i
I 6 I SOODNA4IWS . WEEKLY
I I I BATTING Tl&lwSEfcEi
Hj "ByJiBETTV STEELE, In llliistrptod Wookly.
MATCHMAKERS.
Hj i i,i.M.r r ,11 w-.. - . - -,-
H , -"There go tlio turllo cloves down Lovors'
K Lane aagatn (his artorrioon'" oxclalmori
H Dollyi Jufetfustcdlyi iitf she Bet Uio rudge to
H cool on our brpaij. dorjiiltory window lorigo,
H iV,Turtlos,, ampdod. Pruo. thickly, as sho
H cloanctl tlio rudgo spoamlni-anolojit, If not
H honor t2blcA4rSjtn;Qn. 'pr qf-nll slowpokos
H Im tlicR woridLjJilJim and. Stella aropps
ltivolyitlio dltfV0sr'' '
M "HBltfbTpTRWinCr like a"HlPllo, 1 think,"
H drawled Lillian Van Duson or "N'Yawk "
H She shrugged her shoulders and threw out
H her hinds expressively. "Little, smooth,
H pompajdourcd head, y'know great big
m broad, blacteslipuldois'V-thor oicO sounded
H a dooij fidtdJlW) Pui(Ca walk, well. "
H Sho ruso graccrully to her feet and es-
m sayodjan awakvyatd bjg man's slouching
I gait. Jofr lixiiV46r laughter audited the
R clovorneMJof! V r onlrnlcry.
p "I wouldn'. tfhd bis Jjclng so slow in
H tlio body; IJj; ho wasn't so maddeningly
H slow rt the-hcad',i;rlod little impotuous
M Dollr. sl'dniJnlng' dill" olte' tin pan on the
study I tabid" J-i'Httfol "ioSs been Coining- to
I sec scu?tiovery)artonioon rpr .wo wholo,
solid lly.nfffyM19' ad,Fll hot my now
bluo sjittimumps he Isn't- any nonicr 'ask
ing her jbtnho was I7uungbs ago"
"ObL but he's such a nlco child," pnned
Lillian! wjth manifest Insincerity. "Hv'ry
day, JJist as hb renrhos the cornor of the
h dorm, ho pulls out a nlco clean hanky and
H ) consclbntously blows his littlo nose. Then
H ho's roadv a2ftV,0 pblla, walking In
1 "wllft'VlWffctt ditt, wltfi aTrUshtnun's
H crlulltV (ns I sco It now,) "I don't think
H It's any-or our business- what thoy do.
H If they want to hao a Platonic lovo affair,
1 thoy'vFgBra "perroct right to"'
H v "Plfrtonlc!" How those glils howled! I
H I could Ucol littlo bubbles or anger ilsing In
MB J mo, as water docs in tho tea kettle, and Tor
M rear t should suddonly boll ovor, 1 hung
H out on tli(fllopp toward my own room.
H It psWe lltllo peacemaker Piuo who
H I dtowtmo, still protesting, back Into the
H clrcloi "You sha'nt laugh at my darling,
m I big, swcQt ft.pshmon," sho cried piotocttng-
H I ly, nnlirrdblTng-rather irahninod or my pot.
M I subkidQrnQn tio cushions of tho
Hf courhj '
Ml "It BS iyWfni ho.lB unabjo- to brlngr hlm-
ifl soir tj the point," Lillian was announcing
H , In heifbast didactic manner. "It Is equally
H ovldojjt that Stolla is unable to assist him."
H , Thorot was a murmur or aseont In this.
H ' Tlforproro," concluded Lillian oratorlcally,
H "I movo woooino to-tho roscuo."
Mwfa? IriAv?'
m "Wll -wrlto her a dear littlo proposal
H on tho typowrlter " -
H "Hi uses i niaclilno, I kpow" injorpolat-
cd Prtic.
H' LIllRffi'wITrirsTmioTliiy m In nor volvoty,
1 ) mocking voice "She will think It Is rrom
H lior 6wn""3arllng Julian, and will tin-
doubttcUyAnawoj; wJU Joyful apQoptanco."
H ''Uijt-jl'ionn Pruo, j-cadjMvith oh
W Jootlons.
Ifl Lillian lajd a 900.1, rcsti fining hand on
1 Pruo'a talirttflvcroilttle rnouth. "IlollaVo mo.
m Prudcmcla, ho will bo too shy ever to toll
H lior he didn't wrlto it "
H "iri&ray! Thoy'll get engaged at last'"
H cried bolly, Jll,ngfng' a sola cushion to tho
m coillnt in gloo.
