Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1924-07-04
CUPID WINS
BY n. IRVING KING

VIE lion. george CLIFTON naQ re-
- solved to marry. AS he sat in his
office thinking the matter over he won
dered that he had not done so before.
True there had been, years and
years ago. when he was barely twen-
ty-five, a girl But she had mar
ried somebody else. Girls will do that
sometimes. Now that he was getting
along toward fifty his mind had sud
denly taken a slant toward matri-
mony. The immediate and determin-
ing cause Of this slant was Grace
Frey, daughter Of John Frey, stock
broker, and Margaret his wife, so
cial Climber"
The Freys were delighted, and as
for Grace, she did not appear averse
to the arrangement. She had had 1t
her fond mamma that she ought to
make a brilliant marriage that she
had come to think so herself. The fact
of the existence of Arthur
Mercer was, however, a trifie dis
turbing; this fact did not fit in with
IAC OIACA 40ClS VI 1I1C as Sic Alou OSCh
taught them. "It is too bad, Arthur"
she told the young man, that we were
not born In the same rank of life. AS
1t Is, papa would never consent-a
marriage between us is out of the
question"
Nonsense !" cried Arthur. What
do you mean by the same rank in
lifeT Wasn't my grand
father aide-de-camp to Washington"
"Oh, yes, 1 know" replied Grace,
"and papa began as an Office boy in
New York. What 1 mean is that papa
has lots of money and you are young
lawyer without any"
And are you really going to marry
old Clifton" asked Arthur. "Why he
Is old enough almost to be your grand
father"
"Yes," replied Grace demurely, "but
mamma says that disparity in age
does not count where the other condi-
tions are SO advantageous"
Arthur said something under his
breath.
1t was the day after Arthur and
Grace had arranged for a great Cupid
Mammon prize fight, in which Grace
was to be the prize, that the Hon.
George Clifton suddenly resolved to
pay visit to the Freys at their coun-
try house. Should he telegraph or
telephone? No, the house was only
three miles from the station he would
walk that distance-he was fond Of
walking-and just drop In on them.
He pictured Grace's surprise and her
bushes. AS he strolled along the road
from the station on the pleasant sum-
mer day the Honorable George turned
the matter in hand over in his mind,
regarding it judicially. About half
way to the Frey house he came upon
an automobile, broken down, with a
man under 1t lying on his back and
tinkering, while young woman stood
by watching him. Grace" he ex-
claimed in surprise.
"Oh" cried Grace in terror. The
young man under the machine emerged
In his shirt sleeves, monkey wrench In
hand, greasy and grimy from his Ia
bors.
"She's all right now" he said, and
looked inquiringly at Clifton.
Grace stammered an introduction.
"Mr. Mercer, Mr.. Clifton" In the car
were suit cases and travelling bags
"Were you-were you going awayf"
asked the Hon. George Clifton.
The girl rose to the occasion and
said slowly and firmly: "Mr. Clifton,
We were eloping." A dark shadow
came over the face Of George Clifton.
Mercer handled his monkey wrench
gr1mly, even as q knight Of old might
handle his sword to defend his "ladye
fair" Grace held her breath and
looked anxious.
Clifton was the first to recover
himself. AT four o'clock in the af-
ternoon" he said. with a laugh.
Rather an unusual hour for an elope-
ment, isn't itf'
"You see, the family were all away"
said Grace, land we thought--Arthur
and I-that-"
"Oh, I see" put In Clifton. "Mr.
Arthur Mercer, is 1t not7 have seen
you in court. Congratulate you on
the manner in which you handled the
Hartraft VS.. Loomis case. Can speak
with you privately for a minuteT
After q short but earnest talk with
Mercer, Clifton lifted his hat to Grace
and walked back to the station to
take the next train for the city. That
night he wrote a letter to Mr.. John
Frey, In which he stated that "consid-
ering the disparity In ages between
Grace and himself, and having dis
covered that she had a previous at
tachment. he." ETC., and highly recon-
mended to Frey one Arthur Mercer q
young man whom he was about to
take into partnership. Then he sat
down before the fire to gaze into "that
deep. deep gulf where things that
might have been and never were are
always wandering" Mrs. Frey
stormed and wept and demanded that
her husband either sue Clifton or
thrash him on sight.
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