The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-14
The Romance of the Hired Man


EMOMANCE perSonlhed by q Sunburnt
IN rustic withs ham-like hands and ele-
phantfne gait. descended upon the
district attorneys Office yesterday.
Gold brick. green goods or hypnotism
by maii?" asked County Detective Muir
as Romance approached him.
Matrimony," was the good humored re-
ply, and Mr.. Muir became aware of foxy
twinkle In the strangers eye and pre-
pared to listen to a tale of wee out of the
ordinary. But Romance waved him aside
and insisted on seeing Assistant Matson.
My name,n said Romance, dropping
into chair in Mr.. Matsonss office, and
watching the effect of his words on the
official, is Ira, Jennings OF Parma, he
added, still observant of the either.
I've heard of you, Mr.. Jennings said
Matson, struggling to repress a smile, in
connection
In connection with buyin' a picter with
trading stamps that 1 skinned Old Win
Taylor outen, burst out Jennings You
needn't laugh. I'll have the law On the
old Skinflint for spfeadin that story about
me. An Al Beebe won't have my vote
when he runs for assembly agin.
You didn't1try to cheat him out of his
housekeeperis affections, then?r asked Mr..
Matson.
Cheat nothin',n snorted Mr.. Jennings.
Tn goin' to tell you the hull thing an.
then III retain you to foreciose my mort
gage on TayioE,s place.
your mortgage" gasped Matson ques-
tioningfy
That's what / said. I kin buy an sell
the hull Taylor family. Cast your eye
over them bank books, and he threw the
little pamphlets across the table. Matson
emitted low whistle as he turned their
leaves
s.Why- vol1're a wealthy man Mr. len
nings.' he remarked.
Poorly comfortable. thank ye," chuckled
Jennings, for a hired man. Fact is, 1 re-
tired from farmin a good many years
gone. One day 1 ehanst to meet Miss
Mercy Flannery. That's the pearl among
women that WIZ Win Taylors housekeep
er up to 10 o'clock this mornin when [
proposed marriage to her an WIZ accept
ed. She amt seen them bank books yit
an won't till after the ceremony. They're
to be a joyful surprise to the hired mans
BRIDE
4 begin to see a light murmured
Matson..
I'm course We do. My sons lawyer
down in New York an l wouldn't do
nothin' so serious as marryin' 'thout con-
sultin him. 1 told him about Mercy a
year ago, an he says. Take care. father
that she amt arter yer money To con-
vince him, says L, I'll work alongside o
her a year an be the hired man all the
time. If she wants me then, why it don't
look much like fortune huntin' does it,
Son says no, an go to work for old Win
Taylor. It's been the hardest year o, my
life an if I wasn't seein' Mercy every
day 1 couldn't stand it. I'd a. punched
Taylor long ago only fer her. Why, the
old cusss farm is mortgaged to an agent
% mine, unbeknownSt to him. An he has
the nerve TO up an say that 1 won his
housekeeper with tradin' stamps 1 knock
ed down on him"
Mr. Mattson drew up Jennings fore
closure suit papers and when he had fin
ished the old fellow reIented and tore
them up. paying Matson for his time but
remarking that he wouldn't do anything
mean on his wedding day. Miss Mercy
was brought over from the parlor of the
Powers and quiet wedding was carried
out in the district attorneys office with
Muir and Bertillon Recorder Lamoreaux
as witnesses.