Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-10-19
OLD BLOCKS
AND CHIPS
By T. S. STRIBLING

Grimstone. "a moments reflection,
young man, will show you how impos-
sible II would be for me to bestow
my daughter on one whose future was
problematical, to say the least
But your own Arm needs an adver-
Using manager, Mr.. birthstone. and
that would reduce the problematical-
ness Of my future to minimum"
That's true, but we could hardly
take In new and untried man"
Somebody must start new men,"
An ironical flicker touched Grim
stones gray mustache. Our compel
itors do that-we select whom we
want"
Then my future relations with Co
Miss Grfmstone will depend on my
business SUGGEST"
Entirely. l have no objection TO
you as man, and / assume Cecetle
will desire to marry some one. II
she fancies you and you have the
money to keep her In the position
she now occupies, then no one will be
happier than /.
But II she believes l am going to
succeed-trusts me7"
Then she will probably wait for
you till you do" The old mans mus
tache fickered again.
Maltravers arose and bowed himself
tremendously out. He keenly regret
ted missing the position with Grim
stone & Co., not only on account Of
~ hut hn o.
gest real estate Arm In Rockdale and
Maltravers had always wanted to
work In realty. In real estate, sue
oessfully worked, there were fortunes,
he knew. Besides wealth, II meant
power the making and unmaking of
towns. And beyond that, 1t meant
Cecfle.
However, anyone who ever assumes
to be anything in the advertising
world. must Of necessity be buoyancy
itself
That afternoon he rode with Cecile
in a motor down the main pike lead
ing out OF Rookdale as blithely as II
he had been appointed a dozen ad-
vertising managers. On the left, the
girl pointed to Paramount, which her
father was then exploiting. a pretty
upland bit of woods, already laid out
in lots and covered with huge sign
boards, For sale by birthstone & Co."
On the right, Snake creek ran some
200 yards below the road. bordered by
cypress and sweet gums.
How long has birthstone & Co. had
Paramount on sale, little girl?"
queried Maltravers, looking over the
handsome sites.
Nearly year now"
Who owns the land below here, to
wards the creekf
"Oh. they're just farms. not very
good, either, as tho creek overnows
occasionally"
Maltravers stopped the motor and
sat looking up the rising ground and
then down toward the creek. IF
could sell this creek land right under
the nose of Paramount" he unused
aloud, wouldn't that rather convince
the firm Of birthstone & Co."
The girl laughed obviously. why,
dear, you couldn't possibly sell those
places for residences-it overfows."
Then, perhaps, / can sell 1t to a
yacht club" suggested Maltravers
gayly, "or as a bathing resort-any-
thing. You know II / had an once
down town, the right sort OF an ONCE
down town, a stenographer, some files,
plate glass, typewriter, grilled-iron
windows, l could sell even that stuff"
Cecile laughed. What has the office
to do with selling real estate?
TITS a matter of business psychology,
dear. Plate glass and mahogany fur
nishings have hypnotized many a man
into buying things he didn't want at
prices he couldn't afford to pay. On
some, OF course, 1t doesn't act 80
strongly as on others, but it affects
all"
Couldn't you rent that sort of an
office on credit" suggested the girl.
Yes, but l couldn't get the stenog-
rapher. You must pay her promptly
at the end of the month or it's all off,"
How would an imitation stenog-
rapher do?"
What do you mean?"
II mean girl who knew nothing
about stenography, but who would sit
In your Office and pretend to be work
ing at shorthand-and things?"
AS good as the real thing, | sup
pose; there wouldn't be much for her
to do anyway"
All right, you go ahead and get the
office ready. / know some one who
wouldn't mind sitting down there
awhile every day."
Now look here, Cecile, you are not
thinking about coming down there?"
why not, pray?'
Your father wouldn't let YOU"