The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-10-09
HARDWARE CHEEK.
A Drummer in That Line Proposed by
Telephone and Was Accepted.

Telephone and Was Accepted.
An event has occurred in Michigan,
near Detroit, which appears to confirm
the idea that courtship, as well as most
other things, will hereafter be greatly
facilitated by recent inventions. 1t
seems that there is a young lady resid-
ing in Detroit who for some time has
been the recipient of the attentions of
two young men, one a young professor
in the Michigan State University at
Ann Arbor and the other a travelling
salesman for a New York wholesale
hard house, whose route extends
through Michigan and parts of Canada.
One day recently the New Yorker
arrived in Detroit late in the afternoon,
and, of course, Immediately started to
make the rounds of the retail hardware
dealers with the laudable purpose Of
selling each a good stock for the winter
before the representative of any rival
concern should put in an appearance.
He had hoped to visit the object Of his
affections in the evening, but business
was brisk, and 8 o'clock found him
very busy trying to induce prominent
dealer to take six dozen axes, four
dozen grindstones, half a a load of
wooden pals.
At this stage of the proceed
ings a younger brother of the
young lady dropped in to get a
new jack knife and incidentally
mentioned that the Ann Arbor pro
lessor was up at the house. 1t instantly
occurred to the progressive hardware
and cutlery drummer that the college
man came for no other purpose than
than to lay his heart at the feet Of the
young lady he adored. For a moment
there was a struggle in his heart, but
he speedily got control of himself and
decided that he could not possibly leave
the store, as the dealer was just decid-
ing to take the pals.
But the thought Of giving up the lady,
who had been for months constantly in
his mind, waking and sleeping, was IN
bearable. Light suddenly dawned on
him. Handing the merchant a circular
explaining the merits of his new
double bladed chopping knives, he re-
quested the use of the dealers telephone
for five minutes, stepped to 1t and rang
up the central Office.
A moment later the telephone bell at
the residence of the young lady rang,
sharp and decisive. The professor had
been there for an hour chatting pleas
antly of the grand educational work
they were dong in the department of
fossilology at Ann Arbor.
When the bell rang, the lady's father
being absent Che is a physician, she ex-
cused herself and proceeded to the ad-
joining room to answer it. The pro
lessor heard her step to the telephone
and say YES" make a short pause and
say 'yes" again. Then there was a
longer pause, and he heard her reply
"Why-why really, this is very sud
den." Then there was a still longer
pause, and he heard her say "yes" very
softly, and then 'good bye" and then
she hung up the receiver and came into
the back room.
The college man N. we'd closer to the
ladg and remarked that it was a warm
evening, and he thought it was going
to rain, and then resumed his talk
about the great work of the university,
Fifteen minutes later there was q ring
at the front door bell. The lady re
sponded to it, and a district messenger
boy handed her a plain gold ring, which
she slipped on her finger, and returned
into the parIor. Miss -" said
the professor five minutes later, II
want to ask you an important question
this evening. Excuse me for talking
bluntly, but will you be my WlteF" But
we need 20 no further with this. Two
minutes later the professor went down
the front steps and shook his fist at the
telephone wire, and took the first train
for Ann Arbor. II
Don't stop, brother, NntA The Pro
0resSiUe Farmer goes regularly 20 eUSSY
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