The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-11-10
A MAN IN
A MILLION
By M. QUAD
BY M. QUAD
copyright. 1910. by Associated Lit
erary Press

walls for breath.
When MIR. Slater got the job of rod
ding building he proceeded to cheat
and lie. He would cheat as to the
amount of the material used. and he
would lie about the protection that
might be expected. He started in a
poor man. and he got rich by lying
and cheating. Never for a moment
did his conscience trouble him. He
sang as he drove his wagon around
the country. and he whistled as be
worked away on the roof of house or
barn.
On one of his happy jaunts around
the country Mr.. Skater discovered a
widow. He discovered forty of them,
for that matter but this was partic-
ular widow. She wasn't so very Old
but she was SO homely as to be star
Ting. He had seen tens of thousands
of women. but never one to compete
with the Widow Albright. She knew
she was hOmely. and she owned up to
it. and that was also something Mr.
Skater had never heard of before
She had a daughter eight years olG
and the girl was even homeier than
the mother.
How did your husband come to
marry you?" asked the lightning man
in voice tinctured with sympathy.
He was little bit daft from BIRTH"
was the reply.
"You have very tidy little farm
here%'
;. Eyes. Widowers and old bachelors
come and look the farm over. but
when they come to see me and Anna
they hurry away"
Mrs. Albright. shall take your
case under Amusement You are not
to blame for your looks. The homely
people ought to have fair deal. I
shall try to get you one"
It was curious that such selfish
man as Mr.. Skater should think Of the
interests Of any one else. but as he
went his way the matter bothered
him. He kept thinking and thinking.
and it was two weeks before he came
that way again and said:
widow. you have a creek on your
farm. 1t rises from spring in a
marsh. You know what petroleum is.
Of course. Petroleum is going to be
found in the marsh and creek"
But I have never seen any there"
she replied.
Because the psychological moment
had not arrived 1t will arrive in three
or four days. Three or four days later
than that men will arrive-various
sorts of men. Would you care for
richesY'
MOO"
"Just so. You want some one to love
you and call you pet names. eh? Just
want to stay right here and take COM
fort? A wise decision"
II didn't say l wanted to get mar
ried again." protested the widow.
mo. no. but none of us can afford
to miss a good thing in this world.
Love is greater than riches. Mrs. ALL
bright. you may be offered $1,000 for
this farm. which is worth about 81
OOO"
"Then I'll take it,
"Then don't you do anything Of the
kind. There will be an offer of mar
rage. What You want to do is to ac-
cept that. You want to be petted.
That girl wants y father. A husband
and father is worth more than $1,000.
No sale. remember a husband or
nothing"
"But how is the petroleum going to
get into the spring." was asked.
widow. there are many mysterious
things connected with the lightning
rod business. This is one of them.
The petroleum will appear in good
time So will the men. So shall |.
One day nature sends us a thunder.
storm; the next day it is hurricane;
the next she causes the earth to quake
and pour out petroleum. 1t is for us
poor mortals to take advantage of
such things when possible"
The petroleum appeared on the
creek 1t was shifted and sighted by
a traveller where it crossed the high
way In two days thirty men were
shifting and following the creek to its
source. They called at the house All
the widow could say was that the
petroleum had suddenly appeared.
IubSe Unity lleil lcth6u 1T TIE WNOW
and her child and turned away. Then
they turned back TO make offers to
lease the farm. to buy it outright. to
drill for oil on royalty. No enthusiasm
on the part of the widow She didn't
care for money.
The find" was announced in the
papers. and the thirty men became
fifty. There were gushers gushing
1000 barrels Of oil per day not fifty
miles away The widow was offered
as high as $4,000 cash for the farm.
but she shook her head. Men were
going and coming when Mr.. Skater
drove up with one seated beside him.
They went up to the spring. heard the
talk and then entered the house. The
man started back at sight Of the wild
ow. but recovered a moment later.
An offer of $4,000 had just been made
for the farm. Mr.. Skater left the
couple alone for an hour. Then he
was asked to gallop his horses for a
preacher and there were marriage
ceremony and a scattering of disap-
pointed spectators.
No, the petroleum didn't last over
two weeks. but then the widow was