Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-04-22
HER GoLDENRoD DYE
BY MURiEl CHANCE.

true.
She was weaving in the attic, max
ing the homespun rugs which had be-
come village industry in the little
Pennsylvania town. Her winters work
brought in enough money to buy u few
luxuries for her bedridden mother and
clothes for Monte, at school. Suddenly
knock came below and, when Nancy
went down, she saw young man, a
stranger. standing at he.door.
Il am told that you make the best
rugs in the village, Miss McLane," he
said. MAY see some of your work."
She showed him some. Certainly the
contours were straight, and not higgle-
dy-piggledy like those of most of the
village rugs. However, the young man
was interested In other details than
that.
my name Is Cyrus Brown, and I
am from the rug factory at Altoona"
he said. I'VE want to buy the secret
of your vegetable dye-the yellow
one"
Nancy laughed. There isn't any Sc.
cret about that" she answered
Everybody here knows that. It's
goldenrod. You steep the flowers in
hot water and add little alcohol and
-" And Nancy gave him the secret d,
May / come another day when you
are making the eXtract?" asked the
young man.
Yes, reckon I'll be making some
this day next week." Nancy answered
Seems to me, Nancy" grumbled her
mother, when he had gone, you might
have got hold of a young fellow like
that instead Of that good.for-nothing
Jim Penny"
Nancy said nothing. But she sighed
a little that night when jim, out Of
work as usual, sat glumly at her side
and asked, for the tenth time that year,
when she would marry him.
Nancy and Jim had been engaged
for years But he had never held po-
sition more than week or two, and,
while the girl felt the bond Of old as.
sociation, she had begun to think seri-
ously of the future.
When Mr.. Brown called, a week Ia
ter, Nancy had steaming pot of gold
enrod extract upon the table, and he
was quickly initiated into the mystery
OF dyeing the fabrics
1T seems too good to be true" said
the young man I'VE thought those
vegetable dyes had been forgotten long
ago. l am authorized to pay you this
in remuneration" And he handed her
crisp bundle of bills.
Nancy drew back. why, Mr..
Brown" she said, Everybody knows
how to make goldenrod dye. 1t isn't
worth nything-really."
But he left the bills upon the table
and. declining to stay for supper this
time, departed. When he had gone
Nancy looked at the money. There
were five hundred dollars!
Breathless, she ran after the visitor,
but he was out of sight. And so she
came back and wrote letter to the
rug factory explaining that mistake
had been made.
Her mother, though inclined to agree
with this view, was strongly against
Nancy's posting the letter.
That evening Nancy, radiant, ran to
Jim with cry of pleasure and told
him what had occurred, showing him
the bills
To her amazement Jim became a.
most inarticulate with anger.
Five hundred dollars for trade
secret!" he shouted. why. it's worth
five thousand at the least"
But, Jim, everybody knows how to
make goldenrod dye" Nancy protest
ed.
Wen tell them that we stipulated
for five thousand" he said, and I'll
take this lot, Nancy, to make first
payment on that cottage | spoke
about"
A few days later the young man
called again.
I'VE have received a letter from a
Mr., Penny, threatening to bring suit
on your behalf for five thousand dol
lars" he began. The company sent
me to investigate. Do you really make
such claim, Miss McLane?'
"Mr. Brown, don't want to take a
penny" she cried. why, IL gave
you the secret and"
She brought the money and thrust
1t into his hands. THAT shows you
what l feel about it," she cried.
And 1t took the whole afternoon
until supper time, before Mr.. Brown
could convince Nancy Of the value OF
commercial secret. In fact, 1t took
so long that Jim came in upon the
couple unawares as Mr. Brown was ex
planning to Nancy after supper was
over
Hum! guess see where the mig
ger lay" remarked the young man, sur
veying the couple with cool stare
Man, If you're going to let yourself be
cheated out of your money by a swim
der like that, all say is, wash my
hands of you"
Nancy got up with dignity. "Per
haps you would like to talk to Mr.
Erown alone" she said meaningly.
But Jim Penny beat hasty retreat
Writing letters was more to his taste
He wrote Nancy long one after the
engagement was announced. 1t con
tanned request for money. But the
girl never knew that, because she pu
1t In the fire unopened. She had lef
Iim Penny behind her now that the
new life was at hand.
He's just another trade secret be
tween u.s. DEAR" said her fiance, laugh
ing.
Copyright. by w. G. Chapmap
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