The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-10
TIE EVENING STORY
THE GATE THAT won JANE.
q Fran., y. sweet1

NY Ed-lAA II. E4W2aEt
No ye can't have Jane" snarleS old
I1llson ungrnciously. shes my BROTH
er's daughter. an has money OF her
own, an you amt nothin' but 4 hired
man with no prcspec I don't see
what Jane was thinkin' on to say ye
could ask me. Te can't have her, an
that's all there IS to it,
Zeke opened his mouth as If to pro-
ssStf or to strengthen his case by fur
ther argument; but Tillson's face was
grim and forbidding. and he know the
old man too well to weaken his
chances by causing useless irritation.
He turned away.
That afternoon they were, near the
farm yard gate, Zeke digging post
hoies and old TIllson patching up q
wheel barrow. when the drummer Of
an agricultural warehouse appeared
But instead Of going straight to Till
son, he stopped at the gate and began
10 examine It curiOusly.
Queer contrivance that" he said
presently: good idea, though, grand,
good idea. How did you happen to
think of it,"
Its ono of my hired mans dilIy-
dailyin'," replied Tillson gruffly; hes
forever up to something of that sort.
Wastes half his time"
Zeke flushed a little but did not look
NO wasted time about that" de-
ciared the drummer emphatically; ITS
a valuable idea. There's money in it."
Money! questioned Tillson eager
~; then he saw one of the horses
squeezing his body through the open
doorway of the corn crib, and he
rushed off. He would have sent Zeke,
only he preferred him to continue at
the post-hole digging.
So It's your idea, is it?'' said the
drummer, as he crossed to Zeke's side.
Going to have 1t patented, of course ?"
Zeke laughed. Patented" he
echoed; that foolish thing? Why, it's
nothing but a lot of stones and two
hinges places so the gate viii shut
But that's just the sort of thing
which usually proves valuable per-
sisted the drummer. ''The simpler the
device, if it's useful, the better. You'll
the idea"
Then I guess I'll make the mis-
take, said Zeke carelessly; patents
cost money, and I haven't any. Be
sides, if 1 had, I wouldn't risk fifty
cents on that foolish thing"
The drummer regarded him thought
FULLY Look here" he said suddenly,
how would you like to make a trade 3?
1 could appropriate the idea for my
self if I did business that way, but
don't. Still I like to make money
wherever I see a chance. Ny house
does good deal in patent articles and
can generally guess pretty close
whether there's money in an idea OF.
A
this through at my own expense and
keep half the profit What do you
say"
You mean use stones like that, and
all ?? asked Zeke skepticalIy.
No it's only the idea I want We
would like to find some substitute for
the stones"
zeke's indifference began to vanish.
II you really think it's worth any
thing, he said doubtfully, I'll be glad
to have you fix it UP. But I don't
want you to lose money" Then. a lit
tie Wonderingly Il thought patents
were made of pulleys and springs and
and such things and that twas gen
fuses who got EN- up. who studied
years and years to make EN- all right -
The drummer smiled ct is that
way sometimes he said, "but not al
ways. 1 have known inventors to have
their ideas come to them in a moment,
IN a fash of thought. But suppose we
fix this up now
He opened a notebook and wrote for
some seconds. then tore out the leaf
and handed it to Zeke.
Its a sort Of agreement for YOU to
put your name to- he said. Read
it first. though. Never sign anytime.
until you know what it is. Later, I
VIII have regular papers made out for
both of us
zeke read the l.aper and signed his
name with the pen which the drum
mer held ready. Then he resumed
his digging. few moments later
Tillson came aurrying back.
1.-The drafted horse ate a full peck
of good corn" he began wrathfulIy.
NO superb ne get this night Now.
what is tt bout that gate bizness :
flows there n orey in it?''
"L8y getting the invention patented ."
answered the drummer carelessly;
but Zeke and I have fixed that up.
Well, I must be going
But look here" exclaimed Tillson :
It.
It's mine. Zeke amt nothin' to do
wi-h It,"
..Ch. I dent want the gate said
the drummer coolly; Its only the
Idea; and that, / believe, belongs to
Tillscn stared at him as he walked
away, the wrath deepening on his face.
Sulfel-ly he swI 3 rtu ~ I" ZeiSe.
What did ye get2' he demanded;
GENE hand it over"
4 didn't receive anything n
money" Zeke answered.
stop" roughly; don't tell me any
yarns. Didn't I hear the man say
you an him fixed it up? Now how
much money dill ne give W for my
gate2 Look az we straight
Ze1l- did So with a half smile. He's
to pay for getting out patent" he re-
piled and have bsIf what he makes
An ye didn't g # any money
MT cent
Tillson looked at him sharply, but
there was no deceit IN the straightfnr-
ward face. Even he realize the fact.
Then yere an i7io..' he snaried. The
man was set on the idee; I could sec
that from the way he spoke. Ye could
have got fifty or q hundred dollars jest
as easy as nothiu'. Mebbe we cnuld
have made a trade for Il lot OF his
tools An now-nuhi Yell never
hear from the man again" In spite
of what had been said. he could not
bring himself to believe that the sim
pie contrivance was of any value. Even
when the regular papers" came, with
imposing seals and blank spaces for
him to sign his name. he regarded
them more as interesting novelties
than as anything that would affect his
future.
But one day letter came which
caused his eyes to open wide with
amazed delight; and which. after :,
half hour Of hard thinking ca rl.iall