The Project Gutenberg EBook of Cupid's Middleman, by Edward B. Lent

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Title: Cupid's Middleman

Author: Edward B. Lent

Illustrator: H. B. Matthews

Release Date: March 8, 2010 [EBook #31561]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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[Illustration: cover]

CUPID'S MIDDLEMAN

[Illustration: CUPID'S MIDDLEMAN.]

CUPID'S
MIDDLEMAN

BY

EDWARD B. LENT

AUTHOR OF "BEING DONE GOOD"

ILLUSTRATED BY
H. B. MATTHEWS

NEW YORK
CUPPLES & LEON

Copyright, 1906, by
CUPPLES & LEON

TO MY FRIEND,

HERBERT F. GUNNISON,

OF THE

BROOKLYN EAGLE.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

CUPID'S MIDDLEMAN _Frontispiece_

"WHY, WHO IN THE WORLD COULD HAVE WRITTEN THIS
NONSENSE?" LAUGHED HYGEIA 214

"YOU ADVERTISE ROOMS FOR LIGHT HOUSEKEEPING" 238

"I WROTE IT, GABRIELLE--AND FORGIVE ME" 286

"I CAME TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU, MR. TESCHERON" 322

PREFACE

John Alden was a celebrated Cupid's middleman. In presenting the cause
of Miles Standish to Priscilla, however, he did not attend strictly to
business as a jobber. He was not able to resist the lady when she asked:
"Why don't you speak for yourself, John?" That famous question has
practically made it impossible for the middleman to make much headway in
the assumed part. Benjamin Hopkins, of Oswegatchie County, was not a
traitor--perhaps because he never met the fair Priscillas face to face.

This story can teach no new lesson; it can only recall the ancient
wisdom which filled Miles Standish when it was too late. In the poem by
Longfellow, the Plymouth Captain says:

"* * * I should have remembered the adage--
If you would be well served, you must serve yourself; and moreover,
No man can gather cherries in Kent at the season of Christmas!"