The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1927-07-08
Maneuvering
Malvina
BY III. IRVING KING
(Copyright.l

cclldIu HllleFdLe persons as 'SOt In
her ways" She was. So was her
aunt, Malvina, who had adopted her
upon the death of her parents and
brought her up. There was this diff
ference between them, however:
Amelia, having decided upon a course
of action, boldly and openly stuck to
1t. Aunt Malvina was just as deter
mined to have her way as her pretty
niece, and seldom failed to get 1t. But
Aunt Malyina was sixty-fve. Her
methods were those of a strategist.
The young man who was the sub
Ject Of the discussion between Amelia
and her aunt was Albert Crawford.
You have never seen Albert in your
life," argued the aunt. "Why do you
say you will not mary him?"
Because l won't" replied Amelia.
I am old enough to choose husband
for myself-and intend to do so.
should hate awfully to leave you,
auntie, but | am perfectly capable Of
earning my own living-I am a good
stenographer-we had that In school
and if the price Of your continued
favor Is compliance with your demands
regarding Mr.. Crawford 1 must de-
cline to pay It,"
"Boshl" said Aunt Malvina; "you
talk like female Sir Charles Grandi-
son. Won't you even meet the young
man?"
NO" said Amelia firmly-and left
the room.
Albert Crawford was the son of a
man whom Malvina had known in her
youth, and had he not married Nal.
vina's dear friend and school compan-
ion-well, had he not married some
body else Miss Malvina might not
have been Miss Malvfna still Alberts
father had been planter in the
Philippines where he had settled soon
after the American occupation. There
he died and his wife followed him 20
the grave after only a year OF widow
hood, commending-in a letter written
shortly before her death-"Jerome's
son" to the favorable regard of NAL
vina.
"And I will marry him to Amelia"
thought the old lady.
There was a young man named Ed
Pomfret-a really fascinating fellow
with the girls-who was making a
dead set" at Amelia. Aunt Malvina
never mentioned Albert Crawford's
name to her niece after their first
rather stormy discussion of him: but
she did display a strong fear Of Pom
fret
My dear aunt" said Amelia, "you
will pardon me if say that your sus-
picions regarding my feelings toward
Ed Pomfret are absurd. Why, I can't
bear the creature"
"Humph!" !" said Miss Malvina. "Tve
heard that sort of talk before-and
then the girl has gone and married
the fellow. I'd feel safer If there were
three thousand miles OF water be-
tween you and Ed Pomfret I think
I'll take you on trip on one OF those
steamers that go down the Mediter.
ranean and up to the Black sea, and
take two months in doing It."
Your fears with regard to Pom.
fret are groundless," said Amelia
but, oh, how I should enjoy a trip
to the Mediterranean. When can we
start?"
Aunt Malvina's plan of separating
Amelia and Ed Pomfret by leagues OF
rolling sea was good. But the poor
woman only seemed to have Jumped
out of the frying-pan into the fire
For on board the steamer was youns
man who was down on the passenger
list as Cornelius Ruthven. He pro
cured one of those easy steamship In
Productions to Amelia and seemed
thereafter, never entirely happy un
less he was by her side.
lie certainly was a most PROPOSES
sing young man and Amelia appeared
to enjoy his company as much as he
did hers.
AT last the long voyage drew to its
close. The night before the steamer
was due In New York Amelia came ts
Malyina and told her that she hae
promised to marry Cornelius Ruthven
"Oh. WELL" said Malvina with 9
sigh. Il suppose you must have your
own way. Are you sure you love
him?"
L am" replied Amelia, blushing.
And that, whatever might turn up
with regard to his antecedents-re-
member, you know next to nothing
about him-you would love him still r.
insisted the aunt.
L don't care who or what he is
replied the headstrong girl, 81 am go
Ing to marry him"
wen" went on the old Lady, "Ill
tell you who and what he is-he's
Albert Crawford, the son of my ole
friends Annie and Jerome Crawford
He arrived in the States from the
Philippines two days after you hat
refused my demand that you marry
him. | visited him secretly and he
and | put up this litue> job. Now
what have you got to say?'
Amelia had lot to say. She was
furiously and justiiably angry at the
trick that had been played upon her
and at first declared that everything
was Off"
But" said Aunt Malvina, when the
girl had Gained down somewhat, "yol
said you would marry him. no mattel
who or what he was"
"I did ~ rQuJiad Ame!io aopH <vil