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About The Coos Bay times. (Marshfield, Or.) 1906-1957 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 25, 1915)
ikA : t " r 1 V, v MrWdtfihriMiWaaifi KagKg-riiiB witmvA eswjimbw -i iiiiBimiimhlHill IBIttawwiwtarerittgaigigfiSHMTTnTfii MlajliitfilsMliiLliJiUAIlilJIi SJ D 0 begin with Fleming was h successful mcrchunt und hud mado modest for tune. So ho dccld nl to rctlie. HIh BllOp wan turned over to u couple of his lieu irnantb they paid lli nnd owed it Hue fnr fl.n enod will. G. F. Co. the stylo and titlo tin- lie had won bucccbs wis ltd- lieutenants bavo iono so well, indeed, that thoy crsc to Fleming') nnrnn bc- InctMrl nf Itlflr OWD. fof ic thing and private life nn- i flcorcc Fleming had tuken T, had long ago been nettled laid In full Ho might liuvo oney with tho Arm; ho dc- evcr, to put it into norac- r. icertaln ns to the cxncl na se Investments. All I know i Is that ten yearn later tbey badly, leaving Georgo I-'Icui- I lurch and past hit) prime. c to start all oer again," '"I'm not beaten Thero a prork In rae. ' and ho tupped fas enough of hie money left fresh, nnd ho had decided uld le London, nnd even Ox- it, an In Hie old dnjH. It i him that he might rc-cntor - TETTY Ada Manley rrino Lane's dainty sitting room in it i bomewuat htormy mood. She (lung down an open let ter and stamped a rebellious 1 1 1. tl o foot. "Now. here's Aunt the said, "dictating to mo all do with every cent of tho uncle Ben left me, and I'm Ive earned my own living for hue says I am earnlnc live on, so I needn't touch p'a legacy. She wants mo to her Saturday and sho will i bow lo nvest It. Sim r.ivh Ih her hands of mo forever if penny of It. Well, sho may. had n really cood time In nd I'm going to have one UROLGH the open windows of thu ltt lt white houso tume tho sounds of clnglng and occa sionally one would catch a glimpse of the bongetresa as she moved back and forth from ta- I I0OE ennni-h n.,n ,...i.i ,u . .--- --eu uuu V.UUIU uin liaa wan no inl , 1-..1 I r voice to listen to. Borne IVUEUSt mnrnln !.-.,- .1 HJu "MWfctos odor of ...c uuo wa9 irying olander of nut-brown beau- 'ue oacK or tbo etove. iHTU . i ... . , iiiw ittwicrowa- ed another niece of 1 1 Qod tnto thu old -.v, uuu BlUUJIlOg down dextrously caused the pies on the top and bottom .b6lves to change Places When the oven door was onco rose ,m .... 05eu upon Ind .J.j iU crner or fche V.l ".,a..e(J coeH Deii i:e,:il ne "r a at WO..M-. uc iq wo?n hlncB VvTr . "ck couldn't I a W..0' .at Jason locktnV ur "B "ckerB, Iing annoyed hlm-thA his old firm, buy back a share tn it, or tako somo high position. It wuo yearn since he had been in Loudon n u brendw Inner. A few days hero and thero with the wife nnd glrlf, stopping at a good hotel and doing u round of shops and theaters such was hlB more recent contact with tho city. Today he found himself there a a petitioner, nnd already at Paddlngtou somo of bin coinage seemed to go. u daze began (o thicken hln idenn, and ho found somo relief in tho knowledge that ho had a little money behind him nnd Jingling sovereigns In his troun crs pocketB. A stiff brandy and soda helped him to enter the many-windowed frontage of Messrs. O. F. Fleming & Co. with out to great a sense of its oppressive hugeness. To think that all this space and vastness had started from his own modest enterprise in tho cosier 80'a Department after department un folded itself, now, undreamt of in his time. At last with au effort ho col lected himself nnd sought out the counting houso and next the private roomo of hie successors. If be were to make a proposal he must do it now. The two partners they had come to him an apprentices received him warmly. He must go out to lunch with them; he must give tbcm one hour two. They oeeniod to have no idea of bis recent losers and be couldn't very well broach tho nubject without a sacrlflce of pride. Ho let tho moment slip, the opportunity. The figures they dropped no cuhubIIj startled him. What uoo wan hln rmall J II s 1 4r- w '. now. Just hb boon us I read the law yer's letter about the money I knew what I should do. I'm going to have somo nice clothes made, stylish and right, and I'm going to Mocassett lo stay three solid weeks and pretend to myself that I wun born with a gold spoon in my mouth. I want to know how It feels' 'to' Bpend money, and T want to forget that I'm a little flfteen-dollar-a-weelt stenographer, and that all the living reluttvo I huvo is can tunkcrous Aunt Harriet. But, of course, I can't go alone. You'll go with me, won't you, dear Miss Cather ine? Pleaso aay you will, clso iny castles in the air wilt all fall." "But why, my dear child, do jou choose a placo so far away and so ex pensive? Thero are