The Newtown bee., 1904-01-29

shoppers below.
 Edson Kendrick, threading his way through the crowd, was hardly con- scious of it, so profound was his pre- occupation. All day long Rachel Ames had been dwelling in his thoughts. It was Christmas eve year ago that they had become engaged, and it was this Christmas eve that they had planned to he married.
 But the invention from which he had hoped so much had somehow failed to find purchaser, and he had = not been able to discover anyone willing to advance the capital necessary for him to make use of it himself. Rach- els father had lost faith in it, and had finally told Kendrick, quite frankly, that his engagement to Rachel had better be broken of, for the present at least. She was not fitted to be poor mans wife, he said, and such mar riage would bring misery to him as we'll as to her.
 Kendrick was fully sensible of the justice of this view of the case, and there had been . parting interview with Rachel. He could see her now, her slender form drawn up, her clear eyes meeting his gravely. "I know we could be happy with only crust, she had said. "I'm not one who is de- pendent on luxuries, or on society, and 1 care only for the approval of my own conscience. am quite sure we could never make each other miserable. But there are my father and mother, Ed son. cannot go against them. Only unhappiness would come of that. So, dear, you will take back my ring and we will wait. You are bound to suc- ceed in the end, you know,-it is only question of time,-and then I shall be ready"
 This had happened in the early fall, and since then they had been-as mere acquaintances. Kendrick had .acci- dentally met her few times on the street, but that was all. For three weeks now he had not even had a dis tant glimpse of her, and the longing for just sight of her face was getting to be unbearable. It seemed as if he had never felt so great a need for her sympathy and encouragement.
 He went up the steps of the house where he lodged, his whole aspect ex- pressive of his dejected state of mind. His landlady was just coming out, dressed for the street. She had a vel low envelope in her hand. "Ohv' she exclaimed. "So you have come. l had started down to the factory to bring you this message, I thought it might be something of importance.
 Kendrick thanked her and went on upstairs to his rooms, smiling a little bitterly at the idea that anything i'm portant could come to him. He list. lessly tore off the end of the envelope and withdrew the slip of paper inside, As he read the few words contained in the message, wonderful change took place in his bearing. His eyes sudden ly frightened, the color rushed to his face, his shoulders squared, and he looked every inch alive.
 He re-read the message carefully, tc be sure he had made no mistake, and then he stood for moment absorbing the glorious fact that Wendell & Ward well of San Francisco had decided tC buy the patent rights to his invention and pay him his price.
 This meant BIO, 900 in money, witf steady work at good salary, and that meant-Rachel.
 He went to his desk and wrote her { brief note, saying he had sold his in vention, that the firm who had bought 1t expected him to start West without an instant's loss of time, and would she go with him? He would be at the house at half past with license anG the minister, and they would take tht midnight express.
 He sealed it, and went down into the street, and almost ran into a mes senger whom he could trust to deliver , it. That off his mind, he went to { telegraph office and wired Wendell & Wardwell, then called up the firm fol which he had been working, on the / telephone, and explained the situation to the senior member, who happened to be there.
 Next he went to the bank to draw out the few hundred dollars he had de . posted there, with only few minutes to spare before the bank closed. Ther ;; to the office of the city clerk for his license to marry. There were three others, waiting for the same purpose but when he explained that he was ir hurry, they gave him first chance. The next thing was to see the min ister. He was the one who officiateC at the church where Rachel attended "But can't go," he said, when Ken drick had told what he wanted. "My Sunday school has Christmas tree al the church this evening, and Pm sim ply obliged to be there. But 1 have g young friend visiting me; he has re- gently been ordained, though he hasn't been called yet. Perhaps he would go I will bring him."
 He returned in a moment with g pleasant-looking man about Kendrick's age, and introduced him as "Mr Camp bell"
 The young man expressed his entire willingness to officiate in the manner