Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1911-08-24
OLD BLOCKS
AND CHIPS
By 7. S. STRIBLING

NO" concluded the shaggy-browed
Grimstone, "a moments reflection
young man, will show you how impos
sible 1t would be for me to bestow
my daughter on one whose future was
problematical, to say the least"
But your own firm 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 Ce-
Miss Grimstone will depend on my
business success?"
Entirely. have no objection to
you as man, and l assume Ceceile
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 l."
But If she believes l am going to
succeed-trusts me?"
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
Cecile. but because they we're the big.
gest real estate firm in Rockdale and
Maltravers had always wanted to
work in realty. In real estate, sue.
cessfully worked, there were fortunes,
he knew. Besides wealth, 1t meant
power, the making and unmaking of
towns. And beyond that. it meant
Cecile.
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 motor down the main pike lead
ing out OF Rockdale as blithely as if
he had been appointed dozen ad-
yertising managers. On the left, the
girl pointed to Fairmount, 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 Grimstone & 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 creek?"
"Oh, they're just farms, not very
good, either, as the creek overflows
occasionally"
Maltravers stopped the motor and
sat looking up the rising ground and
then down toward the creek. IF I
could sell this creek land right under
the nose of Paramount" he unused
>~AOoAS "Ooioh I SudL ldIuST COuVluC0
the firm of birthstone & Co."
The girl laughed obviously. why,
dear, you couldn't possibly sell those
places for residences-it overflows."
Then, perhaps, can sell it to a
yacht club suggested Maltravers
gayly,. "or as bathing resort-any-
thing. You know if l had an office
down town, the right sort of an Office
down town. a stenographer, some files,
plate glass, typewriter. grilled-iron
windows, | could sell even that stuff. y
Cecile laughed. What has the office
to do with selling real estate?"
Its matter of business psychology.
dear. Plate glass and mahogany fur
nishings have hypnotized many man
into buying things he didn't want at
prices he couldn't afford to pay. On
some. of course, it doesn't act so
strongly as on others, but it affects
ALL"
Couldn't you rent that sort of an
office On credit" suggested the girl.
Yes, but couldn't get the stenog-
rapner. 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?"
Il mean a 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, 1 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"
He has never refused me single
thing l ever asked him. If | want to