pretty, wjulcl ttum nicr resorts much nearer." "Don't you see, dear Mint Cather ine, that I couldn't feel half so gold- spoony If I was liable ut any time io Every once In a while Molllc Wade skillfully rescued one from thu hot fat with the ad of a long skewer and add ed it to tho pile. Perhaps It was the voice of tbo girl as sho naug. Perhaps It was the fra grant nmell of the dougbnuts. It might have been tho fault of both. At any rate a weary knight of tho load, first cousin to John Barleycorn, rous ed from bis morning siesta, looked longingly toward the llttlo white house. A few minutes later Mollle wao in terrupted In her work and In her song by a knock at tho Bide door, and, open ing It, found herself face to face with a tiamp vvhoue apologetic attitude and "olce could not belle hlo true charac law ontered. "Mercj-, Martha, but it's hot In here Tbat stove of j'oura is worse than a furnace When jou going to get one of those wJckleoB ones? If you want roe I'll meet j-ou tomorrow and help jou select one." Martha slowly raised her downcast eyes to tbe other's inquiring gaz. " Twouldn't be no use to meet mo. El len, I'm not going to get one of tnose stoves this summer after all. Jason says tbat be needs all tbe money be can get to help pay for that strip of meadowand he is going to buy from Luke Hardy " "Well. I'd like to know Aud be aft er telling Will only the other day that he expected to make enough out of this year's crops to more than pay for Better capital to such us they, and all his knowledge and experience so lonj.' out dated? When they uhook hands and separated Fleming hnd Bald nothing that touched his own concerns. lu bin day, he reflected, the most prosperous shopkeeper would nothavo been admitted to the palatial club where tbey had entertained him. The claret had warmed him and no had the friendliness. These two jouug men well, perhaps they wore not no very young, ho reflected theso two young men utlll hud a sense of grati tude, u dnsh of sentimentality ubout about the old relationship, and no doubt, If ho had asked, they might have found Homo place for him. But u partnership, or even a position of re sponsibility, that was too rosy a dream. Ho recognized now that bo wan past Tbo very fashions of all these wom en In tho streets of London were bc jond him; there was nothing like them nt home, nolthcr In the village nor In tho county town. A woman dressed ns they were dressed would have been regurded as a show He Btopped on the pavement and watched them Once ho had known all about It the very latest thing and tho fashions of tho coming season. Toda he stood nonplussed or gazed Into shop windows. It was beyond him the clothes they wore, tho way they cur ried them, and stranger still thy per sonality behind the clothes. Tho fumes and mental stir or that expensive luncheon lasted until C o'clock and Fleming hnd gradually be recognized by bomebody as ono of Bent & Co.'o stenographers? And I don't want a quiet place. No, I must go to Mocassett. Now. please, plense say jou will go with me!" Miss Cathcrluo did not at ouco con sent; but when she realized what the project meant to Ada nbe at lust yield ed. A mouth later an impecunious ad- venturer, stylish of ulr and clothing, walking along a terrace at Mocatnett, spoke low to George Arnold, tutor and companion to the Invalid heir of a wealthy house: "Have jou seen that Miss Manley who arrived this afternoon wilh n One-appearing elderly woman? The glrl'u u corker for looks; hair nnd ejes ns black as jour hat, and, Judging by her rlothes and general appear ance, she'a got money, nut I'll find out before 1 fall In lovo with her. No ter. Mollle hastily agreed to his mum bled demand for good; glud to shut the door upon his visage. Alouo in the house she fully realized that she was entirely at bis mcrcj. What could she give him to get rid of him at oncoV Her ejes fell upon the pllo of doughnuts und with trembling lingers she hastily filled a big with the brown beauties. Meanwhile fate was having ito owu particular frolic with Mollle Wade. While sho was busily filling tho bag with doughnuta the arrival of a young man on tho scene was the cause of the tramp's abrupt departure. Just as the voung man reached out his hand to grasp the brass knocker Mollle Wudo cautiously opened the door far enough knows that there isn't a farm within miles that is paying as well as his n or n farmer that has as good tools to w ork w ith. They know, too, that there isn't a woman within the same dis tance that has as little to do with as jou havo and it's all jour own fault, Martha Vale "If jou hadn't always given In to Jason things would never have been so bad Look at that chair there Do you suppote tbat any other woman would have sat quietly by and Jet