The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1913-09-19

AID Of Which and Why Wedding
Bells PeaIed Merrily Forth.
b. L. Z. BELHAM.

ever did want girl. And Nellie
wanted Floyd pretty badly, too. There
never was surer case of the magnet
and the needle than In the case OF
Floyd Chalmers and Nellie Bostwick-
Why. they loved each other so ar
IDENTIFY that itsfairly hurt.
But they both were sensible people
and that was where all the trouble
came In. Both had passed the calf
age and had enjoyed wide range Of
observation and out Of their expert
ence and observation had grown the
conviction that love in cottage
ends happily only in certain class
of paper covered novels.
1T is all right to say we will endure
all things just SO we have each 9TH
er, Floyd remarked the little wona-
an, sagely, but am very much afraid
that ! would not appeal to your fancy
half 30 ardently in dowdy gown and
down on my knees scrubbing out the
kitchen as in white lawn and china
silk. And know very well that you
would become absolutely abhorrent to
me coming home with baggy trousers
and scowling at the makeshift supper
No, no, Floyd. let's start right il we
start at all. Ill wait forty years for
you, because Iawanf you or nobody
before we plunge into matrimony."
Chalmers demurred more or less
strenuously, but finally bowed to the
logic Of Nellie's argument.
Il guess you're going to be boss
anyway he said; so ! suppose you
might as well begin now as any time.
Chalmers was employed by q con-
Germ that manufactured agricultural
machinery. He made strong play
with the manager and secured a job
to 90 down into Texas and sell ma
chinery. The salary was not SO awful
much, but liberal commission was
added for all sales In excess of GER
tain sum-
That was the reason why Floyd
Chalmers went away from the clean.
cool shop and invaded Texas with q
decent salary, mild expense account
and wild hopes regarding commissions
Chalmers worked hard-fo he had
the zeal of the lover back of him, but
there were a lot Of other fellows down
thereabouts who seemed as anxious to
sell rival threshing machines as he
was TO sell old Bearings. Just what
the moving motives behind the other
fellows were Chalmers did not ascer-
tain, and really Is not pertinent to this
story. The fact remained. however.
that they, one and all, fought for
every possible sale as hard as Chal-
mers and obtained their fair share.
So. after some three years OF hard
plugging. and close saving and skilful
use Of the expense account, Chalmers
found himself with some $4,000 ahead
sum woefully inadequate to the
matrimonial venture upon which his
heart was set.
In the meantime Nellie had taken q
Job as aitypewriter and was hanging
on by her eyebrows, as it were. wait
ing for Floyd to make good Which
did not add to Floyd's peace Of mind
to any noticeable degree.
One day a great streak of luck
came to Chalmers. A syndicate
bought great tract OF land and went
into the farming business on whole
sale scale. They were in the market
for many implements Chalmers con-
ceived a Napoleonic scheme and had
his firm send machines to the ranch.
taking chances on selling them. His
Audacity won. The other fellows W.. -
working from catalogues and pictures
and plates. Chalmers had his ma
chimes on the ground. and knew how
to run them. The consequence was
that he gobbled the order. which In
volved the purchase of all the ma.
chimes he had with him and an order
for many more Of the same. Incident
ally. the purchasers paid spot cash for
the machines In sight amounting to
some $4.00O--and paid Chalmers in
gold
He rode away with his precious load
IN his saddle bags and wild exulta-
ton in his heart. Neither the load or
the exultation lasted long enough to
hurt much. because. In a lonely stretch
cf road, three masked men bobbed up
beside him, krocked him from the
saddle and, gathering In his richly
lnden saddle bags. rode away. leaving
him rubbing his sore and dazed head
and cursing everything In sight. AS
they strobe on the leader gave q
hooking and exultant laugh. which
rang through Chalmers head like the
very cry Of the evil one.
They had left his horse and when
he had recovered enough to stick In
the saddle he rode back to the town
where be made his headquarters. He
was not injured much physically. but
mentally he was sadly perturbed.
Instead Of advancing his prospects by
his brilliant coup he was worse on
than when he came to the internal
country. He owed the concern $4,000
less his commission. and the extent
Of his savings was $4,000.
As he entered the hotel he heard 3
man say to another: The lid is on
- Anfonfosa Tt,- lir,ft fo utaoas7 -,