Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-05-11
Saint Maru's Beacon
Winning His Wife.

to married men. / believe there |
comes to o married man a certain
sense of responsibility that makes |
him more valuable TO US and more
safe in the position.
but, Mr.. Johnson" protested
young Rigby, there isn't q man on
your travelling force who has done
better for you, considering the bad
territory you gave me. If you'd
give me chance at New York State,
I'd break the record"
Perhaps, but you'll have to get
married firstl No don't argue"
reiterated Mr.. Johnson as Rigby
tried TO interrupt. We'll hold the
place open for two weeks. II at the
end Of that time you can show me
marriage certificate we'll talk bust
ness.
lyon belong to a club here in
town, have apartments waiting for
you when you come in from your
trips, go to the theatre some, play
the races bit. eh?"
Rigby nodded his head.
"Cut it out and get wife.
But l don't know any girl
who'd-'I
What" almost shouted Mr..
Johnson, do you mean to say that
in your humping around the country
you've never met girl would seri-
ously consider marrying?"
Rigby's mind travelled rapidly
over his list of acquaintances. He
raised his head and caught a pair of
brown eyes watching him from the
desk in the far corner of Dir. John
sons Office. The eyes belonged to
Johnson s private stenographer.
mo, / don't know q girl that I'd
care to marry, nor a girl who'd care
TO marry me-"
well, I'll be hanged!" CALCULATED
Mr.. Johnson.
But I'll tell you this much, Mr..
Johnson. | don't propose to let a
little thing like not having a wife
stand between me and that Job. I'm
going to get both inside of the two
weeks"
Charley Rigby crossed the square,
his hands thrust deeply into his
pockets, his hat drawn over his eyes.
He was thinking about girls.
Then all of a sudden he remem
bered the brown eyes that had
watched him during Johnson s mer-
CHESS catechism.
Merrifield, the bookkeeper, saun-
tered in for lunch, and Rigby well
coined him joyously. After a few
deS ultory remarks he inquired
about the owner of the brown eyes.
You remember Darnto, who was
killed in the Somerville collision
last summer? Well. she s his daugh-
ter, Belle DarntOn. / think her
mothers people have money, but
she was too proud TO ask help and,
she lives with her fathers maiden
sister. l guess all they have is her
little salary"
That night he walked home with
Miss Brown-eyes. The next night
he called, the third night he took
her to the theatre-but all the while
the brown eyes never met his.
And on Sunday night of the follow
ing week he asked her tomarry him.
There were four days of grace.
You know, / won't bother you
very much, he explained awkward
ly, wishing that the eyeswere not look
ing straight into his. ''I'll-I'll be
on the road most of the time, and
your aunt could stay with you-only
in q much better house-and really,
I'd do my best to make you happy.
The brown eyes were shooting
sparks now.
I'm glad you di6n't have the i'm
pertinence to tell me you love me.
anyhow. There is that much TO
your credit, she was saying scorn-
fully. But you couldn't make me
happy. l hate you"
She said more, but Rigby, STUN
bling to his apartments through the
snow, could not exactly recall il.
AuA oAA vi u SuuuCH us TcallZcQ
that above all things, he did not
wish this girl to hate him. He wan
ted her to love him, wanted it more
than anything else in the world
even the position.
Three days later Mr.. johnson
opened letter from Rigby, dated
in small town in Pennsylvania.
Il have changed my mind. i
don't want the New York Job until
I've earned my wife,"
And all that long, bitter winter
Rigby stayed on the road. He shun-
ned the theatre and closed his ears
to the racing news. But he sold
goods and wrote regularly TO the
senior member of the firm.
Righy's got the trade of Penusyl-
vania by the boot straps and pulling
on it to beat the band" observed
Johnson to his partner one day in
the presence of the brown.eyed
stenographer. He is surely trying
TO make record"
1t was summer before Rigby pro-
tested, but she was firm.
Il want you to make one more
trip" she said shyly. II want to
write to you every day-for myself.
All our correspondence heretofore
has been purely matter of bust
ness"
He looked at her reproachfully.
Yes" she added, smiling ten
DERBY, Il could read between the
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