Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 302, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1913 — ARE THEY OR ARE THEY NOT MARRIED? [ARTICLE]

ARE THEY OR ARE THEY NOT MARRIED?

Republican Admits Its Inability To Inform Its Clientele of Anxious Readers. Thursday evening a surprise had been planned for Miss Alice Shedd, who recently tendered her resignation as instructor in English and Latin in the high school, and Mr. Ed J. Randle. There are many hitches between the plans and the surprises and in the accumulation of incidents that followed the hour set for the surprise occurred a number of things that left all concerned in a state of perplexity. Having been unable to talk with the principals of the affair, The Republican is unable to inform its clientele of readers in the authentic manner it seeks to follow and the story herewith is related after being gathered in scraps from a number of’more or less unwilling witnesses.

A number of school teachers had planned* to give Miss Shedd and Mr. Randle a surprise at the home of Trustee Harvey Wood and wife on River street. Miss Shedd and Mr. Randle were expecting to meet only one other couple at the Wood home. In the early evening Miss Shedd and Mr. Randle visited the home of A. S. Laßue, across the street from the Wood home. While there they saw unmistakeable evidences of a “scheme” to surprise them. There were about twenty-five people went to the Wood home. Miss Shedd and escort determined not to be surprised and instead of going to the Wood home, went to Miss Shedd’s home on Grace street. It finally dawned on the friends who had planned the surprise that th Sir guests who were to be the victims were not coming arid they then went oh a search for the missing couple. They were found finally at Miss Shedd’s home and induced to accompany their friends to the Wood home, where a mock marriage stunt was pulled off. Both of the principals, however, declared that they were already married, but they would not furnish the details to make it convincing and the mock ceremony was carried out greatly to the amusement of the friends who participated in the affair.

Miss Shedd and Mr. Randle were so positive in their assertion that they. had been married that they left those who had planned to surprise them in complete-mystery as to whether they were or were 'not •married and even up to this Friday afternoon the matter was’a mystery to their closest friends. Several weeks ago they attended a football game together in Chicago and it is surmised by some that they were married at that time, while others of their closest friends declare that they are not married yet. That their marriage is to occur very soon, if, indeed, it has not already taken place, is quite sure and whether in advance or belated for want of knowledge, their innumerable friends are wishing for them a life of complete happiness.