The broad ax., 1926-07-24
Gossip Made
Easy
(copyright.)
BY II. IRVING KING

The gossips were discussing the love
affairs of Roberta Ireton, the widow
Ireton's exceedingly pretty daughter.
Roberta had been seen much Of late
In the company of Carter Chilson, q
wealthy bachelor of the town, and that
had started something. Chllson was
forty-five IL he was day, and Roberta
ried women Of his own age, or there
abouts, In town would gladly have
married Chilson-if he had only asked
them.
81 reckon" went on Miss Amanda
Cross, that Widow Ireton don't care
whom Roberta marries as long as
there's some money coming into the
family. They say she's had a hard
time getting along since Ireton died.
He left her scarcely anything"
Its her own fault" responded Luz
cinda Virgins, "she ought to have
married Jacob Spurgeon-he wanted
her bad enough when she was Kate
Milledge"
do you suppose old Jacob would
marry her now" suggested Lucinda
"He might" replied Amanda, IF
she got Roberta off her hands. Old
Jacob is mighty near, and he won't
take up with any woman that has a
daughter like Roberta-Roberta's
awful extravagant She goes to Bos-
ton to get her hats But they do say
that since Carter Chilson has been
going with the daughter, Jacob has
been round several times to see the
widow"
1T will be something OF a blow to
that young Maldon who was SO taken
with Roberta last summer when he
was boarding here, won't it?' said
Lucinda.
BAH" was the reply. Il don't be-
lieve there was anything In that. Still,
there might be. Somebody ought to
write and tell him how Roberta is
carrying on, anyway"
1t was a fact that Carter Chilson
had been seen much Of late In the
company Of Roberta Ireton. Some
times Mrs. Ireton would be along, ap-
parently acting as chaperon; but often
they were alone.
When the affair became complicated
by the rumor that Jacob Sturgeon was
going to marry the widow Ireton, Luz
cinda Virgins, unable to restrain her
self longer, put the question to the
old miser plumply: Jacob, are you
goin' to marry Mrs. Ireton or notT'
And Jacob replied: Maybe I am and
maybe I'm not. One things sure,
I'm not goiD' to marry you, Lucindy."
Amanda, seizing an opportunity, re-
marked to Mrs. Ireton. Il hear your
daughter is going to marry Carter
Chilson."
"WellT asked the widow coldly.
"Oh, nothing" said Amanda, "only
There goes Mr.. Sturgeon. They
say he's got lots of money"
"I don't know about that" replied
the widow. II only know that Mr..
Sturgeon is an exceedingly kind man."
And she broke away. That settled
it. The minds Of all the gossips re-
verified at once to Tom Maldon, Rober-
ta's constant attendant OF the pre-
ceding summer, who was away at the
Boston Institute of Technology, and he
received three separate letters-un-
signed-telling him that Roberta was
going to marry Chilson and her moth
er Jacob Sturgeon.
Tom Maiden should have known
better than to pay any attention to
anonymous letters; but he was q
young man and he was very much
In love with Roberta. A man suf-
fering from youth, complicated by
love. can scarcely be expected to act
quite nationally. He and Roberta
were engaged, she wrote him regu-
larry, and she had seen him not long
before when she had been I'm Boston
to buy that hat which had caused
the gossips to fasten the stigma Of
extravaganza upon her. Nevertheless,
when he got those three letters, all
In the same mail, Tom fretted and
worried, could not keep his mind on
his studies all that day; and the next
morning took an early train for
Roberta's town.
Entering the sitting-room In the
Ireton home he found assembled there
Roberta and Chilson, Mrs. Ireton and
Jacob Spurgeon- They had evidently
been engaged In earnest conference.
Tom stood for second or two silently
glaring at all four Of them. The
anonymous letters had but stated the
truth, thenI The idea Of Mrs. Ire
ton-whom he much Misunderstanding
married to that old skinfiint, Spur
geon, was distasteful to him, though
q minor matter. But that Roberta
had thrown him over for Chilson-
that was agonyi
"Oh. Tom.' cried Roberta. starting
up. II am so glad You have arrived
just I'm the nick Of time. Mother and
Mr.. Chilson were married this morn
ing-a runaway match - over at
Brockton. The Eighty young thingsl
And what do you think Mr.. Spur
geon has insisted upon giving mother
the mortgage he had on the house as
a dowry. Isn't he the dear old
thing?' And she went over and kissed
old Jacob on the forehead.
Such was the reaction Of Toms
feelings that he laughed Historically.
And when are we going to be- mar
ried, RobertaT he asked.
'Why. any time you say dear" re-
piled Roberta-and she gave him a