Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1913-12-25
The Better Man
BY M. QUAD
Copyright. 1913 by Associated Lit
erary Press.

he proudly termed commission house.
1t was In this way. 1t was an old
building at the railroad depot. ani
Jacob bought butter and eggs of the
farmers for price and shipped them
to the city and sold them for II higher
one He made rs much MS cents II
dozen on eggs and 6 cents pound on
butter. Jacob Arson had always said
that he wanted to be business man
when he grew up. and here he WAS.
He had place. and he had Il sign and
letterlleads and cards He did 81 worth
of advertising IN the country papers.
and the whole town congratulated him
on his business enterprise. Jacob hnd
always patted himself on the back as
some pumpkins. and now he became
very chesty One day when lie had
shipped enough butter and eggs to re-
turn him profit of IS he went home
with his head held so high that it was
two minutes before he saw his wife.
81 am glad business is so good" she
SAID, "but there are other things need
ed in the city besides butter and eggs
You have the room to store them and
the time to handle them. and why not
add potatoes, beans, turnips and other
things?"
"This thing was my idea In the first
place, wasn't it?' be half demanded
in a voice not at all pleasant
"Of course"
"Well. ! believe | have the gump-
ton to carry 1t through to success
without advice from anybody"
"But 1t was a suggestion, Jacob"
eyes. get lots of them and would
make a failure in week if | needed
them. Leave business to men, Mary"
"That is to say that the women have
no brains?"
"There isn't one in hundred that
can take care of herself when she be-
comes widow
There was no further talk of bust
ness between husband wife. but In her
earnestness of belief the wife did
rather foolish thing that caused some
neighbor now and then to say:
Jake. that wife of yours has some
smart IDEAS
''Oh. dunno"
"She was telling my wife the Other
day that you could handle more stuff
just as well as not and thus increase
your income"
And do you think SO yourselfY"
"Why. I've thought 1t over and feel
sure you could"
nd To- IN linn 70
say to is wife:
so you are still determined to med
die with my business. are your"
II have said to two or three women |
that thought you could increase It."
SHOULD there be Il separation you !
would probably go into the commits
sion business yourself?"
81 might
"And show me how to make q small
fortune?"
THAT might come too
Foolish talk. of course, but every day
Reno produces something just as fool
sh. 1t was a bone that was gnawed
1T until separation finally came.
Ten days after Mrs Arson went
home to her mother Dame Fortune
smiled on her A relative died and left
Ter $1,000 Her husband said to every
Body that he was glad Of her luck and
It the same time sorry for the likeli-
loud that she would lose every dollar
" 1t In some wildcat investment.
Got Ideas and no experience. you
now" he added in patronizing way.
Before the wife had decided just
What she would do 1t was the talk of
he town that 1t would be something J
oolish. whatever 1t was. One day she
vent to the city. and all the knowing
mes whispered. Millinery"
Mrs. Arson didn't go to the shop
ing districts nor enter any of the
,hoIesale houses on Broadway. On the
ontrary, carriage took her to the
reduce commission district, and she
lade many inquiries and transacted
business. Her husband
nd never even seen the merchant he
iipped to. and few inquiries proved
nat he had poor standing rs to char
rter and amount of business done
Not word OF explanation when Mrs
nson arrived home. The villagers
nd selected the store she would rent
,r her stock. but she passed 1t by.
pposlte her husbands place of bust
ess was an empty building much lar
sr than his quarters When the vii
gers came to know that 1t had been
ken on ave years lease they al
ost shouted out:
els Mrs. Arson crazy? What To-
ltion for a millinery storev
While the building was being put In
lape Mrs. Arson drove about the
'untry for distance of six or seven
lies In every direction and had talk
18th farmers and their wives. She
I've them information that astonished
EN-. She signed contracts with many
them that made them see lots of
oney ahead.
''She is drumming up trade for her
ilinery store" was the general ver
ct, and some went so far as to say
at she was hustler. One morning