The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-09-12
A SUCCESSFUL TRIP,

A knock was heard at the door OF a COM
mercial travellers room In hotel at Ceve-
land some time since. Mr.. Payn. the COM
mercial man. opened wide to receive his
Colorado friend.
"Hello, Charley" said he. How are
your"
After few of the usual remarks Of
greeting had been exchanged, Mr.. Payn in
troduced his friend to his caller, Dobbs.
who was also one Of the commercial order
Charley was offered chair and smoke
of the choicest Havana.
III you don't mind. Charley" Mr. Payn
said, Familiarity. ~ will 60 on with my
story. l was Just telling my friend Dobbs
how | happened to go on the road.
well. you see. was young and careless
in those days, and 1t never occurred to me
that fellow must be able to show. that he
has something before he goes to the father
to ask for bis Girl. was so dead in love
with Emily that my head was all awry.
and didn't think anything about that we
would need anything stronger than love to
live on.
''You remember old Merick,r Charley
banker up in Theresa, northern part Of
York State -
The Western man nodded and Payn
shifted in his chair and continued:
ut is Emily Merrlck ! am speaking
about. Well. sir. was just fool enough
| to walk right up to the old fellow and de-
week In preparation for, the occasion. |
looked steadfastly at the floor all the time
| / was saying my little piece. but when ]
finished and looked up to the austere old
| gentleman for approval, Lord! his keea eye
cut holes right through me. felt as thin
! as gauze paper He kept on gazing at me
with the most contemptuous expression |
ever saw. 1t made me sick of myself. lie
! must have thought me about three times
! the biggest Ounce he had met in all his
| career
"All be said was, What income have
| you, sir?'
"He might as we'll have demanded a
| million. was floored. ! expect turned
| red all over. What answered ] never
knew, only II seems as II volunteered
something to the effect that II l didn't
have money, ! was full Of days work.
| Here Payn had to stop and laugh with
| his companions at the story of his boyish
stupidity. Possibly the others were re-
minded OF similar anecdotes in their own
memories.
We'll, tell you. boys" he began again.
chose were critical moments In my his
| tory, because / loved the girl UP to my
eyes, After he said great many SHARP
things about my audacity, and called me a
| lazy putty face who never could be any
body II tried, then 1t came my turn to
| boil. shot out of that door at the speed
| Of bullet and went about as hard. and
the s;roug OF expressions. choice and other
wise, that flew out OF my mouth must
have been long enough to belt the globe
| oh. was mad!
Down around the corner Emily was
hunting clovers in the grass, waiting tim
| idly TO hear our fate. She smiled as she
saw me approaching. presune to say
my face was quite flushed. II felt so. but
| Il wasn't with delight
I'VE put our heads together and she
caught the fire-she had red hair. you
know. easily lighted She beerme highly
Indignant. like myself. and resented her
! fathers notion that another consideration
| than that Of love should enter into mat
rimonial engagement She was always
quite fine talker. you know.
swell. the more We discussed the mat
| ter the stronger became my conviction ina!
something decisive must be done, and that
right on. II my Emily was yet to be won.
"sBy heavens calculated At last. fou
| 1ust 1--we me one week and III find on!
whether I am worth anything or mot.
shsll 90 away at once to try my fortune