Challenges

Hello Dear Reader,
When Lois and Mary were old enough to date their father, (Laning Hall) gave them a bad time. He was a champion checker player but he was also a tease. Every young man that came calling was challenged to a game of checkers. The purpose of this was to see if the boys had enough brains to be worthy of Laning’s daughters. The girls stood and fumed while their dad soundly trounced whoever they had a date with.

One time Mary had a date with someone she “couldn’t have cared less for,” but wanted to see a movie that he had invited her to. Her dad dragged him into the living room and made him play checkers. Mary asked her mother, “Why does he want to test him? I wouldn’t have him if you’d give him to me.”

It didn’t matter. Whoever came calling played checkers with Laning. I think the ordeal was worse for the girls than it was for their dates.
Love,
Aunt Genni