The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-12-20
Capitalizing Her
Skill
By WALTER ARNOLD


why he had remained single. When
he wanted wife he reckoned he
would get one-he always had got
everything he wanted so far. When
he was child his parents spoiled
him, and after their death, leav-
ing him with a great fortune, he
continued the process of spelling
himself. Aladdin had lamp and
when he rubbed it genii appeared
and provided him with anything he
wanted-slaves of the lamp. AL
bert Oakham had something just
as good-a check-book with huge
bank account behind it. When he
scratched the check-book with a
pen obseQuious genii in up-to-date
clothes appeared and brought him
what he desired
And now at forty Oakham
scratched the magic book and or
dered wife. Not just any wife,
you understand, but certain one;
"a young lady whom he him
self had picked for the position. OF
the genii who responded to the
call Albert selected Mrs. Florencia
Wareham. Mrs. Wareham was a
society wOman-that was her bust
ness. She had no money, but she
knew society from A to lizard, and
was the most successful match
maker going.
Now don't for minute picture
Mrs. Florencia Wareham as an old
woman. She was not even middle
aged. She had been married off by
her parents when she was hardly
out of her ''teens" to a man much
older than herself, who had gone
into bankruptcy and died a year
after their marriage Mrs. Ware
ham was only thirty-five, strikingly
good looking and bright as they
make 'em. Secretly she l0athed
the part she had been forced to
play in the social game, but custom
carried her on.
Oakham had met Alice Brixton
only twice when he resolved that
she was the person he desired for
his wife, and had talk with Mrs.
Wareham. Then everywhere Alice
was invited Albert was invited
Mrs. Wareham arranged that. She
also arranged accidental meetings
: between them Mrs. Wareham's
many friends also helped through
sheer good nature. Alice was at
first a little offish. She had fixed
her regards upon a struggling
young lawyer not at all in her
set, either socially or financially.
This much to the distress of the
estlmable parents. who quivered
xrhn A 10 n
peared on the scene.
Alice was one of those athletic
girls-you know the kind She was
tall, stately, black-eyed. No word
regarding matrimony had ever
passed between her and her young
lawyer. He felt that aspiring to
Alice was like crying for the moon.
and she hesitated to give him the
encouragement which would have
caused him to overleap all financial
and social considerations and seize
upon the prize regardless of conse-
quenceS. Alice soon began to think
of her young lawyer with a sigh
to regard him as, something desir-
able but impossible-and to accus-
tom herself to look forward to be-
=.
thing was going according to sched
ule-as things always went when
Albert Oakham scratched his magic
book, though sometimes he had to
scratch harder than usual.
Then all at once things began
to go wrong. Through some mis-
understanding when Alice Brixton
was invited to a house party CD
Long Island, expecting to meet AL.
bert Oakham there, Albert had
been invited to a house party in
New Jersey-and the other way
about. There were dozens of other
little things which seemed to be
keeping them asunder or destroy
Some hidden, malicious influence
seemed to be at work. Albert spoke
to Mrs. Wareham about it. They
were alone in Albert's library at
the time.
EYES," said Mrs. Wareham. st
is as you say-and l am respon-
sible. You promised me a large
amount of money if / would bring
about marriage between you and
Alice BrixtOn. You knew her af-
<ections were engaged elsewhere
and so did /. You We're afraid
that if you plunged boldly in and
demanded Alice for a wife you
would simply provoke her into go
ing off and marrying her young
lawyer out of hand. You wanted my
skill to bring about the result de-
sired, and were willing to pay for
1t. l have taken such contracts be-
fore and have not been particularly
ashamed / took this one and be-
came ashamed. l am ashamed of
my whole life of sham-society and
everything connected with it. Next
week I'm going to begin as set
Element worker. And / may as
well tell you that Alice Brixton was
married to her young lawyer, in
New Jersey. yesterday-an l was
present. In fact, brought them
together"
She arose and started to leave
the room "Hey! Here. Where
are you going?" cried Albert.
81 am going home" replied Mrs.
Wareham.
"Come back here; ! want to talk
to YOU; sit down. commanded AL
bert. She obeyed and they sat
there talking for over an hour.
Three months later society was
dumfounded at the announcement
of thp marriage of Mrs. Florencia