Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-24
The Argus Daily Short Story
Buying Place-By Lucy K. Wynkoop.
Copyrighted. 1870 by Associated Literary Press.

A young man pulling a boat on a
New England lake rested on his oars
before q plank landing, on which stood
a young woman evidently waiting for
something.
BEG pardon" he said to her, "is
there a road behind those houses up
there leading down to the railroad sta
ton at Parkville?"
Yes, there is" was the reply.
The young man gaped about him as
though interested in the lay of the
land. He was really interested in the
girl, who was quite comely. He was
trying to think of some other question
to ask her in order to keep up a con-
versation.
Can you tell me who occupies that
white house up on that crestT' he ask
ed.
"Dr. Egerton."
There was another pause. The re-
plies were so exactly to the point that
they did not invite any furher ques-
tioning. However. the young man was
not to be dropped.
I'm looking for n place like that on
this lake. he said, II wonder If it
could be bought
Il suppose there's hardly a piece of
property in the world that cannot be
bought If the purchaser is willing to
give a large enough price,
I've looked over all these New Eng
land lakes with view to buying a
summer residence, and / like this bit
of water better than any of them. My
mother and sister won't go to hotels,
and 1 don't like them myself. We
wish place where we can go as soon
as spring opens and stay till late in
the autumn"
The young lady evinced no interest
in the young mans family plans and
made no reply.
THAT place up there would suit US
exactly" he continued. 81 would like
to spend all the rest of my summers
there. The view must be fine"
There would be no harm in your
trying to buy it, said the girl. you
might write a note to the owner ask
ing if any sum you would be prepared
to pay would be accepted"
THANK you very much for the sug-
gestion."
At that moment there were sounds of
motorboat engine explosions, and a
launch was seen making for the land
ing. 1t soon pulled up there under care
of single bOatman. The young lady
got aboard and, without so much as
look at the oarsman. was carried away.
Mighty fine looking girl" he said
to himself-"well but plainly dressed
and with an air Of being somebody
1 wonder who she is"
Jack Aborn was an enormously
wealthy young man, having Inherited
the bulk of his fathers, property, and
was accustomed to having anything
money could buy that he desired.
There was something unique in the
Egerton place that struck his fancy.
He couldn't very well build such
place. To begin with. he couldn't get
the site: then it would require half
century TO grow the trees. Besides,
there was an old fashioned look about
the whole place that could not be i'm
itated. AS the young lady had said,
there would be no harm in trying to
buy it. and he resolved TO drop the
owner q note asking if he would con-
slider an offer.
He did so and received a reply writ
ten in a woman's hand as follows:
DR.. Egerton desires me to acknowledge
the receipt of your note asking il an offer
for this place will be considered and to
say that IT has been in the Egerton fam.
lily many years that there is at pres
ent no intention on the part of the own
er to sell IT. However. the doctor would
like to know what it would bring. Yours
truly, SARAH H. MCCARTHY,
Secretary.
Aborn was sufficiently versed In
business methods to waste no further