The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-25
The EVENING STORY
Love and an Up-to-Date Cottage.
[By C. c. Hahn.l

self:
II have enough of an income to live
life of leisure. I shall enter into no
business now and lose the best years
of my life for enjoyment. When tired
of amusing myself I shall take up some
employment-as a pastime.
why should not man make business
a pleasure, just as he does travel, mus
ic or yachting?"
At the end of my first year I found
that not only had used up my income
but had also cut off a generous slice
from my principal. At the end of three
years-and 1 never was dissipated-I
had come to my last IS bill, and when
spent it, wrote across its face, Good
by, Bill. You are my last Then I
began to look about me for the bust
ness that was to be a pastime.
1 had always been firmly convinced
that if man really wanted to work. he
could find it. But, strange to say, when
I started out in search of a position,
found none waiting for me to step
into. My friends all gave me good ad-
vice. They did not know that my for
tune was gone and 1 took particular
pains not to enlighten them. 1 had that
much worldly wisdom. 1 did not want
either their sympathy or their cold
shoulders. Their advice was always to
the effect that no one could really en-
gage in congenial business without in
vesting money. and they advised me
brought forward schemes in which to
invest.
1 had also held peculiar ideas with
regard to the business and the men with
whom I would associate, and in my
search for employment neither business
nor men came up to those ideals. Con-
seQuently, for the first year my efforts
at earning a living were extremely va
ried and not marked with the brilliant
success had expected.
At last 1 settled down as a real estate
agent. That, thought would bring me
among none but pleasant people, or if
it dbl could easily get rid Of them. I
took out a license, rented an office, and
actually found myself engaged in bus
mess entirely my own-and without in
Vesting, money. My friends, as usual,
were kind. They all listed their proper
ty with me, whether they wanted to sell
it or not. But even here there were
some uncongenial things which did not
suit me. There was Jones, for instance.
He had a delightful piece of property,
my friend Brown, who wanted to buy
it, would not pay more than $4,000
When I grew wiser, 1 learned that the
property was worth only $1,000.
At the end of my first month I
pawned my gold watch to pay office
rent and my boys wages. At the end
of the second began to dispose of my
wardrobe and speedily reduced it to
one suit. Then I requested my land
lady to allow me to occupy one corner
of her garnet and began living on two
meals a day. I also let out half my
pay rent. At the end of his second
month he failed with the requisite
rental and offered to take the place of
my office boy as payment. So my Of
fee boy went
In the course of time got down to
office n al a
when and where 1 could. also learn
ed tailOring-SO far as keeping my
solitary suit in repair.
One great and happy day I consum-
mated a sale and built air castles as to
how I would spend the commission. 1t
missions from that particular man
never did come. 1t was hard, but it
taught me caution. After this I saw
to it that my commission was in sight
before I closed a deal.
But things took a turn at last. 1
had a beautiful cottage on my list,
and one day a handsome carriage
stopped before my door, and in came
a widow whom I had slightly known
in my moneyed days. She wanted that
cottage-wanted it badly-but after
looking over the terms, said:
Mr.. Saville, I must have this place.
But 1 cannot pay cash unless you can
find a purchaser for my brown stone
house on Madison avenue. If I could
make an exchange with the owner
of the cottage I would pay you al
most anything you might ask.
Was there ever anything a young
real estate agent would wish for more
than a chance to become salesman of
a brown stone mansion on the most
fashionable avenue in the city?
promised her a buyer within a week,
and-kept my word.
Newt dav Mrs Kent called for me
and we went out to inspect the cot
tage, incidentally, her daughter, Wis
ion of lace, loneliness, sunny hair and
sunny smiles, was in the carriage with
us-a vision which I had known also,
and dreamed about in the days of my
inheritance.
In wrestling with one of the win
dows which had stuck fast, I managed
| to.split my only coat soon after reach
| ing the cottage, and the mirrors in
the room showed seedy vest and shirt,
which ever way I turned. But nc
thanks to me, the house was so de-
| lightful that the only question was If
the owner would agree to an ex-
| change. He did, and I won my first
| commission of Importance.
| Next day I sat in my office deeply
| immersed in a meditation upon the ex-
| IRENE foOlishness of Squandering a for
| tune which would have enabled me to
dream with reason of a fluffy-haired,
sunny ohlAiiS 6hi' "IieH "a Aceee
stepped at the door and in it the fluffy
| haired vision. I blushed a little as I
ran out and spoke to her. She handed
me a package saying:
! Mamma could not come today. and
sent you this by me. And she wished
me to ask # you will not take tea with
| us tomorrow EVENING""
| I took the package and accepted the
invitation, although I wondered a little
as to the spectacle I would present in
that dilapidL Lifted coat. Ny tailoring had
not been a success in this instance.
! Returning to the office, I tore open
the package and found my commission
in bills and gold. I caressed the
strangers. It had been a long time
| since they had been calling on me.
! Never before IN my life had I known