The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1913-08-21
A DOUBLE
UNION
By SADIE ALCOT1

Miss Corn Fairall was twentieth
century girl. Her father and motner
belonged to the nineteenth. When their
daughter was born they expected that
she would grow up to sit round ana
look pretty, waiting for husband as
she. the mother, had done herself. But
when Cora had received her education
she disappointed her parents by In
sisting on following a career in journal
ism.
Much to their chagrin, she accept
ed a position on the editorial staff OF
an evening newspaper. From that
time forward ali hope Of her living
the life of a sedate married woman
was abandoned
But not long after her Initiation
into the newspaper business her father
made loss that crippled him, and
within another year he was financially
wrecked He was too old to begin
anew, and the fortunes Of the family
appeared to be desperate. Cora step
ped to the front and took the lead.
Selling off what remained Of the fam
ily effects-furniture. clocks. watches
and jewelry-she realized a thousand
dollars. With this she proposed to go
to smaller place and start news
paper. Her father and mother were
both too broken down by their mlsfor-
tunes to oppose her, and the result was
the establishment of the Harvester at
Woodland, a town of about 5000 in
habitants.
There was another paper in Wood
land, the Plowman, owned by James
Newrath, merchant He sold goods
during the day and got up his news
paper during the night. When he slept
no one knew. He had son about
twenty-seven years old who would
have liked to manage the paper, rum
ming 1t on less antiquated lines and
making 1t something for journalist to
be proud Of But all old Newrath
would do for his son John was to
keep him setting type at minimum
wages and give him small percentage
on what ads. he could pick up.
AS soon as the Fairalls started the
Harvester Newrath saw that unless he
did something to run them out the
patronage would all go to the new pa
per-
1t was evident that the manager
was live wire and was disposed to
make innovations. The only method Of
aavin& himself that appeared to New
rath was to put the price Of advertise
ments SO low that they would all go
into the Plowman. He had $1,000 that
be proposed to sink in this way.
When Cora Fatrall learned that her
competitor was taking ads. at prices
which to compete with would soon use
up the few hundred dollars that re-
NAMED to her after buying the neces-
sary outfit for a start she felt consid-
cradle dependency. Though plucky,
she knew that newspaper cannot
well be run without advertisements at
paying prices, and so long as Newrath
had some ten times her capital it was
merely q question Of time with her
journal.
Her competitor labored under one
weakness. His son, who was q much
better fellow than his father, had not
! been welded to the interests of the
Plowman. Having met Cora at a
church sociable, he had taken a fancy
to her, and it was not long before he
was ready to favor her at his fathers
expense. Indeed, he laid bare the sit
uation. Cora was naturally grateful
Tor what she received, but saw no
way to save herself, and John Newrath
was unable to help her. However, the
Information no gave her was some
thing Of an advantage, and he knew
just how much money Newrath had to
sink and how fast it was going out.
The nearer the plucky girl came to a
financial collapse the more sympathetic
became the man Of all work in the Of
fee of tho Plowman. He said he would
be glad to help her, but be didn't see
bow he could. Ills father scorned to
be Influenced by him, and if be asked
the old man to let up in his efforts to
ruin the Harvester he would only dou-
BILE them.
However, John formed a plan and
gave Cora a tip as to how she could
help It. One day he told his father
that he had heard reports about the
Fa1ralls getting a partner with plenty
of money to establish their paper. This
struck the old man with terror. Moth
ing troubled him more than the losing
game be had been playing, and the
bare idea Of failing in his plan and be-
Ing run out Of business besides was a
blow to him.
A few days after his son communi-
Gated this disheartening report there
was q notice on the editorial page of
the Harvester that the paper would
soon appear in a new dress. What its
editor meant was undress or no dress
at all. for she expected to suspend.
For the first time in his life Newrath
Senior consulted with his son as to the
report and the announcement John
declined to give an opinion as to what
1t meant.
| After this his father asked him how
he would like to take the Plow-
man, unite 1t with the Harvester, call
ing the paper tho Union. and give his
notes OIL long time in payment. John
said that If the Fairalls had really