Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-10-28
A South End Romance

Hiram Woodruff was unquestionably a
self made man, and he was pardonably
proud of his job. The material out of
which he had fashioned himself WAS
patent medicines.
He stood al tine door of his Office on
Cornllili waiting for some one. These
painter fellows don't have any idea of
time.'' said he TO his cashier, who stood
In the door with him. The cashier bit
The end of cigar which he was going to
smoke.
"Why?'
''NNhy, told that young Redmond TO
be here at 6 sharp, an here It's two
minutes past, an he amt come yet. But
I believe he's the man for the job when
he does get here"
'What is the job. major general?" In
the remote past Woodruff had been ma
jor general of militia in New Hampshire,
and the title still clung to him at times.
why, to paint couple of dozen hand
paintin's in oil for cur parlors. Marthy
says she's tired of the chromos that
we've had ever since we were married,
an l have to please her. | never forget
that it was her gettin cured of d broken
back through takin Hazleton's hair in
vigorator that started me in the patent
medicine business.
'I'll give him one minute more. an then
I'll go down to the calciminer's Oh Court
square an git young man there to do
the job. len be cheaper an jest as good.
Paints paint after all's said an done"
As he spoke slimly built young fellow
with beard of French cut walked up to
the door
well, young man, you nearly lost the
job. Where's your paint?'
The young man colored. Being paint
er, il may have come easy to him. But
he fell into the others humor and said:
I've got to make an estimate first. 1t
wouldn't be businesslike for me TO pitch
in without counting the cost"
Woodruff was pleased. You've got
long head if you amt in business"
They had walked as they talked to
Washington street, and Woodruff hailed
horse car. This was year or two be-
fore Boston discarded horses as mo-
tive power for its cars and fully ten
years before the slower metropolis did
the same thing.
As they entered the car very stout
woman rose and left her seat. The two
sat down in her place and Woodruff
thanked her with old fashioned courtesy.
Redmond started to speak, but was seiz-
ed with violent fit of coughing.
Consumption asked Woodruff with
grim kindness.
"Guess not" said the artist with tell
tale hopefulness.
Sounds so to me. You must let me
send you dozen bottles of my liver COM
pound. Over 1,000,000 testimonials.
Named it Lucille liver compound after
my youngest daughter"
Woodrulf's s crossed legs had upset a
portly passenger. "Ought to make these
cars WIDER" said he, overlooking the fact
that a man should not wear his crosses
in bis legs.
Hiram Woodruff lived at the South end
in Union park. and a ride of half hour
brought them to his door.
The door was opened by the most beau
tiful girl that Redmond had ever seen
'Wheww he whistled to himself, 'and
living out" Then he remembered that it
was Thursday and knew the girl to be
the Lucille of the liver compound.
She was pretty with a New England
prettiness-that is, her charms were
largely of the face, and yet there was
that in the slim grace Of her figure that
was as potent in the eyes of Redmond as
the lines of a more generous build would
have held for him.
Hello, sis. Where's ma? Oh this is
Mr.. Redmond, sis; the man that's got the
job to paint the parlor pictures"
Ma now arrived on the scene. She was
a small. faded, thin woman, pre-eminent-
ly the wife of a self made man who gen.
orally forgets to make his wife until it's
too late.
Now, young man, there's eight walls
to cover in the two rooms, an we'll want
three paintin's on a wall. each one 36 by
"a, an four colors in each-red, white,
blue and yeller.'
"Oh, pa said Lucille, 'let him have
green, or he can't do any landscapes"
"Well, green. then" 1t was plain to
be seen that Hiram Woodruff could deny
his daughter nothing.
Now, what's your lowest estimate for
the iob!"
IF | use the same stencil for the lot,
can do them for $1,000. but if | make
each picture different it will be 500
apiece
"Oh, want them different" said Mrs.
Woodruff in hesitating way. She talk
ed as if the belt that ran her tongue
needed tightening.
Woodruff looked doubtful. Yes, each
one different" put in Lucille, pulling at
button of her waist as if she were pick
ing cherries Redmond was bewitched
at the graceful action of her wrist and
then and there determined that the job
was not the only thing in Hiram's power
to give that he would get.
Each one different it is, then" said
the old man, 'an I'll pay you $40 pic