Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-26

The Daily StorH
Dollars and Sense

his entire fortune, which. since Uncle
Samuel was a prudent as we'll as a close.
mouthed man, was far more than any
one had ever dreamed he possessed.
Young Sam Wexford, sitting in n
shabby little Office, waiting for clients
which somehow seemed prone to overlook
his legal ability, nearly fell over when
he received the news, But. having picked
up the ink bottle which he had over
turned in his excitement, read the brief
message once more, stuck the point of a
paper knife into his arm TO make sure
this was not some absurd dream, and
found from the pain Of 1t that he was
really awake, he took up his hat and
rushed off to Margaret North.
Margaret lived in the suburbs, so Sam
fshed in his pockets, found he had just
about enough to take taxi out, hailed
one, climbed in, and all the way out to
| Rosemont he made the chauffeurs life
miserable by sticking his head out the
window and begging for more speed.
1t was warm May afternoon. Mar
garet sat on the porch Of the house em-
broidering, or maybe she was darning her
fathers socks.
| why, Sammy Wexford" she cried,
dropping the embroidery--or the socks
and gazing at him with marked disap-
| proval what on earth do you mean,
| coming out here at this time of day, and
| i'm a taNi?'
Sam numbered up the steps, and. despite
| the fact that the taxi chauffeur as well
as several of the neghbors on their front
| porches could see quite plainly, he caught
| Margaret in his arms.
Hang the clients, hang the law, hang
everything!" bawled Sam. I'VE don't
| have to wait any longer. We can be
married today. My Uncle Sam has Just
died out in Colorado, and left me squiI-
lions and squlllions of dollars
Margaret managed TO wriggle from
| his too ardent embrace Severely she
smoothed down her hair and severely
] she bade the eXuberant Sammy sit down
| in chair.
Read this" He hauled out the tele-
gram which was the cause of his SEEM
| ing insanity.
Margaret read it and gasped Good
ness, you're a rich man, Sammy" said
| she.
Il snould worry now" said he. Put
! on your bonnet and shawl and we'll go
back in the taxi and be married"
| We'll do nothing of the sort" said
| she.
"ETuh!" said Sammy, quite hoored by
her tone. We'll why not?"
She did not answer at once. Before she
| finally spoke she took a deep breath. II
| came forth as a sigh
This may change your whole life,
| Sammy" said she. This fortune may
| change your whole outlook on life. It
has happened before. l want to be sure
you know your mind and are not doing
! anything from impulse Therefore, we'll
| let hpinE n
| before we marry"
Huh said Sammy again. "oh, say,
! Margaret"
| But Margaret was obdurate. Long and
| fluently did Sammy Wexford argue for
immediate marriage.
| You try out your riches for a year
first" she held out firmly. You may
have all these dollars, but l have sense.
| You wait and see.'
| At s that evening Sammy left her.
angry, hurt, amazed at her attitude. He
walked glumly back to town. mutterng
| to himself all the way as he went.
'She says with all this money l may
meet some other girl. She says she
| doesn't intend for me to make any mis-
takes I'm going to be sorry for" he COM
planned bitterly to himself as he went
| along. And l wanted to be married and
go abroad at once. Darn it. who ever
heard of such foolishness? Another girl
hey?"
Sammy stopped and caught his breath
Then he fell to slapping his knee and
laughing immoderately.
II should worry" observed Sammy.
Sammy did not go to the Norths' again
for some time. Indeed. it was a month
| before he appeared. In the meantime
rumor was linking Sammy Wexford's
name with the beautiful and wealthy Miss
Carruthers, daughter of the street rail-
| way magnate. Strangely enough, Sammy
IN ha
| did he deny them; nor did he hesitate
to be seen much in Miss Carruthers' So
ciety.
On this second afternoon Sammy went
out to the Norths' again he did not go
in taxi. He went in his own six-cylin-
der car, with a liveried chauffeur on the
| front scat beside him.
He drew up with a flourish at the
Norths'. Margaret was againg plying the
needle on the porch. Sammy got out of
the car with great dignity. Also he
walked sedately up the porch.
What long time since you've been
| here" said she.
Sammy said he had been very busy.
AT the Country Club?" she asked.
quite So" said Sammy with heavy
portent.
"I-er-say, Margaret" said he at
length, 'I want to thank you for what
| you did for me when l was hero last
time Ihat little matter or not letting
me lose my head, you know"
| Margaret looked little frightened.
"Er-hang IT,! l don't know Just how to
put IT," said he, but 1t was mighty fine
of you toto make me realize what riches
really meant, you know. I-er-"
| "Oh, yes / knew you didn't know your
own mind then" she said lightly. 1T
thought it would make a difference. Are
you trying to tell me about Miss Car
Tuthers and yourself?"
"Er-yes. Quito So" said Sammy pom
derously. Were engaged, you know.
thought you'd want to be the first to-er
| congratulate me-"
81 do" said she with forced warmth
'"rhank YOU" said Sammy. II wanted
you to know. and to thank you-er-you
understand. I must run along now. Good
| by"
The car whizzed away. But at the
first corner it stopped and Sammy got
out. He lodged through a yard, shot
across an open field. and came by a
iank movement to the porch. He tip
toed up to 1t. Behind the vines he heard
unrestrained sobbng. 1t seemed to be a
sound he desired, for he grinned broadly,
and then bounded up the steps In a
minute he had her. struggling, in his
arms.
"cut 1t out. dear. cut it out" he was
pleading. I'm not engaged TO Miss Car