Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1926-02-10
He Had an Iron
VIII
tCopyrisht.)
By II. IRVING KING

!
never seen the man and did not want
! to see him. Ada was very determined
| young person and her parents We're
very determined old persons-that is,
comparatively old. Determination ran
in the family. Mr. Standish, aided
and abetted by Mrs. Standish one day
suddenly announced to his daughter
that it was time she was thinking of
getting married and that he and her
mother had gone to the trouble of
picking out a suitable husband for
her-a young man of considerable
fortune excellent character and good
| prospects in life, whom the fond papa
had met in business way and had
, now invited to dinner.
The rest Papa Standish considered
would take place as he planned, auto
matically. He was frank senOugh to
intimate to Ada that he had limited to
Chamberlain what was in his mind
when he gave the invitation and this.
naturally enough, strengthened Ada in
her resolve never, never to marry the
man thus thrust upon her.
|
very much about the matter as Ada
did. $50 old Pomposity has decided
that / shall marry his daughter, has
he?" thought Tom. ut does not seem
to occur to him that might be foolish
enough to want to pick out my own
wife. Doubtless the girl has received
orders and stands ready to obey like
! Il1fi f,l 1n, I
get out of dining there tomorrow
night, though BotheratiOn! Why did
I accept the invitation"
So the next night behold Thomas
Chamberlain, attired for the sacrifice
which he was resolved should never
take place, seated at the Standish din
ner table, on his best behavior and in
his most engaging mood; secretly
laughing in his sleeve at the joke he
was perpetrating ON "Old POmpOsity"
as the younger men in '"The Street.
called Standish. Ada was there, too,
of course, very gracious and very
beautiful, new frock and bubbling
over with fun For she, too was
thinking Of the joke her ungrateful
|
fond parents by accepting the atten-
tons of Thomas-and then rejecting
him! Tom was surprised to find that
Ada was not Of the meek and clinging
sort, but rather of the Self-confident
type.
ooh, she's in it all right" thought
| Thomas, land intends to take me by
Storm And the brute laughed sar-
donically. He was contrasting Ada
with sweet little kathline Grey, so
gentle and SO mild. And Ada was
thinking "how different he is from big
George BREASTED, so learned and so
calm. can see that he is in cahoots
as my fond parents will be when j
give him the mitten."
Just to keep up the joke Chamber
lain began calling regularly at the
Standsh house and, just to keep up
the joke, Ada received him with the
utmost cordiality. Whereupon Mr..
Standsh said to his wife: Il told
you, my dear, that when l have de-
termined upon a thing it is as good
as done"
Then one day, when Ada consid-
cred that the farce had been played
long enough, she decided to ring down
the curtain. They were alone to-
gether in their mid-Vctorian front
parlor, and Ada fixed her gaze upon
topped table as she said: "Mr. Cham
beriain, did you ever see a girl that
you wanted to marry"
Tom gave start and gasp. "Why,
yes" he stammered.
"Describe her to me-" demanded
Ada. She thought he was going to
describe herself. But he described
Kathline Grey, and then asked: "And
you-did YOU ever meet a man whom
YOU thought would make you de
sirabIe husband?"
Yes" she replied, looking at him
with curious expression, and pro
ceeded 10 describe George Braisted.
When size had flashed Tom said: 81
was scarcely more than a boy when
knew KathItue Grcy-she has been
Mrs. Walter Peustock for four wears
nOW-and has grown enormously tat
And was only Il girl when met
George Hraisted," unused Ada lie
married Kitty Madison five years ago
and is professor Of archaeology no" in
some western college
"Iium, said Tom. there does not
appear to have been anything very
serious about our early love affairs.
DO YOU think now YOU could revise
your description of what constitutes
( desirable husband?'
Nonsense, Mr. Chamberlain said
| Ada. 1--WE have both been playing
part just to punish father for his
within that we should marry each 9th
er. Let us shake hands and part
good friends
Il see no reason, replied LON,
lA,, uvbI