H "Wu'll glvo Jipr, otwHolj scries or lovely
H showoja," plonthm 1fu l&nnlly
H &t tlixit'"ownTrsmjn1 tiulte oil iho
H sauarL" I bogatL4ajri(ll)cl wHU doubt
j pi .ubhjilnbllyTinohimy
M "Oi r doai'-ljyLJloCpmhjiliw! Gawgp nli'-
ton,"cooUanilatiijj7lnglJ5.
H "I ihlnk AVtrvo got a peiTed llghC to
H poko lp such a turtle as Julian floss," said
H Prao on tho tloronBlyc. "He'll never get
H there without punching."
"Oi ofcyWvI5r3gUcn. tha labia or the
'ToitqisQ flflJij.jioCft."' I landed Her
H perversely.
'Tortoiao and Hat V Jcorod Dolly.
"VvWts tim got 4o doivvuir'ttutios'?"
"WoU; h toj tolso," I lnjyun imtlOitiy
"is a tomb," 'donned Doll, with mls
chlovolfs dyds, anrt lnflr Is' somdthlng
bought' by tho yowl roirHho puri5so iiCf
milking" pumwii Isli'tj that light, Ml&s LtlHKrt
Vttn Duson oriN'Yawlr?" " '
t'You trills- don't 'caro 'alTythlnglitibotif
Htoiatittot" I blurtdrt out u t l '
( i'Moh OIlalU",, reprovod LHllanr' 'giving
my aim a playful tap ,,Llterffmr& is no
longer monlloned in polltS circles, and as
roi your silly fnblcs-poun" "
Lllllftn was my room-mate, and us-hnllv
I admit ed lior iromondously, but some
Hint's, ds now, she mad' my wat m yoiing
Callfoinla blood boll Indeed, I was ragltJg
at all our crowd at Hie inoineitt"whcn thoy
seconded Lillian's words with cries or
"Mama's Mttlo baby doll!" arid "Hack to
tho nursery!" ami "Ilomemher you'ro got
ting to bo a big girl now, Prosnloi"
Meantime, Dolly hHd flown to Iho typo
wrlter arid -was nolsly rolltng tho paper
into position Sho clacked out tho dato
April 17, 1000. "Say, who'-s going to cOm
poso this?" she ciamandod.
"Miss Proshriian Dotty, tho authotity on
literature," suggested Llllltnv'wlih mock
lng dercioncp "
"siiio, lot Pieshlo do It?" cried Dolly,
voicing tho slogan or upperclassmen tho
wot Id ovor.
"Oh," said I, lortily unconscious or Ui
dab or rudgo on my noso, "I resign In faypt
or Miss Lillian Van Dusen, tho nuthorHy
on loo. I'm Judging, or cours&. by thyso
rat epistles I in lng her rrom tlio post
otTluo ovory day or two Tho bluo onS, l
moan, with 'Ilotum to II. K., Joisoy City,'
In' tho corner.'' I Avas giailllod to sos
Lillian start. Sh looked a littlo hurt, also,
but I was too angry to stop thon. f"l
guoss sho hid to como out to our scrjib
westom collego Tor a year to find ouHrhc
could iwilly lovo lliu poor ,mnn or nti"
I hung the woids at random, not guessing
how nonr I tame to hitting Hie marit.
TIioko was a moment or palnrtil sUojiee,
then Dolly began clattertng away at -the
machine "Well, Io begun it 'Jlcloxwr
how's that" sho lnaulrod.
Pruo thrust a pencil Into Lillian's hand
"Ydu wilto It," she oonimandodj "then
we'll talk It over, Dolly shall topy It, and
Pieshlo heie, who's too young to gLvo
suggestions, shall run over to the post
ofneo and mall It."
Thoro was an Interval or silence, then
Dolly pooped over Lillian's shoulder,
"Why, doailo, that's no proposal," she
said "You havonH said 'Will you marry
mo?' at all.''
"Oh, roally," icmaikod Lillian, "do you
think that's nocessary?"
Dolly looked puzzled "Why, yes, I al
ways thought so. ir It isn't why, Pruo!"
sho cried, clutching her nionil around the
sho cried, clutching her menu arounu uio
nock. "I'll bet Pvo had Just busholfc or
offors and never known It. Isn't It awrul.
I'm going to resign my presidency or the
'Lomon Club' right away."
