Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-09-15
JOHN DOYLE, MATCHMAKER.

OF her father rose IN angry reDelllOn.
Two years previous John Doyle had
retired from the grocery business with
q tidy income, a substantial brick resi-
dence and chronic rheumatism. When
ever the malady loosened its 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 disposal.
When too lame to walk as far as the
store, he consoled himself by playing
innumerable games of pinochle, in the
rear of Simpsons cigar store, just
across the street.
1t was from disastrous defeat at
pinochle that he came home to hear
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 Mothers club
nor studied household economics, had
succeeded in making John Doyle COM
Portable and content, calmly set a
gusset in her husbands new shirt as
she replied:
Il don't know about that, John. l
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'll 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 shant 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-
tions 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
wonderfully proud OF this self-poss-
essed, capable young woman, and when
young Shaw from upstate, vigorous,
well set-up and well-poised, appeared
on the scene, Mr.. Doyle groaned
afresh.
IF 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 a snarling, bald-headed
old crank downtown than to make
a nice home for fellow like George
Shaw, | don't see"
But as a matter of fact Mr.. Delaney
was neither bald nor ill-tempered, and
George Shaw had come to the city
with but one well defined ambition
to gain a business fOothod. 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
an iron hand.
Perhaps the happiness of Louise was
not the only thing at stake, in Doyle's
mind. He might have cherished a Sc
cret longing to maintain even distant
family connection with the scene of
his commercial success. At any rate,
Mr. Shaw was in due time invited to
call, and Mr.. Doyle fairly hugged him
self when he saw the admiration in the
young mans eyes on meeting Louise.
But for six months matters progress
ed no further. Mr.. Shaw called at ir-
regular intervals, and was c0urteously
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 occasional
cigar could be offered his idol with i'm
punity. In the meantime George Shaw
was studying the uncertainties of GUS
toners and markets, to the profound
satisfaction of his mothers second cou-
sin.
When Mr.. Shaw invited Louise to ac-
company him to the theatre, John
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