Middletown transcript., 1908-08-08

for the milk in the cocoanut !!
Father says that if I save the
wheat he will give me thousand
dollars.
Alice's eyes grew luminous as
Stephen unfolded his plan.
Oh, you dear, wonderful broth
er! she cried. And now you can
60 to college and I to normal
school, and I shall not have to
work out any more during vaca-
tions. And best of all, father
will be saved.
But then sudden change came
over her. But Frank sells the
Vibrator binders, she said, trem-
ulously.
A frown gathered on Stephens
sun-browned. face. Well, what
of it? he asked.
Why-he-if he shouldn't win,
he would feel dreadfully ; and
then, of course, he couldn't sell
so many machines, either, said
Alice.
Alice, said Stephen, I do not
like Frank Crowbeach. | have
nothing particular against him,
but you are very young, and I
think he ought to wait until you
have had o chance TO see men
in other circumstances of life.
But, Steve, he is going to wait,
and he says just what you do.
Well, anyway, our family in
terests must come first. If Crow
beach's machine is what he claims
it to be, he need have no fear of
letting it take its chances. AS
for selling machines, that is just
the point. If the Prairie Queen
wins, I shall sell a lot of machines
myself, and then you and | will
have a snug little sum, aside from
anything father gives US.
Yes, suppose so! sighed Alice,
who would not be happy now
until she could see Frank and
have him allay the fears her fancy
had conjured up. To be divided
in her allegiance was misery to
Alice.
Why, of course it is so, sissy,
said Stephen, cheerily. And
Frank is too sensible not to see
it in the right light.
Well, sighed Alice, father will
have his wheat cut, anyhow.
Of course, said Stephen; and
that is the main thing. There,
good night!
The weeks before harvest were
full of activity for Stephen. He
had to see influential farmers
and induce them to put off buy
ing binders until after the con-
test, and thus force reluctant
dealers into it. He had to labor
| with the dealers themselves, and
also arouse public interest.
He thought at first of conceal
ing from the Sanford dealers the
promise of the Prairie Queen
people to send their machines to
the contest, for the performances
of the Prairie Queen were be-
yond rivalry-if it's advertise
ments in the agricultural papers
could be believed. But then
Stephen reflected that such con-
cealment would be treacherous,
and so he boldly began by a chal-
lenge that the other dealers
should compete against tn e
Prairie Queen, although he felt
justified in concealing the fact
that he himself had been prom
ised the agency.
The challenge worked to a
charm, for the other dealers saw
that nothing but the Prairie
Queen would be sold about San
for that fall if they did not meet
it. Moreover, the dealers, being
older and more experienced than
young Stephen, were much
alarmed by their new rivals ad-
vertisements.
Still, it took two weeks to Sc
cure the promises Of the first
three dealers. After that it was
easy to get the next four, all
agreeing only on condition that
none of the dealers stay out.
Only Frank Crowbeach held back
Day by day Stephens anger
increased against Frank Crow
beach. Why should be not prom
lse to enter, or clearly refuse,
instead of saying that he could
not tell whether he would enter
or not? Stephen was too proud
to go to Frank and beg, although
he had three times politely re,
quested him to take part. If
Frank should not enter the con.
test, other dealers might back
out at the last moment,-so
/ Gfnx~hA, fNau1l