Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-02
The Daily Story
Mereln a Matter OF Business

Merely a Matter of Business
Il don't deny any Of your claims, Rig
by. but II has been one OF our rules .
give such a post as this only to married
men. believe there comes 10 the mar
rled man certain sense OF responsibility
which makes him more valuable TO u'
and more safe in the position"
but. Mr. Johnson" protested youns
RiFby, there isn't a man on your traVel
ing force who has done better for YOU
considering the bad territory you gave
me II you'd give me chance at ne"
York state, I'd break the record
"Ferhaps, but you'll have to get mar,
ried hrstl No, don't argue" reiterated
Mr.. johnson as Rigby tried TO interrupt
wen hold the place open for two weeks.
II at the end of that time you can snow
me a marriage certificate wen talk busl.
ness" Mr.. Johnson's eyes twinkled' out
his voice was firm, his general bearing
decided.
"You belong to club here In town
have apartments waiting for you wheh
YOU come In from your trips, 90 10 tiie
theatre some. play the races a Bit ehf
Rigby nodded his head.
"Cut Il out and get wife. -,
"But L don't know any girl who
,'Whatp, almost shouted Mr.. johnson.
"do YOU mean to tell mo that IN an
your humping around the country you We
never met a girl you would seriously
consider marrying?" "
RiRby's mind travelled rapidly over his
list of acuuaintances He raised his head
and caught a pair of brown eyes watch
ing him from the desk in the far corner
of Mr.. Johnson's office. The eyes be-
longed to Johnson's private stenosraphor'
mo. I don't know a girl I'd care TO
marry, nor q girl who'd care to marry
me-"
"well, I'll be hanged!" calculated Mr..
Johnson.
Rigby was standing UP. He had for
gotten the brown eyes by this time lie
usually forgot girls just this easily:
But I'll tell you this much, Mr.. john
son, don't propose to let little thing
like not having q wife stand between me-
and that job. I'm going to get both IN
side Of the two weeks"
Then he left the office.
Mr.. johnson, senior member Of the John-
son Manufacturing Company, chucKleu.
He had liked Rigby from the hour tne
lad had started out in the Pennsylvania
coal territory to sell Johnson shoes, out
he would not vary his long-standing rule
the best jobs to the married men, Wii-
limet, who had long held the New YORK
territory was going into business Ior
himself, and his position was the one
for which Rigby was asking.
Charley Rigby crossed the square, his
hands thrust deeply into his pockets, his
hat pulled over his eyes. He was think
ing about girls. When his fathers money
had been swept away by ill-advised In
vestments he had cut loose from his
mothers people, who had always resented
her marriage with the visionary, easy
going Rigby. Now he wished that he
had kept in touch with them and their
social life. Naturally of gentle breeding
and instincts, he had not cared for the
class OF girls he met in his life as a
commercial traveller, and he had bit
of his fathers dreamy nature, which car
ried him to the theatre and made him
happy in good books. The visionary
character was shown in his passion for
the racetrack-it might almost be called
a gambling instinct There was the nurse
who had tided him over the malaria
fever. but she had told him the first day
of his convalescence that she was en-
gagged. The daughter of the biggest shoe
dealer in Scranton had invited him to
dinner every time he called on her father
but she was not just the sort. He
drank two cocktails, only to be more
deeply plunged into despair. And matri-
mony was a gamble, a lottery, after all.
II was just the same whether you knew
a girl a day or a year. You never really
knew her until you married her. Lots
of married men had told him so. Then
all of a sudden he remembered the brown
eyes that had watched him during John
sons merciless catechism.
Just then Merrifeld, the bookkeeper,
sauntered in for lunch, and Rigby well
coined him joyously. After a few desul-
tory remarks he inquired about the owner
of brown eyes.
you remember Darnton, who was
killed in the Somerville collision last sum-
mer? Well. she's his daughter. Belle
Darnton. I think her mothers folks have
money, but she was too proud to ask
help, and she lives with her mothers
maiden sister. guess all they have Is
her little salary"
That night he walked home with Miss
The next night he called,
the third he took her to the theatre
but all the while the brown eyes never
met his. And Sunday night of the follow
Ing week he asked her TO marry him.
There were four days of grace.
You know I won't bother you very
much" he explained awkwardly, wishing
that the eyes were not looking straight
into his. "pll-Ill be on the road most
Of the time, and your aunt could stay
with you-only In much better house
and really. I'll do my best to make you
happy"
The brown eyes were shooting sparks
now.
I'm glad you didn't have the imperti-
nence to tell me you loved me anyhow.
There is that much TO your credit" she
was saying scornfully. But you couldn't
make me happy. l hate you"
she said more, but Rigby, stumbling
10 his apartments through the snow,
could not exactly recall IT, Perhaps he
1idn't want to recall II. II hate you!"
That was quite enough. And all Of a
sudden he realized that. above all things.
he did not wish this girl TO hate him. He
wanted her to love him, wanted II more
han anything else in the world-even
he position.
Three days later Mr.. johnson opened
l letter from Rigby. dated in small
town
II have changed my mind. 1 don't
want the New York Job until I've earned
ny wife"
Then he wrote OF sales and customers.
dictated an answer TO the busl-
less part OF the letter and ignored the
'eference 10 future marriage. He gave
1igby's letter to the bTown-eyed ste
lographer 10 file with the rest of his
lays correspondence, and she read the /
lll-important paragraph more than once.
And all that long, bitter winter Rigby |
Itayed on the road. He Stunned the |