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While the Automobile Ran Down, by Charles Battell Loomis

The Naked Word
electronic edition of
While the Automobile Ran Down
A Christmas Extravaganza
by Charles Battell Loomis, 1901



IT was a letter to encourage a hesitating lover, and certainly Orville Thornton,
author of "Thoughts for Non-Thinkers," came under that head. He received it on a
Tuesday, and immediately made up his mind to declare his intentions to Miss
Annette Badeau that evening.
But perhaps the contents of the letter will help the reader to a better
understanding of the case.
"DEAR ORVILLE: Miss Badeau sails unexpectedly for Paris on the day after
Christmas, her aunt Madge having cabled her to come and visit her. Won't you
come to Christmas dinner? I've invited the Joe Burtons, and of course Mr.
Marten will be there, but no others--except Miss Badeau.
"Dinner will be at sharp seven. Don't be late, although I know you won't, you
human time-table.
"I do hope that Annette will not fall in love in Paris. I wish that she would
marry some nice New Yorker and settle near me. I've always thought that you
have neglected marriage shamefully.
"Remember to-morrow night, and Annette sails on Thursday. Wishing you a Merry
Christmas, I am,
"Your old friend,
"HENRIETTA MARTEN."
Annette Badeau had come across the line of Orville's vision three months before.
She was Mrs. Marten's niece, and had come from the West to live with her aunt at
just about the time that the success of Thornton's book made him think of
marriage.
She was pretty and bright and expansive in a Western way, and when Thornton met
her at one of the few afternoon teas that he ever attended he fell in love with
her. When he learned that she was the niece of his lifelong friend, Mrs. Marten,
he suddenly discovered various reasons why he should call at the Marten house
once or twice a week.
But a strange habit he had of putting off delightful moments in order to enjoy
anticipation to its fullest extent had caused him to refrain from disclosing the
state of his heart to Miss Badeau, and so that young woman, who had fallen in
love with him even before she knew that he was the gifted author of "Thoughts
for Non-Thinkers," often wished to herself that she could in some way give him a
hint of the state of her heart.
Orville received Mrs. Marten's letter on Christmas Eve, and its contents made
him plan a schedule for the next evening's running. No power on earth could keep
him away from that dinner, and he immediately sent a telegram of regret to the
Bell-wether of the Wolves' Club, although he had been anticipating the Christmas
gorge for a month.
He also sent a messenger with a note of acceptance to Mrs. Marten. . . .