tbelr husband uail It up because be d dn t like to see it rocked? What about Ibe things that Jason does that you don t like? "Ob I know what jou're going to . And If It', true It's Just because ""'" BOft 0I tor"" TU.'arSi i-rfflSrr-- Days drifted back to his hotel to discover that ho was cnpablc of what hln pbysl clun called "depression." So fur ho hnd always regarded thin an u dis tressful and uncomfortable complaint which seized on women, leaving tbo stonier sex Immune. He dined alone dejectedly, feeling his race wan run. A late hour found him iu the crowded streets, stilt shak en, stilt bruised, and gathering knowl edge of his own futility. A hansom cab met with iu tho Strand bad given him a momentary thrill. Ho wan not the sole survivor. And again, lu the line of vehicles out sldo an emptying theater he had de tected a carriage and pair amonjt tho shining horde of gnoollno-drlven cars. But mostly ho had wandered nlieu and strange a doulzeu of tho 19th century at largo In tho 20th. Ho recalled a book he had lead about the planet Mars. This life, thin city, and ltn peoplo might have be longed up there. In a few brief veiirs tbey had changed to Martians while ho still kept the easier ways of earth It was a fancy, and unaccustomed flight. It pursued bira all the way t.t bis hotel;' and In bed he lay awake, von dtrlug where In this new clly of speed of tubes, of taxis, of motor buset, of overpowering buildings fed bj eleva tors, of unaccustomed light and filnrc, nnd gasoline Btench and motor Lorns wondering where In it all remained k place for him. The hansom, hu re membered, bad crawled along eniptj. Just so would ho crawl If he innic back here. L 1 1 i 1 By Ethelred ESkiis impccunlouy fair one for jour little Willie. Tho girl I marrj' must have rocks as well ns looks." "So jou'd mnrrj a woman for her money?" "Bet jour life I would and tho more the better." Tho two men happened to meet again In the evening. "No danger in telling jou, Arnold." said the adventurer, "seeing you'd scorn to marry a girl for her monej1. I've found out about Miss Mauley. She's the daughtor of old HI Manley, who got rich in the laundry boap busi ness. She's worth millions if she's worth a cnt. Now, I shall proceed lo get Introduced In proper style, and then watch mo raako love to the coap millionairess. 0, I shall love her, all right. Don't jou worry. I could love a girl with that amount of money If ohe weie as homoly ns a hedge fence, to admit the passage of the bag, shov ed It into the outstretched hand and with assumed bravery ordered tha re ceiver to be off The joung man stared in umazemtnt from the bag in his hand to the door which bad Just banged shut In hlc face. 7 here was still u puzzled oxprexslon 011 his face as he passed down the steps and out upon the road. So pre occupied was he in wondering why the pretty vision In pink had ordered him from the door that it was not until be reached his own house tbat bo discov ered he was still holding tbo paper bag that bad been thrust Into bin hand. Curiosity prompted him to open It. A delicious fragrance assailed his nos trils and the sight of the coutcutb re est way for you, Martha. What you need Is a little more spunk. "Do jou suppose tbat because Jason is my own brother that I can't sen hie faults?' It isn't that be means to be bard, either It's Just a habit that has sprouted and grown considerable un der jour meekness. Martha Vale, If jou want to get any happiness In this life with Jason, jou've got lo handle him differently," For somo time after her tlbter-in-law had left Martha Vale sat staring out upon tbe most prosperous farm In tho whole country From there her gaze slowly traveled back to ibe poor ly furnished kitchen, lo tbo dlngv old table-olleloth with Its numerous cracks and gashes, the unpainted walls and back to tbe Utett lmfc.gI.aBnm A h 6 H fl The train whereon George Fleming returned, crestfallen and despondent, took him to n west-country town whenco he would drive honicvvniil In r flj, or he could walk tho short three miles and let the fishmonger bring out bis bag. Ho decided to walk. It wan early In tho afternoon, and fresh from Ixmdon this place had a sweetness, an air of settled puice. From the moment ho disembarked at tho simple station a little of his cour age came back nnd some of his old power. In High street ho paused, and for tho first time since he bad known that somnolent thoroughfare ho loitered; actually loitered. Hitherto speaking commercially ond in respect to the shops be had always regarded F.lms ford ns "a one-ejed place;" it wan his own term for It. "A one-eyed placo" was Elmsford; ho had said so fre quently, nnd Elrasford had taken it without complaint. Tho county town made uo protenro hud never aped tho