Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 April 1909 — Trapped by Herself. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Trapped by Herself.

By FRANCES POMEROY.

Copyrighted. 1909, by Associated Literary Press.

“The very fact that every one expects me to marry you,” declared Clara Adams, “is the main reason why I don’t want to do it. It makes me furious to have your parents and my parents decide the whole matter for us.” “I am glad you feel that way about it,” Roger Armstrong declared heartily—at least, the cunning dog succeeded well* In assuming an appearance of great heartiness. “Of course I was willing enough and am now to marry you to please our people, but I don’t want you against your will, you know.” “That’s It exactly,” assented the girl. She did not, however, seem quite pleased. “Of course we’ll be very good friends, and all that, still, but we simply must show independence. Naturally I’ll be tremendously Interested In the girl you marry, and I’ll try to see that you get the right one.” * “And I’ll be very much Interested lfl your man,” declared Roger. “I hope you’ll be as happy as I mean to be. I’m going to look for a nice, quiet little cottage on a nice, quiet little street.” The girl looked distinctly displeased I now, but she conquered herself brave- ! ly. “Me, too,” echoed she. “Another ! reason why I hate to have *them ar- ; range for me to marry you is because- | I know they'd expect us either to live j In your father's place or in my father’s i home. “I want a little place where there won’t be a lot of servants and where I can go into the kitchen and cook without causing a miniature scandal. “I mean to have a husband that’s | poor—that is, not too poor—and that | has to work each day. And while he j !• gone during the day I’ll fix every-

thing nice and cozy and comfortable for him when he comes home tired out in the evening.” “You’ve got the idea!” cried Roger somewhat excitedly. “Why don’t you pick out the kind of a place that you want so that you’ll have it all ready when you find the kind of man that you want? 141 tell you what we’ll do. ; You pick out your prospective home, and I’ll pick out the kind of place I ; want for my wife. Then we’ll compare them.” “All right,” laughed the girl gayly j and ran from the lawn, where they | had been talking, up the path to the big stone house where she lived. Pursuant to their plan, the young man met the girl the following afternoon. “Did you find your home?” he asked gayly. “Oh, yes, I did!” she cried. “It’s the dearest little place imaginable. I fell in love with it at first sight. I can hardly wait for you to see It. And did you find your home too?” “I certainly did,” replied the man. “It’s a dandy—a cozy little place back among the trees. Now all we need is the right man and the right girl. By the way, you may be interested—l saw a girl this morning that looked to me as if she would make just the right kind of a wife for me." Clara did not smile so much at this. “You aren’t really thinking of marrying her?” she gasped. “Oh, I think so,” the man replied easily. “She looked very capable to me.” v “I hope you’ll be satisfied with her,” the girl said after a piqued little silence. “I know I shall be satisfied with my husband. He’s mighty handsome.” “What?” cried Roger. “You haven’t gone and picked out your husband, have you?” Clara demurely surveyed Rogers’ countenance, which did not look quite so indifferent now, but betrayed decided annoyance. * “Yes,” she replied. “I only realized today that he’s the only man I want. - Something—something brought my Melings for him to a decision all of a sudden.” “Well, I never!” ejaculated the man, a pained tone evident In his voice. “I I —I never suspected that you were real--Ily in love, Clnrn. W ho—who is this man?” A bright yght came Into the girl's eyes as she surveyed his perturbation; but, nevertheless, she laughed gayly. “I may tell you—some time,” she replied, “but I’ll nqt tell yon now, for here we are almost at mv house. Isn’t

t the dearest little place? See what I big veranda it has, and there’s another big one in the rear, overlooking the sweetest old fashioned garden.” .The man gazed at the house once and at the girl two or three times. “Is this the house that you’ve picked out?” he asked finally. “Yes,” said the girl. “Well, see here,” remonstrated be. “It’s rather cool of you, you know. This Is the very house that I picked out for myself.” Some few minutes later the man and the girl were seated on the rear veranda, rather close together. say you woi’t give up the house to my wife and me?” Roger asked. “Silly!” replied Clara. “Of course I’ll not.” “And, naturally,” went on the man, “I’ll not give it up to you and your husband. Consequently there's only one way out of it that I can see.” “What’s that?” asked the girl, somewhat tremulously. “Why, marry each other!” A slow flush spread over the girl’s face. “But that’s just what we don’t want to do. Every one expects us to!” At that moment voices came to them from the Interior of the house. While they had been seated on the veranda some one had entered. Roger turned to the girl suddenly. “It’s our mothers,” he whispered. The girl nodded. “I’m so glad that we’ve secured the lease on this dear house,” one of the voices said. “It’s an ideal place for Clara and Roger to begin their lives together.” The other voice assented, then went on. “I'm so happy in their happiness.” The voices trailed away as the speakers went Into another room. Suddenly Roger turned to the girl and. putting his arm arouml her, drew her close. “Dear,” he said, “don’t you think it would be a shame to bring sorrow to them—and to us—by not marrying each other?” Apparently the girl’s answer was satisfactory, for a moment later neither of them appeared as though sorrow could ever touch them.

PUTTING HIS ARM AROUND HER, HE DREW HER CLOSE.