When tho drart was finished, Dolly and
Pruo declared It was Tar too mild "Why,
It's a sort or a love letter all right," said
Pine slowly, "but it might havo boon
writton by a gl to a man Just as woll.
or courso, Julian Is rathor a slbw proposi
tion put when I got his sfgiiaUito flown
at tho bottom I guoss ttll lib all ight,"
she decided. 'I pirn -fmltrfVb -anybody's '
writing," slio docldfod1 b'baftflly, "'ovbh
thD iiyMtnlcr iftqib mus'ojmi'"4 '5(! "
"YtfjfLj5.flflf(i pUirifng,i6'rl)i!a fiAi.
art y,f InqffiiccV Ljfl'th fbrlHJy "
wisdom."1 ' , ' ' " '7
"Sure, what's1 'the ntw TnaulrOd Pruo
blithely. ' " l, 1J "
"Just some loVe name wouftJ lntur rar
leys rlflk," lnJlftod;LMllfln!,'8ftzhr tho ftp
so wo" lei ifof he tier ny;' ' '
The jotter wpi (tfly sfelea, sfonfped 'd
dullvcrcd Into tyy til)Sylllln haWds'. "'Swear
on your honor as & Ltrniort tifl'f; Vou'll tnaff
ill" eiTcTiTjTniy,ariiunT--riiaTrui or mjr
loyalty. So I sworo. '
iI)tltBsl, IpQdfcthroulliilSoj'tfelisrafld quad
gi'unfkfrd Jo j!5ysoirCheyioUght tonggt
. good, sound shaking Tor this!" I stormed.
Vollj-as-lt happened, thoy got tho shaking
all right, but ploasodon't blame mo for
tho''Stfil!Jraricisco oarthquakc.'
If 'arft A ltto ishanlbd to conrcss that
I.mudt li'dVU sjdbt through the flist sccbrtd
oV'ftSnlP'pgislbly mf capacity fosidep
v'hldMh, nHt Tno miss" It all' ir Lillian
htfdnUVak'oned iho wlth'cbd iiarids clutch
fng irfynrfik, artd a qudvoffng try: "Whai
Is U, rQ1 Oh, what Is it?"
"A rtal 'Western earthquake, specially
!rdf y-ybu;" I olfattcrcd, trying to grin
W-,-llVdi!SwiV"F Won't Jast lorfg "'
' nut Vt tlld wbfd, down liounced ft groat
chimney tbncr '1 felt myserr si!ding-,and
prestfaF'i wtfs Iri the pat'lor, avstory bolow,
am'id a scVchming, crary lot or girls, soma
with latfirobps,' iomo without 'Oh, olH
The quail's In ruins" crlctl a girl at ''tho
wlrfdow, wbo tuined out to b6 Pfufc In
her plnk-fiannelcd nightl6. "The church Is
goribl I s-saw tho tower tumble'" walled
a mai'd In bcrlbboned negligee whom I
rorognlsSed as Dqlly. Dut high and above
Vn'c'so cries I heard tho screaming1 or girls
tmnflscuicd hi tholr rooms by the' ear th
qtiakVs lock-twisting 'powers. Quickly
vb rochied t rescue ' parties ' to help tho
rrlglite'ncd gills but over thc transoms.
rew hjott students canto rrom some
where " arid battcfed " dbwn 1Kb locked
doors Tho matron appeared, fully clothed,
anif exortod her usual balmlng lnnucnce,
then with, one accord vo flew to our
rooms to "write home" about It. I think
Lillian and I were the last persons to
pass through tho ruined quad tb tho tele
graph Qfflco bororo tho ropes were strung
and guards stallondd. Fbr once, Lillian
had no small talk. "IPs so big and nerco
and powerful 1" she kept saying, with
ipv'e, and yot a sort or satisfaction, too.
Slfangje, Isn't It, what' a real satlsrac
tpn most or us take In a great calamity?
Piov'fdlng, of course, wo ourselves aro
not bci caved ribr" greatly Impoverished.
Critical Lillian had been swept on her
rbotj- rbr once.
"itfol "iiiitily? minutes passed beroro wc
learned that San Ft ftnclsco trwasi rulnori,
bhrnng. JAll day lonfer wo hoard Hie dlst
tant bbotn or dynamite wlthr whlch-
strango paradox flrb'rchcckod tho marcli
bf tli$ flflmos,-
Vo met at prorcssdr's houses and Joy
rully patkbd clothing Tor tho surfeicis We
sped our bravo collego men on tholr way
to aldv flro nro-nghiors--all with an
excited rebllng that days or chivalry wcro
back again and wo wero roal heroines or
romance. ' How v,o prided oursolvos t.n
being "imol" How loudly we urged the
suporTflrity or tho 'college Spirit In times
or stress A very soir-consclous gari
noss, as I sb 'It nowl nut ws wcio
gloriously young.
Sleeping lrt tho opon was a lark, of
course, and to a crowd or Impressionable
girls the ' Tact that a volunteer student
guard did Sentry duty to prj (ct us rrom
pbsslblo barm waft very tin trig
''Hut I wdll, I was a hoalthy lump or .1
rroshman, and on thd third night I tin t w
mysoir down on my mattress with ih? do
clarod Intention or slcoplng immediately
and" rorover, llut Lillian tumod and
tossed porsistontly. Arter bolnp iwikon
8d Tor the third tlmo, my lnstan-inoous
heator or a tempor bogan to buz7. 'What
on oarth is tho mattor with you, Lll?" I
gi owlod.
