The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-23

Mr.. Blum IL Invited.
(By I.awrence Alfred CIav


(By Lawrence Alfred Clay.)
Mrs. Charles Denham. widow of the
deceased stock broker. was supposed
to be worth one million dollars in cash.
she was worth just one fifth that sum-
Between what people supposed and
what was fact. Mrs. Denham was
placed in an embarrassing position
There were times when she was really
in need OF money
MRS. Denham had a niece. She had
not legally adopted her. but the niece
was one of the family, and was told
almost every other day that she was
to inherit what her aunt might leave
at her death. That is. she would in
her1t 1t If she was nice and good and
married the man the aunt should Sc
lect for her. Otherwise a garnet and
starvation must stare her in the face.
1t was not curious that Miss Ethel
Lynn, the niece, fell in love at nine
teen with one of the very chaps her
aunt held in adherence and was eter-
nally lecturing her about and seeking
to guard her from.
Earl Manning had a very slim pat
rimony, but he was hopeful and ambi-
t1ous. and at twenty-three the world
was before him. He would have been
very foolish not to fall in love with a
handsome girl who cared more for the
man than the money
Miss Ethel had been very sly in this
| Nv oAAdAA- IlCI aunt opinions nGceS-
|sitated it. The engagement was to go
on and on and on until Earl had ac-
cumulated a cool million, and then
they would appear before the aunt and
ask her consent. Meanwhile, in pub
lie, they must act as if they didn't
care snap for each other
This was how Mr.. Blum came into
the tray. Mr.. Blum was q bachelor
OF forty. He was short and pudgy.
He was without hair on the top of his
head. He wore four diamond rings
on the fingers of his right hand and
three on the fingers of his left. He
wore other diamonds, with here and
there ruby.
Mr.. Blum sometimes squeezed into
society He was supposed to be a
banker, but as a matter of fact he
had loaned society money on its jew
elry so often that society couldn't ex-
actly afford to turn him out of doors.
1t was even whispered in society that
Mr.. Blum was great catch, but at
the same time he had very poor luck
getting caught
Mrs. Denham was introduced to Mr..
Blum. Mr.. Blum was introduced to
Miss Ethel Lynn. In three minutes
Mr.. Blum had made up his mind to
be a winner. In half that time Miss
Ethel had made up her mind to detest
MIN Within four weeks, backed by
the good aunt, Mr.. Blum proposed
The young lady announced herself toe
young to know her own mind, and
begged for time. This was very wise
in her. 1t was much better than tears
threats, protestations, and a garnet and
a crust.
| July came, and Mrs. Denham moved
down to her manor house on the sound
She would have gone elsewhere, bu
there was Blum. He was to be invi
ted down with few others for a mentl
for reasons so obvious that they sticl
| ont like knots N
| The question now was where wa
| Earl Manning? He had a cousin liv
ing within a mile of Mrs. Denham'
country place, and it is easy to enlis
Mr.. Manning had met, but they ha,
rot been mutually attracted. She woul,
have seen him start for Texas before in
| viting him to the manor.
| Ethel was poor little girl of 10 il
the hands of ar ambitious aunt, VIII
was looking at. the money side, and O
Mr.. Blum, who was looking at a.
sides! One reason he wanted a youn
wife and a handsome one was to sho,
her off at the 70 cent table d'hote din
ner where he took his meals. Their
must be plotting and echen1ing. and
this the lover could give little aid.
was miserable time until the brigf
idea came Then, at a stolen interview
Miss Ethel said:
Earl, your brother has a motor boa
and I have a sailboat.''
Yes
MY aunt has never been in on,
Neither has Mr.. Blum. l am going I
take them out. 1t may be tomorrow
and it may not be for three days.
| will be when the wind is in the cas-
and the morning cloudy. 1t will be fo
you to have your boat ready and be o
the watch
IF you take Blum out it will er
courage him." replied the jealous youn
"Win it? That's all a young ma
: Knows
Hell feel romantic and talk abor
the whispering waves and all that
"Oh, he will?''
"And-and-'
"And you do just as tell you. Whe
you see my boat in distress you CON
out to her. Don't - s., too BIZ hurr
to save us. I want the situation I
strike IN on my aunt and Mr.. Blum
The more it strikes in the better #
us. Now, can't you see something ?"
He apparently did see somethinI
He also put his arm around it an
: kissed it.
. Mr.. Blum would be delighted to e
sailing. It was a thing he had ar
Q ticipated for thirty long years. I
bound over the foamy waves. to sni
9 the salty breeze. to listen to the tut
4 MOL of the waters-yes, yes, yes! Mr.
n Denham at first refused to go. ST.
knew people that had been drowned |
! water. 1t was not until Mr.. Blum ha
8 brought in the romance of the thin
4 and until Miss Ethel limited tn;
something might happen, that 3 81
I gave a reluctant consent to act
chaperon.
On the third morning after the plo
tiers had plotted the wind was due ea
= with a promise of Strengthening. tt
:. trio set out gayly, but upon reachin
i the waterside Mrs. Denham suggeste
a picnic on solid ground, and Mr.. BLU
I favored getting livery rig for
!, drive over highways.
j Youth and innocence PREVAILS
however. After the first five minut'
Mrs. Denham said there was nothin
about sailing to scare a babe, and M
Blum laughed and rubbed his hant
and said life on the ocean wave fc
him. Later on, when Miss Eth