The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1913-01-24
The MARYLAND
Company
There Was a Problem to Be
Solved In Its Affairs
By F. A. mitchell

The MARYLAND Manufacturing COM
pany was running down. 1t had for
years been the pride of Centerville. and
the citizens were fearing that they
would lose the factory. which employ
ed thousand men aud was besides
good advertisement for their town.
The reason why the Markland com
pany was going To ruin was that the
stock was owned by two different fam
lilies each Of which was trying TO Sc
cure the control. II bad been organ
lied and started by Markland. AT
his death his partner an Osgood, had
taken the management of 1t and built
It up At his death Il meeting of stock
holders was called. and it was discoy-
cred that exactly half the stock was
held by the Markland aud half by the
Osgood Interest Naturally a deadlock
was the result Neither party would
give way To The other. each hoping to
secure Il few shares or even one that
would give II majority and consequent
control
Months passed without either secur-
iae an advantage, and there being no
head to the concern, it was losing
ground rapidly. When 1t seemed that
the feud mast he settled or the COM
pany go ont of existence Edward Flem-
lag. the attorney for the Marklands.
resolved Ia unite the two factions by
stratagem There were two persons i'll
each, Vinton MARYLAND and Alice Os
good, whose united stock would make
a majority of the whole. Both were
young, well educated and attractive.
MARYLAND was rich outside his interest
in the company that bore his name.
Miss Osgood was dependent entirely
on the dividends declared on the Mark
land company's shares she owned
Mr.. Fleming resolved to mal;c ii
match between the two. They had
never met MARYLAND. who was IN ar
phan, had gone to boarding school at
eleven years of age. from there to col
lege and from there abroad without
having once returned to his home. Miss
0sgood's life had been spent principal
ly at Centerville. Fleming called upon
her and after making 1t plain that ii
the affairs of the MARYLAND company
should remain in their present condi
ton much longer she would be without
an income secured her assent to meet
ing with young MARYLAND with view
to marriage. He then wrote Markland
who WAS in Europe, informing him of
the condition of his interests in the
MARYLAND company and advising his
return at once to look after them i.
Upon the young mans arrival the law
yer unfolded his matrimonial scheme
MARYLAND had no desire to cucumber
himself with wife and fatty refused
saying that rather than make such a
marriage he would prefer to lose all his
stock in the MARYLAND company. New
ertheless he had no objection to meet
ing the lady provided he should not be
placed in position as refusing to make
her his wife
Fleming, after an interview with Miss
Osgood, assured him that no such con-
struction should be put on any act of
his and that the young lady would re-
eeive him simply as a visitor. Elem
ing advised him to so at a time when
he would not be expected, that he
might find the lady her usual self.
This put an idea into the young mans
head. The Osgood grounds adjoined
his own. He would watch for an OPP
portunity to join the young lady with
out making formal call or her know
ing who he was.
One bright winter morning, when the
snow glistened in the sun, he passed
through an opening In the hedge sepa-
rating the two places and sauntered
toward the 0sgood home. Coming
upon a conservatory, he saw through
the glass a young woman cutting some
flowers. Thinking her to be the lady
of his quest, he opened the door and
entered
BEG pardon" he said SIS this the
MARYLAND placer
No; that is the MARYLAND place next
on the west, This is the Osgood place
"Oh, thank you, | hear Vint Mark
land has returned from Europe He is
an old friend of mine, and am look
lug MIN UP. lou dTe mlSS OSSOou.
presume"
NO; am the governess of Miss Os-
goods little sister"
Indeed. presumed Miss Osgood was
an only child. | am hoping to meet
Miss Osgood. | own little stock in
a mandatory in which she is inter.
ested | understand that something
must be done about its management
and that there is to be a meeting of
shareholders for the purpose Of con
certing a plan"
"Will you permit mef" said the
young woman. advancing to place
flower In his buttonhole
THANK you very much. Very kind
Of you. assure you"
Perhaps you would like to talk with
Miss Osgood now about those shares
you speak of ! think she is Olsen
gagged"
Il dare say a conference might be
of some benefit"
The young lady led the way into the
house and ushered Mr. MARYLAND into
very pretty room where a hearth
fire blazed brightly and, leaving him
there. went up stairs. presently re-
turning with card from Miss Os
good, on which she had written that
she was slightly indisposed and beg