"Don't bo crnnkv, notty dear,' I'triod
Lillian In a volco I had novsr bolnrc
ndard fiom her. '1-f-Pm rojoHn' laihoi
rricran, y'know, abomt that letter wd C-ikod
up ror StoHat -"Wo ljouJdnt Jmv. duno
It, Freshman."
"' "OhD1" J chuckle via myself, )ntt ulto
noiselessly. t
"I thought it was clovor-at ha U:nc. "
went on tho penitent voice, "but now -woll,
this earthquake has Just majth 11
Tool small and and jnoanF Pjj05h'v doar
Oh, we shouldn't hove- dono it' alio
muscrt on dreamily. ''What arp wi but
mortals 7 What right havo wo to- "
"Attempt to usurp the dlylno proroo
wmsmmmmummm
tlvo?"j I finished cocklly, Just to ahow
her I know a rc,w big words myseir. i
( 1 "Well' conflnucd Lllllant dropping
rrom ethical hdlghts to- a moro ramlllairj
earthly, foothold, "I havo a feeling thai
somehow. Stella tpund out wJho sent it, bpJ
cause sho has very pointedly avoided mo
tho last two days. Why, I haven't even
seen her slnco that first morning."
"bh," said I, with affected careless
less 'I understand they're living In
Oakland slnco they're married."
"Married!"
"Why, yes," I went on In a mattdr-df-fact
tono. "Roddy Hunter Just camo back
rrom 'Frisco today, and ho Bald thoy wdre
married at his rathcr's parsonage Wcd
ndsday evening."
"Quick work!" floated Lillian. "Why,
sho dduldn't possibly have got that note,
until Wednesday morning. That certain
ly Was somo loter, Freshmanl"
' I couldn't see Lillian's r co, but I .'ould
Talrly reel her smile or gratified vinlty.,
"Oh, Stella didn't get tho note, after all,".
I said languidly. 1
"Why not?"
"Julian rushed her up to San iViri-i
clsco In a machine, early In the montn-j.j
Her folks live there, you knbw ih.'.V
round her ramlly all right, but their t
homo was a wreck so gallant Julian mif-,
rled her right away and took them all lo
his Tather's houso In Oakland." ,
"So she didn't got tho letter," repeated
Lillian. (I could tell rrom her tono that
although sho was relieved, sho was some
what disappointed as well.) "Well, any
way," she exulted, "It took an earthquake
to make him tumblo'"
"Oh, no," I contradicted her; "Roddy
Hunter says they've been engaged ror
two solid years."
I waited confidently.
"What will they think when sho geis
that letter?" cried Lillian In constcrna
Hon.
"Sho won't get It," said I sweetly.
"Or. courso she'll get It In tlmo, Fresh
man." Lillian's tone was Irritated and
lorty.
"No, sho won't"
I could reol Lillian's oyes searching my
face." "You pworo you'd mall It," Bho
said accusingly.
"Did mail It," I reiortcd, "but I didn't
put It In tho local slot."
"Whoro, then?" Lillian's tono was sus
picious. "Eastern," said I, enjoying myseir. (
"What?" c
"I put It in a nice cloan envelope and
sont It along to Now York or rathor
Jorscy City."
"You darod!" bogan Lillian, raiding hor
seir on ond elbow.
"I've always been taught to emulate the
grave and reverend seniors," said I piously.
Lillian sank back weakly. "I I really
believe I'm glad to got It settled," sho
murmured to hcrgclr, quite happily. "I
don't know what's como over me, but I
I think I'm going to like being married,"
I resolutely turned my back, "ir wo'ro
over goln.g to get to sleep " I began
pettishly.
"Listen!" whispered Lillian, still In J
that dreamy tono or wonder.
Tho tramp or root camo nearer, passed
us and rotreated down Lovers' Lano.
"Midnight, and a'all's well!" quavered a
riQShman's treble, and deop-throated.
"A-all's well!" echoed over tho quiet
campus.
"Woll, pleaso do lot's got to snoring
now," said I, In a long-sufrorlng tono, tt)
forestall rurther sontlmontal maunder
lugs.
"Good-night, notty Steele, you dcarj
runny, old child, you I" breathed Lillian
Into my oar. "Somo day you'll know
all about It, sho addod, with tnnpeeni
egotism.
I turned my back. I resolutely oloscd
my oyes. nut in splto or my vaunted
will powtr, two hot tears cropt down my
cjicoks, and I lay thoro thinking about
that boy back homo (In Mllpltas) whb
was such an ovorlasUngly slow turtlei
Ho's a turtlo yot, goodness knows. Ana
I'm still signing mysoir
BETTY STEELE,