The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-10-11
JOHN DOYLE MATCHMAKER.


y the humble capacity of copyist, the so,
Il her father rose in angry rebellion
Two years previous John Doyle ha
p retired from the grocery business wit
y q tidy income, substantial brick resi-
d dence and chronic rheumatism. When
T. ever the malady loosened its griI
-. Doyle wandered back to the scenes O
his commercial achievements. His sue
J cessor always gave him cordial wei
. come, and comfortable chair back o
the cashiers booth was at his disposal
z When too lame to walk as far as tn
store, he consoled himself by playing
innumerable games of pinochle, in The
rear of Simpsons cigar store, jus
D across the street.
81 1t was from a disastrous defeat a.
Ipinochle that he came home to heal
that Louise was "going to business.
The moment was inauspicious.
Il never heard tell Of such tomfool.
ishness My girl going to chase down
town six days in the week, like the
daughters Of that noaccount Tom
Saunders? People'll be questioning my
credit next. And she won't make
enough to pay for the new feathers
and fixing she'll want, to say nothing
Of the shoe leather she'll wear out
traipsing back and forth in all kinds
of weather."
Mrs. Doyle, who in spite of the fact
that she never Joined a Mothers club
nor studied household economics, had
succeeded in making John Doyle COM
Portable and content, calmly set q
gusset in her husbands new shirt as
she replied:
Il don't know about that. John.
think that If more girls knew how hard
it is to earn money, and to make sue
cess in business, we'd have fewer shift
less and grumbling wives"
Mr.. Doyle groaned at his wife's de-
sertion to the enemy.
And as for her wasting her money,
| I don't believe Louise'n do anything
Of the sort. She's got too much of her
fathers blood in her. Besides. she's
going to pay her board-says it's only
right, seeing that she won't be home
to help me with the work"
Mr.. Doyle fairly gasped in his fury.
PAY her board! Minerva Doyle,
have you gone daft? Or are you turn
ing miser, like your Uncle Sam? My
daughter shan't pay her board, so long
as I'm here to prevent it.
But Louise had her way. Every
Saturday night she paid her board, and
every Monday morning Mr.. Doyle car
ried the money straight to the savings
bank and deposited it to the credit of
Louise Doyle.
Three years rolled round and Louise
failed to fulfill any Of the dire predic-
lions set forth by her parent. She did
not take pneumonia from facing keen
northwesters. She did not catch
smallpox from riding in ill-ventilated
cars. And she refused to elope with
the junior partner. But she had risen
steadily in the estimation of her en-
ployers, until, when George Shaw came
to the city, she was confidential secre-
tary to the senior partner Of Delaney
& Griffin.
In his secret heart, John Doyle was
proud Of this self-poss-
essed, capable young woman, and when
young Shaw from upstate, vigorous,
we'll set-up and well-poised, appeared |
On the scene, Mr.. Doyle groaned |
afresh.
III Louise hadn't that business bee |
n her bonnet, there's the man I'd pick
out for her husband Why on earth
my sensible girl would rather take
from q snarling, bald-headed
I'D crank downtown than to make
! nice home for q fellow like George
shaw, I don't see."
But as matter Of fact Mr.. Delaney
vas neither bald nor ill-tempered, and
George Shaw had come to the city
With but one well defined ambition
o gain q business. foothold. John
)oyle's successor in the grocery trade
eing second cousin to George Shaw's
mother, he had taken the first thing
t hand, a position as clerk in the
tore where Doyle had once ruled with
n iron hand.
Perhaps the happiness of Louise was
OF the only thing at stake, in Doyle's
lind. He might have cherished Sc
ret longing to maintain even distant
amily connection with the scene of
is commercial success. At any rate,
If. Shaw was in due time invited to
all. and Mr.. Doyle fairly Rugged him
elf when he saw the admiration in the
Dung mans eyes on meeting Louise.
But for six months matters progress
no further. Mr.. Shaw called at ir-
OCULAR intervals, and was courteously
sceived by Louise-in the presence of
er parents.
From his point Of vantage behind the
ashier's booth Mr.. Doyle studied the
Dung man whom he coveted as a SON.
l-law, and decided that an occasional
gar could be offered his idol with i'm
unity. In the meantime George Shaw
as studying the uncertainties of GUS :
'mers and markets, to the profound
Itisfaction of his mothers second cou-
n.
When Mr.. Shaw invited Louise to &C. l
'mpany him to the theatre, John =
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