The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-10-31

retired from the grocery business with
q tidy income, a substantial brick resi-
dence and chronic rheumatism. When
ever the malady loosened it's grip
Doyle wandered back to the scenes of
his commercial achievements. His sue
cessor always gave him cordial well
come, and comfortable chair back of
the cashiers booth was at his dis
posal. When too lame to walk as far
as the store, he consoled himself by
| playing innumerable games of Pc
nuchle in the rear of Simpsons cigar
store, just across the street.
1t was from a disastrous defeat at
penuchle that he came home to hear
that Louise was ''going to business"
The moment was inauspicious
II never heard tell of such tomfool-
ishness! My girl going to chase down.
town six days in the week, like the
daughters of that no account Tom
Saunders? People IL be questioning
my credit next. And she won't make
enough to pay for the new feathers
and fxings 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 mothers club
nor studied household economics, had
| succeeded in making John Doyle COM
Portable and content, calmly set a gus
set 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
success in business we'd have fewer
shiftless and grumbling wives"
Mr.. Doyle groaned at his wife's de-
sertion to the enemy.
"And as for her wasting her money,
l don't believe Louise IL 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 turning
miser like your Uncle Sam? My daugh-
ter shan't pay her board SO longs Pm
here to prevent it."
But Louise had her way. Every Sat
urday 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-
tions set forth by her parent. She did
not take pneumonia from facing keen
northwesters, she did not catch small
pox from riding in lily 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
wonderfully proud of this self pos
sessed, capable young woman, and
when young Shaw from up state, Wig
orous, well set up and well poised, ap-
peared ON the scene Mr.. Doyle groaned
| afresh.
eff Louise hadn't that business bee
in her bonnet, there's the man I'd pick
out for her husband. Why on earth
any sensible girl would rather take
dictation from snarling, baldheaded
old crank downtown than to make a
nice home for fellow like George
Shaw don't see."
But as a matter of fact Mr.. De-
lancey was neither bald nor i'll tenn
pered, and George Shaw had come to
the city with but one well defined am
bition-to gain a business foothold.
John Doyle's successor in the grocery
trade being second cousin to George
| Shaw's mother, he had taken the first
thing at hand, a position as clerk in
the store where Doyle had once ruled
with iron hand.
Perhaps the happiness of Louise was
not the only thing at stake in Doyle's
mind. He might have cherished q Sc
cret longing to maintain even a dis
tant family connection with the scene
of his commercial success. At any
rate, Mr.. Shaw was in due time in
vited to call, and Mr.. Doyle fairly
hugged himself when he saw the ad-
miration in the young mans eyes on
meeting Louise.
But for six months matters pro-
gressed no further. Mr.. Shaw called
at irregular intervals and was cour-
teously received by Louise-in the
presence of her parents.
From his point of vantage behind
the cashiers booth Mr.. Doyle studied
the young man whom he coveted as a
son-in-law and decided that an occa-
sional cigar could be offered his idol
with impunity. In the meantime
George Shaw was studying the uncer-
tainties of customers and markets to
the profound satisfaction of his moth.
er's second cousin.
When Mr.. Shaw invited Louise to
accompany him to the theater, John
Doyle went into the seventh heaven
of delight. The calmness of Louise ir.
ritated her exuberant father.
The theater going became an estab-
lished weekly event, and Mr.. Doyle
beamed even when defeated at pc
nuchle Each day he spent less time
. in the rear room of Simpsons cigar
store and longer visits were made to