinarily good.looking girls, well.
brought up. with enough education for
their daily needs Geraldine was tall
and dark; Margaret was petite and
blonde That was because she was
Of the submissive, clinging variety,
while Geraldine was decidedly Of the
nonsubmissive. self-rellant sort. In
the Midwest town whence they came
they had not wanted sultors, but
among them had been no one whom
they especially cared about and no one
whom Mrs.. Pemberton Jones cared
about at all a. sonin-law. But the
good mother planned a war Of conquest
from which she determined to bring
back captives II It took her last cent
and at any sacrifice Of health and
comfort. She hated hotel life; but
Midway Beach appeared good stra'
tesic position and, like skillful
general, she occupied It. She did not,
Of course. explicitly state to her daugh-
tiers the object Of the expedition; but
they suspected It.
The season at Midway Beach was
crowded and brilliant one. At night
the great hotel blazed with incandes-
cent bulbs, the band blared from the
pagoda-like bandstand In front Of the
hostelry and the dddles sang In the
ballroom to time the dancers feet. On
the broad piazza young couples Airted
and old couples gossiped, while the
sullen and disapproving ocean pound.
cd on the shore and announced to the
shivering sands its intention Of sweep
Ing the whole frivolous place to de-
vtruction with the first winter storm.
Mrs. Pemberton Jones had calculated
upon some opposition to her plans from
Geraldine. but upon nohe from Mar
garet But as the season progressed
the usually plant Margie developed an
unexpected obstinacy quite equal to
her sisters, and a. the season began
to draw toward Its close the girls were,
apparently, no nearer catching rich
husbands than they were at Its begin
ming. 1t must not be thought that the
sisters made no conquests they did.
In fact, Geraldine had the honor Of re-
jecting q mature millionaire and Mar.
garet rejected q gilded youth Of the
best Wall street standing. after each
Of which events Mrs. Pemberton Jones
kept to her bed for q whole day. The
good woman was In despair and In
dulged In remonstrances and tears at
the manner In which her daughters
neglected their opportunities. If mn
Is 80 set on marriage" said Jerry to.
Margie, after one Of these family
squabbles, why doesn't she get mar
ried herself7 Shes only forty-five and
looks ten years younger"
But had Geraldine and Margaret
come through the frivolous and fiery
furnace heart-whole and fancy freef
Not sol
In q little fishing shack four miles
away along the shore Of the bay. two
young men were roughing 1t for the
summer. They had a catboat. and
they had an aged negro to cook for
them. They sailed and fshed and
wore old clothes, smoked and loafed.
It was Z life good for the health. and
the young men showed It.
"Most gentlemanly and attractive
young fellows" said Jerry to Margie,
after their first meeting with the her.
NIT f1ishermen. "They haven't
money. though. apparently-which is
too bad, Or We might be able to soothe
mothers feelings"
"How shocking you arel" replied
Margaret. "0f course. we shall never
ne them again"
"Of course not" said Jerry.
This first meeting referred to had
come about In this way. The girls
took early morning gallops. attended
only by Q groom. Geraldine's horse
attempted to bolt near the fishing
shack, and one Of the young men
sprang into the road and caught It,
while the other soothed the sisters
fears. When the groom came up. he
found the young ladies', who had dis
mounted to recover from their fright,
seated on the porch Of the shack, In
animated conversation with the stran-
ger youths After that. somehow, the
morning rides Of the sisters generally
took the direction Of the bay shore
road, and generally-but always quite
BY accident, Of course-they met the
two young men, % that It was inevita.
BILE that most friendly acquaintance
should grow up between them.
zone can't snub q man who has
saved ones life," said Geraldine.
"Why, Jerry, you declared you were
not In the least danger when that
young man grabbed the horse" ex-
claimed Margaret.
"Well, I've changed my mind" re-
oiled Jerry, The groom who accom-.