metropolitan. It filled up on market dnys; it served the ulabler needs of tbo surrouuding gentry; it was crowded again on Fri day and Saturday nights when tho la boring folic drew their wages. Ueorgo Fleming looked at It and found him self once uioro within the 19th cen tury. He loitered, and tho women who passed gazed at bis well-known figure. A few of them bowed respectfully. Hero tbey stood In awe of him; here llic drensed like human belncn and he fts. "w iH3 jOi IW ' o icnu Urn- and Miss Mauley's a beauty." The introduction was obtained nnd the ndvnnturcr began to use all his arts to win tho supposed heiress. Ada, intoxicated by her new life, with Its freedom from dally toll and its gnjetj-, was flattorcd by tho attentions of the debonair young man aud eoou fancied herself In lovo with him. His manner toward Miss Lane was perfection It self, and the old lady, usually so astute, believed in him and liked him. George Arnold remained iu the background, merely tbo tutor of young Richard French, but Ada's eyes often followed him somewhat wistfully ;s he walked with his charge. She was not conscious of any special attraction to ward him. She fully meant to nay "yen" to tho adventurer when he should ask tbo all-Important question that his manner toward brr left no doubt of hln Intention to nuk warded bli eyeb and tempted bis pal ate. Ho ute one and immediately reached in the bag for another. A fourth followed tbe third and still be was uot satisfied. When tbe bottom of the bag was finally reached still an other surprise awaited him. There, In the midst of a few remaining crumbs, reposed a dainty gold brooch. The young man bad no doubts as to who was Kb owner, aud despite his reception of tbe morning, felt t keen sense of pleasure In the knowledge that his discovery necessitated another visit to the little white house. The following morning Mollle Wade waa again Interrupted in her tasks by a knock at the door. Vision of tbo tramp returning came to her. This time, how ever, she had not so much tbe old, cracked and badly warped stove that had belonged to his mother. Ellen's words kept resounding in her ears, aud as the pondered on them she became so excited tbat she oven attempted to rock the chair she was still sitting in, and didn't realize what she was doing until a series of uncom fortable Jerks recalled ber to tbe situ ation Brushing back tbe damp clinging locks of balr she rose listlessly with a halt-vague Idea to get tbe kitchen rool and tidy before Jason returned. And then, born of her long-smouldtrlng sense of lujustlce which had been kin dled Into life by her elster-in-Uw s words, Martba Vale rebelled A few hours later when Jason re- JJUfleWmtBjnifJftE . L- 1 -A 1L. ffrffiTTiflif?iyEriiftr3ffHiH lould underntand them he could man tcr them. It seemed familiar ground. A vacant shop front caught hln oje, quite cIohc to Martini, tho leading diapers. Ho looked In nt Martin's. Yes, ho could do ns well an thn. and belter; fnr better. More glass, a moro varied display; tho fellow had no taste, no sense of contrast, or balance; he crowded thlngn, Georgo Fleming Blood there ns 'i critic, a past master. He could hold hlo own with Martin's: ho could smunh them If It enma to it. He knew his business. Thero wns the vacant shop closo by, George Fleming swelled with pow er again: hln deep dejection hnd passed off, leaving him joung, fertile nnd full of the methods that hnd won him bin Oxford street succcbs. Andrew Martin camo out of tbo nhop and greeted the illustrious master. The two men knew ono another; Uicy both sat on the County Council. But fnr above that distinction wns Fleming's past. Id Martln'o eyes he was a classic. He wan tho original proprietor of G P. Fleming & Co.. he. was limitless, he was immortal. So might a Jourucy mau painter feel In tho presence of Sargent or n small ndvellst greet the august shape of Calne. '"I'm thinking of starting a business here." tnld Fleming. "I'm going bnck to it again. Had too much loafing" "Here lu Elmsford?" asked Androw Martin. "Rlmsford Milln me." I .! flWWHp,- It bad not been asked on the uveii lug that ho accosted Arnold with un usual excitement of innnner. "fc'aj, Arnold," ho said. "I'm stung all right. Cbap here this afternoon on u (ljiug trip says HI Manlcy's daughter ban red balr and she's In Europe now, Sajo he's dead suro this glrl'a a stenogra pher that he's noticed in a big whole sale house back in Aldena. Mighty lucky I hadn't got engaged to her" "Mighty lucky for her," growled Ar nold. "What do you say?" "I say that jou arc a low-down rep tile, and If jou don't mnko yourself scarce quick I'll throw jou over tho wall." Tho adventurer, moro discreet than plucky, walked rapidly away and a moment afterward Arnold went lu the opposlto