The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-12-27
THE ROUSlNG Of
FORD HAMPTON.
II was ElEscted with Deliberate In.
tent ON tho Part OF . Yosng
Wemsa.
sy ". r. ROSE.

: BY W. R. ROSE.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
"Afiss Charters" said Mr.. Ford Hamp.
ton to his typewriter, Il want to talk
with you for moment or two. May
interrupt your?
ut is your own work." said Miss Char
tiers as she glanced at her last line and
then leaned back.
'Miss Charters" said Ford. "you have.
been here long enough to know a good
deal about my business. Probably al
most az much as do. You know that
things haven't been coming my way late
" to any considerable extent. OF course
It Is well enough to say that luck will
turn, but that's small comfort and no re-
lief for present stringencies. You can
see that am struggling along in an al-
most hopeless way because l have no
capital to come and 60 on. There's that
plat in the south end, the one, You know,
where the eccentric owner demands an
immediate down payment Of 5000 cash
before hs will sign the papers. II had
the money, could make very hand
some thing out of the land. But, as you
know, have written the owner, telling
him that l cannot accept his conditions"
Yea" said Annabel with glance at
her stenographic notes.
II don't want to bother you, Miss
Charters, with my hard luck stories, but
1t does me good to have somebody with
whom I can occasionally be confidential.
And now l want little advice. Don't
you think It would be better for me to
shut up shop and 60 back to salary
again|
"No," said Annabel Charters after n
brief pause, II wouldn't do that just yet.
1t seems like running away from the field
Of battle"
at seems to me-" said Ford, with a
short laugh, "that the field Of battle Is
rapidly slipping away from me. 1t
wouldn't make much difference to you,
Miss Charters, If broke up here, would
it2'
mo, I think not" replied Annabel. II
suppose could find another place. But
don't like the idea Of your throwing
your hand up in this way. Stick to it
little longer"
Ford looked at her, with faint smile.
"Perhaps you and ! could change
places with mutual benefit" he said.
Then he suddenly added "But, here, |
might as well explain to you why l feel
particularly blue this afternoon. Read
that" And he tossed her dainty note,
mildly perfumed and quite up to all the
social requirements.
And this was its contents, as Annabel
quickly discovered:
NV Dear Ford--Yom letter was 80 very frank
that at first thought you were fooling, but papa
assures me that you are right. He said that you
seemed to have lost your grip. OF course you can
readily understand that girl brought up as
have been could scarcely be fitted for a poor
mans wife. I'm not a heroine. know, and
feel quite sure that hardships and discomforts
would soon break me down. OF course II there
was anything to look forward to would be quite
willing to walt but papa doesn't think there
is So we must look ut these facts in common
sense way, and really feel quite sure that the
best thing we can do Is to drop our engagement
at once, ! will return your ring by a special
messenger. hope you will see this matter in the
same light that papa and do. Your friend.
MIRIAM BARNES.
"Well" said the young man interroga-
lively.
"WellT echoed the young woman.
"Can you really blame her?
The young man started.
"You are not very sympathetic he
said.
81 don't see that this is a case that
calls for sympathy" said the young wo-
man. "In fact, l think you are to be
congratulated. I'm perfectly frank with
you. You have given me to understand
that my services will be no longer re-
CURED. 1 can speak all the more freely
on this account. From my point of view
this young woman" and she tapped the
letter with forefnger, has been "a
drawback for you right along. She was
on too high a financial plane for you.
| You kept yourself poor trying to please
her luxurious tastes. You are suffering
| from late hours and shaky nerves. l
think you will do great deal better in
every way now that you are free"
II must admit" said the young man
| slowly, "that there Is a great deal of
truth in what you say, although you are
not overgentle in the way you break 1t
to me. Ny pride has Ind deuced hard
wrench"
pocket your PRIDE" said Annabel
Charters. She looked at him sharply.
"What are you going to do now"
blessed II know" said Ford.
| Annabel looked at him little scorn-
fully. Then she suddenly smiled.
| 'I'm going to make rather curious
proposition to you, Mr.. Hampton" she
said. "I'm going to suggest that You
and l form a partnership in this real
estate business and give 1t fair trial,
Wait a moment. We will share and
share alike. You have some experience,
| can scrape together little capital, and
we will both agree to put our best efforts
f! into it. What do you say"
Ford Hampton stared at her in amaze
ment.
II don't know you," he said. "You
startle me. You never were like this be-
fore. How could you be $3.50 docile
md quiet all these months?"
81 was biding my time" she laughed
"But don't W us drift away from BUSH
ness. What about my proposition?"
II can't understand" said Ford, "how
you can possibly think of me as part
ner knowing me as well as you do"
81 certainly wouldn't think of It II !
didn't know you,' said Annabel. BE
sides, you understand you are to turn
over new leaf. What about the propo-
sitionW
II accept It gladly" said Ford and ex-
tended his hand. Annabel shook it heart
lily.
| A half hour later the papers were
drawn up and signed, and the firm Of
| Hampton g. Charters was ready and
anxious for business. That very after
noon the senior partner secured the Gov
eted South End plat, making the first
cash payment with money advanced by
the junior partner. When she came into
the office with a cashiers check for the
amount required, Fred looked up at her
In renewed amazement.
Good friends and good credit" said
Annabel, answering his glance.
Then Ford went to work with vigor
that he never dreamed he possessed. He
mapped and plated and bent every cner-
gy to starting the sale of the new allot-
| nI ha wnpdprfy w