The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-04
Mr., MANTON'S METHOD.
BY CLAUDlNE SiSSON.

Literary Press.)
Life was very easy for Gordon Man
ton. bachelor. He had the fortune left
by an aunt--he had very few Worries
he was a bachelor with no thought OF
marrtage-he had no fads to keep him
awake at night
Mr.. Manton could have spared the
money to build three or four free libra
ries, but be didn't build them. In a
yasue way he realized that the world
ougr- to be made better, but he knew
that II was a sure thing the first man
he roproved for profanity would nut
HIM ON the jaw. The poor suffered Tor
ice in summer and fat coal in winter,
but the rich suffered from imposters,
THE, es and burglars the year round.
and that appeared to be al onset
He had only to glance over his morn
ing paper. to see that this was very
" .cksd world. 1t ought to be so. how
uvei, 10 furnish Il contrast TO Heaven
If the world were good enough then
what would become OF the arguments
OF priests and ministers?
one summer afternoon MIR. Manton
lay down on the lounge for nap. he
knew that thousands of the men
around him couldn't indulge in this
luxury and earn their bread at tho
same time. but IN a. sleepy way he re-
Elected that those thousands had
their glasses of beer every night,
while he positively disIiked the liquid.
He had slept for an hour when he
quietly awoke to find an intruder in
his room. 1t was a ragged girl or nj
teen. She was down on her knees
riding a bureau.
If you knocked or rang didn't near
you" he saba he sat up
The girl rose p and looked him IN
the eyes for half a minute
1T was over the roofs and through
the window for me. You were sleep
ing so nicely l thought / wouldn't
awake you up. What are you going 10
do with me?"
"NothingT
But I'm caught with the goods on"
Looks like it, but when the Ice
man, the coal man., the tailor. the
grocer. the dry goods man and the
shoemaker are grating on me why
should make an example OF you! The
other day some one stuck me with a
bogus half dollar. Did l throw 1t INTO
the ash can? No. ma'aml l went
half a mile out Of my way to buy Gig
arettes and work that coin off on the
tobacconist. I'm what they call an
honest man. and yet ! did that.
Then it ain't the coop for me-"
asked the girl
"Not at all. That would simply be
one more person behind the bars. and
what would that amount tor I'm not
even going to ask you to be ~ood.
To get into that window you must
have incurred a big risk. ] shall let
you out by the door. Ii my landlaGy
secs you she will raise great howl
because I let you 80. but the other
day left dollar on the rug to test
-l,~ raf =
would you mind II l fell in row
with vou?' asked the girl after IONS
silence. My name is Janet. and
have never met u man like you We
! can't get married, Of course, but
should like to be in love TO see now
! 1t seems"
Then 60 right ahead. You are en-
| titled to your romance as much as any
other woman"
Thanks I'm sorry ] WAS going to
| rob you"
Not at all. Do you find any of the
| trusts apOlogiztng?"
II must think I win give up STEAK
| ing"
might think it over. but don't act
on impulse. That is. don't give up
| stealing and turn to something worse
as many reformers have done. Tell
| you what you might do. though, to
! make the old town assume more
artistic look. You might wash your
face and comb your hair am sew
up some OF the rents In your ward
| robe. And now / think l Will bow you
out"
AS he held the door open for her
! to pass out she was smoothing back
| her tangled hair and showing more
| shame than when caugat plundering
| The rebuke had hurt
| Almost every morning Mr.. Manton
| had a stroll. During an evening he
| sometimes sauntered through the tene-
| ment streets. On a certain evening as
| he sauntered he was hir across the
| back of the neck with a sand-bag and
| went down. When he recovered con-
+, seriousness he was in a bare ROOM
hands and feet tied. and a couple OF
| hard looking men waiting for the event
! They had gone through h/n, but that
| was a mere triiie. They wanted flve
| thousand dollars to give him his lib
| erty. Mr.. Manton didn't rage. 1t was
| q straight business proposition. Only
| that day he had read of thirteen mem
| bers of the Ohio Legislature being
arrested FOR offering to sell themselves
Was this crime worse? He didn't
charge that 1t was. He simply refused
| to buy himself at tho sum named.
| The hdnappers were not cruel men
| They simply wanted their money They
| ted their captive and waited with
4 what patience they could. And Their
! one night came Janet. She entered By
| the skylight. but her hands and facs
| were clean and her hair brushed. Shit
cast the captive loose and then said