The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-01
THE EVENING STORY
Love, Tomatoes and Finance.
(By Estelle Clayton

Love, Tomatoes and Finance.
(By Estelle Clayton.)
The big man of the town of Strongs-
vile was Jacob Strong. First, his
grandfather had founded the town;
second. he had been a justice Of the
peace for some years; thirdly, he had
| received almost votes enough once to
send him to the legislature, and lastly,
| he was worth about $4,000.
Mr.. Strong felt his bigness and ex-
acted respect accordingly. He did his
best to make his son Horace and his
daughter Maude feel their superiority
around Strongsville. He succeeded adj
| mirably with the daughter, but the
conduct Of his son gave him no little
anxiety.
One morning he said to the latter:
Horace, am panied and humilia-
ted to learn that for months past you
have been paying attention to the
daughter of Scribner, the carpenter.
You have been riding with her. and
you have frequently called at the
house. What does 1t mean?"
Miss Scribner is nice young wo-
| man, SIR was the reply. "She is as
well educated as our Maude. and has
| as good manners"
Tut, tut, sir; make no such COM
parsons. If you forget who and what
I am. you ought to be ashamed of
yourself. Being the son of a man of
position and wealth, with more wealth
and social prestige coming, you must
| look higher. sir--far higher
1t was true that Miss Nettie Scrib-
ner was the daughter Of a carpenter.
but as the favorite of her aunt Hilda
Bascomb, rich old spinSter, the girl
| he'd been sent to q seminary and en-
! joyed exceptional opportunities. In
| all but wealth she was the peer of any
| girl in the county.
| AS a matter Of fact, the couple were
engaged, but keeping it a secret. Hor-
| ace had hopes that when the time
came to announce the fact to his faith
/ er it would be received at least in a
| reasonable way, but the conversation
| of the morning showed him the break
ers ahead.
| What Mr.. Strong meant when he re-
ferred to more wealth and social pres
| tige coming was the fact that he had
| organized the Strongsville Cannery
| Company. The cannery building was
already under way 1t was a fertile
\ farming country around the town. but
with poor facilities for shipping fruits
and entered on the idea of a tomato
| cannery.
| He had investigated until he was
certain that the profits would be
/ large. He put in almost all the money
and controlled things, and what few
other stockholders there were did not
| belong to Strongsvi1le.
| AS president of tomato cannery,
| Jacob Strong felt himself to be tan
gibIe object. He was right there and
| all there in his pomposity. He didn't
propose to have any of his neighbors
| feel that as stockholders they need not
have too much awe of him.
OF course, the magnate's son in
| formed the carpenters daughter of
the situation of affairs. Young Horace
was determined to disobey his father
| at any cost; but fortunately Aunt Hill
| da arrived on her annual visit. She
| didn't exactly believe that all people
| were equal. but she bowed to none.
If a carpenter or blacksmith were
honest and respectable men they were
| Just as good in her eyes as magnates.
The Scribners attempted to keep the
secret from her, but she hadn't been
| in the house day when she turned
to her sister and said:
Mary, there's something going on
here and 1 want to know all about 1t.
find Nettie looking piqued and sor-
rowful, and she hasn't eaten enough at
three meals to keep a bird alive. No
is the natter"
| She was told, and when she had the
/ particulars she set her jaw and nodded
her head. which showed that she had
made up her mind. Just what it was
she didn't say that evening. nor did
she tell 1t next morning when she put
i on her rusty old bonnet and sailed
out She said merely that she had a
| business matter to attend to.
| Mr.. Magnate Strong had a business
office in the town. of course. Aunt
Hilda made a straight course for 1t,
| and pumped herself down in a chair
in front of the great man to say:
| Jacob Strong. my niece and your
boy were attracted toward each other,
| and they have fallen in love and are
| engaged I understand that you op-
pose the contemplated marriage"
with all my soul. and If you are
here to say anything in favor Of it you
may as well save your breath. I won
der that you had the impudence to ap-
pear at ALL
'And what are your objections ?"
quietly asked Aunt Hilda. as she got a
strong hold of her temper.
you have no right to ask" he
shouted at her. But will tell you at
least one objection. No son Of mine
can mate with the daughter of a COM
| mon carpenter"
mo? Jacob Strong. how long did
1 your father get a skinny living off a
mighty poor thirty acres of ground In
| Michigan and what did he amount to
as a man? How far back Is 1t since
/ you were running an old sawmill on
Ten-Mi1e Creek in the s1H,e state
Mr.. Scribner is a carpenter, but his
pedigree is as good as yours"
Il eff you were a man I'd throw you
out OF my Officer shouted Jacob
Strong.
But being I'm a woman, I'll walk
out as fast as l can l Just called to
let you know, Jacob. that I have ar
rived in town. Please keep a little
track of me for the next two weeks.
will you ?"