direction. Then n burning eyed Ada arose from a rustic seat ucur caute for fear. Aunt Letty wan it home. She was nevertheless agreo ably hurprlsed when the open door re vealed a good-looking young man In place of the tramp she half expected to see Tbe new minister introduced him balf and taking tho gold brooch from his pocket bauded It to Molllo Wade. "This, I believe, Is your property," he said with a faint smile, Mollis Wade gazed at tho brooch iu glad amazement. "My pin," she cried. "I never expected to see it again. I lost it yesterday and after scarrblug the bouse from top to bottom felt cer tain tbat It bad dropped Into tho bag of doughnuta I gave a tramp. Where on earth did you find it?" The buiIIc 011 tho minister'.! face By Elsie Endieolt little kitchen, became uubeaiuble. "Whew, Martha, but It's hot In here What you been dolug?" "Working," was Martha's ron chalant reply an she moved vigorously back and forth In the rocklng-ihalr that now could rock while Jason star ef in open-mouthed umazement at bis once meek wife now grown defiant. The days which followed were but a repetition of each other, during which meal hours bocame a source of tor ture to Jasbu, and during which time dsiplto an unusral amount of labor It was not uutll the end of a week of such treatment that Jason evinced any signs of weakening. One evening returning alter an unusually hard day In the hot sun to a still hotter kitchen. 1-- I .. .- .-.--...-..r-.r, m i "Not ns a draper?" For it seemed in credible, nnd in Andrew Martin's cyen 11 seemed a threat. "1'vo Jusl been having a look round lu London My old Arm will back mr t mn buy with them, and they'll aend mo lines thej'vn overBtocked. I'm afraid I'll he in a position to cut prices, but business Is business." Ho wnn romancing, yet ho could nee It nil bo plninl.v He might havu the uce of that great name, and tho two pnrtneni would help him. Ho would profit by their immense, purchases their direct accounts with agenta and manufacturers. He needn't fiddle along with usurious go-between and small-parrel prices. Poor Andrew Martin saw It, too. Hero was the tnawter come out of s prolonged retirement. "You're Joking," lit forced himself to say; but Fleming, ntcrn and formidable, assured him to the contrary nnd mentioned that he must be moving. Tho following morning he eat at breakfast with his wlfo and daughters. A slnglo letter had come by tho first post. Ho read It. Tho thing was aston ishing; it was ourprlslug. And yet . . . Martin's haj aBked him to reconsider bis decision. A partner ship might be arranged, they said. They would not be difficult an to terms, nnd united tbey could do rooro than In opposition. "I've frightened them," ho cried, throwing the letter across to Mrs. Fleming. "1'vo frightened them worso than Ixmdon frightened mo." muyMmmmiimmu" by, concealed by a clump of shrubbery, whero she had gone to enjoy the cool evening breeze. Sho knew now tbat her crstwhllo ardent lover had loved not herself, but tho money he thought sho possessed, Hnd eh realized, too, tbat her pride and not her heart suf fered. Tho next day tho adventurer left Mocassct nnd Adu never oaw him again It was her last evening. Again she sat on tho rustic sent, but thin linn not alone. "Sweetheart," said George Arnold, "it was u glad moment for me when I heard that you were not the daugh ter of a multl-rallllonaire, but Just a dear little stenographer whom I might hopo to win for iny wife." "When did you begin to love me, aeorgo7" "Thn Aral (lino I net eyes on you, blessed extrnvagiuit llttlu girl." deepened. "In tbe bat or JoU8nutR you gavo rae yesterday," bo aald. Mollle Wade gasped, "Gave you? How-when-where? I gave thoao doughnuts to a tramp," she exclaimed weaklj". Tho new minister's smile traa corn polling. "No," he said, "tbat wao what you meant to do, but the fellow ran off whon he spied mo coming and It wan in my hands you put the bag." "And upon you I slammed tho door. What must you think of mo?" mur mured Mollle In sorrow. It was not until u few months later that he dared tell her all be thought of her; but when ho did Molllo Wade hliishlngly agreed to cook doughnuta for him for the icst of their liven. ff.wg isfr. mwnatfritsMftilt! much desired , "Better get Ellen to go wtth you to morrow to buy one, then," he said finallj, "aud get whatever elsa jou need to mnko this kltcheu cool and comfortable I'm tired to death of all thlb needless heat nnd needless wood chopping.'' Martha smiled to herself an she went about her work Her strategy had borne fruit and she knew that there wero better days ahead Changed his Mind. "Do you think tbo motor.car has como to stay?' asked one neighbor. ini.1l II as. a wen. repi ea " jQ ' ft was one out m irorjrilBBS7. vv V - !" K-3M