Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-10-13

he saw a sweet, though rather tus6ed
face bending over a lock while two
white, dimpled hands were making Wig
orous, yet vain, efforts to turn key.
For moment Langley did a very un-
gentlemanly thing. He felt glad that
his neighbor and rival was in trouble.
But this was only for a moment. An
other instant found him saying:
ALLOW me, madam" He took the key
from her hands, and after a mighty
wrench threw open the door
Thank you, very much, Mr.. Lang
ley" smiled the young woman, who had
now recovered her breath. but on whose
face the blush still fingered. Il don't
believe l ever would have opened ii.
VIII you not come in? It's too early for
any bushes yet awhile"
Langley stammered an excuse for not
accepting the inEitation; then, strange
to say, walked rightin,
No wonder trade had left Langley. 1t
was worth the price of several cigars
just to enter the dainty little shop
Everything was spiCk and span. There
were flowers blooming on the couHter,
in the corners Inviting leather-cush-
ioned chairs were standing against the
wall. which was dotted here and there
with cute little pictures. And there were
curtains, lacy-looking curtains, at the
windows. That was why Langley had
never been able to see inside the place
before Now that he had seen, it was
no longer mystery to him why his GUS
toners, even some Of the most anti
trust ones. had forsaken him. To tell
the truth, Langley did not blame them,
either.
Won't you sit down, Mr.. Langley?"
asked the young woman, after enjoying
| his evident astonishment for short
| time.
| Langley sat down. 1t certainly was a
| comfortable chair. And the cigar that
she gave him-he did not know that the
| trust made such good cigars. Langley
took three or four long draws; then he
! sighed. The trust man was right He
| saw his finish
| After that day Langley formed a new
habit which was to come down early
every morning And it was strange how
often the little used-to-be mililner had
| trouble unlocking her door. OF course,
Langley had TO stop and help her Near
| ly every morning she vowed to have
new lock put on before night But for
| some unaccOuntable reason the old lock
| remained.
| After unlocking the door, Langley
would often sit down in one of the COM
! Portable chairs almost surrounded by
rubber plants and ferns, and smoke a
| trust cigar which the young woman had
given him. While he smoked they would
talk. He couldn't help from telling her
| something about his troubles, she was so
sympathetic. And Langley always
sighed heavily when the time came TO
| leave the comfortable chair for his own
unattractiye shop.
! One day, however. Langley stayed a
ful hour later than was his custom. And
| heforgott sigh when he left. Instead he
hummed merrily to himself all the time
/ he was sweeping and busting out his
| store.
| Trade was even duller than usual that
| day: but Langley didn't seem to MIND
| one bit. He even bowed and smiled ger
ialy to his old friends whenever he saw
them going in or coming out the shop
next door-a thing Langley had never
! done before, for he had grown to look
! on all who traded there as his enemies.
About three O'Clock that afternoon,
when there wasn't soul in the store ex-
cept himself, Langley saw Rockway, the
! trusts agent, coming down the street.
He stopped for moment, with salts
| fed smile on his face, before the shop
next door. Then he came on to Lang
| ley's.
Hello" he cried, as he stepped in.
noting at the same time that there was
not single customer in the store.
Business pretty good?"
We'll, it might be worse" Langley
answered, with a smile. "How are they
doing next door?"
"Oh, fine. That little woman's got the
best business head on her shoulders I
ever saw. And she's mighty pretty, too
don't you think so?"
Very" replied Langley. And his
smile broadened
''!'m glad we got her to go into that
ten-year contract 70 tell the truth.
that was our last hope You'd have had
us but for that. And say, Langley" the
trust man went on, 81 heard you were go
ing into new business. What is it this
timc?"
"Matrimony," replied Langley. jerk
ing his head toward the shop next door.
"No ten-year contract, pither. This
ones for life"
Well, to Rockway's credit let il be said
took defeat with a good grace and
danced at Lansley's wedding with as
light step as the bridegroom himself
Mosquito Bite Remedies.
Not only in America, but in Europe
/ as MCll have mnsnmitnee hnnr, o,.nnr,