The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1916-02-03
The Gate
That tWon Jane
How 1t Opened the Way
For Their Happiness.
By MARY G. BENTLEY.

Farmer rillson hadn't d generous
hair in his head. He kept every
cent he got and never gave out a
cent.
Jane was as open hearted as Till
son was close. She was the life OF
the young farmer people round
about. and not one of them but low
ed her. Her uncle did all he could
to impresSher with the fact that,
having some capital, she should look
upon marriage as sort of partner
ship in which, her partner should
furnish an equivalent to her OWL
means.
One day there came to Tillson's
farm a young man who asked fol-
work. He was rather intellectual!
looking than muscular, fact that
did not favorably impress Tillson
But he offered to work for very low
wages, and as it was harvest time
Tillson employed him.
Nov, Jane no sooner saw YOUNG
Zeke Freeman doing the hardest
work there was to be done on the
farm, which her uncle put upon the
young man, than she pitied him
Pity being akin to love, she loved
him. She was. bright enough, how.
ever, to keep the situation from he1
uncle, who never suspected it till
Freeman one day went to him to
ask for James hand.
'No, ye can't have Jane," snarled
old Tillson ungraciously. "She's
my brothers daughter an has mon,
ey of her own, an you amt nothin
but a hired man with no prospects.
I don't see what Jane was thinkin'
on to say ye could ask me. fe can't
have her, an that's all there is tc
it,"
zeke opened his mouth as thougf
to protest or to strengthen his case
by further argument, but Tillson's
face was grim and forbidding, and
he knew the old man too well to
weaken his chances by causing use
less irritation. He turned away.
That afternoon they were neal
the farmyard gate, zeke digging
post holes and Old Tillson patching
up a wheelbarrow, when the drum
mer of an agricultural warehouse
appeared. But, instead Of going
straight to Tillson, he stopped al
the gate and began to examine ii
curiously.
"Queer contrivance that" he said
presently. :sGood idea, though
grand, good idea. How did you
happen to think of it"
ats some of my hired mans dill
Bdanyin'," replied Tillson gruhiy
aHe's forever up to something Of
that sort. Wastes half his time"
Zeke flushed a little, but did not
look up.
'No wasted time about that" de-
clared the drummer emphatically
Tt's a valuable idea. There's mon
ey in it.
Money!" questioned Tillson Gag
erly. Then he saw one of the horses
squeezing his body through the
open doorway of the corncrib anc
he rushed off. He would have sent
Zeke, only he preferred him to con
tinue at the post hole digging.
$50 it's your idea, is it?" said the
drummer as he crossed to Zeke's
side. "Going to have it patented
of course"
Zeke laughed. patented" he
echoed. "That foolish thing? Why
it's nothing but a lot of stones and
two hinges placed so the gate Will
shut of ITSELF"
"But that's just the sort of thing
which usually proves valuable y per
sisted the drummer. ''The simpler
the device, if it's useful, the better
You'll make mistake if you don't
protect the idea."
"Then / guess I'll make the mis-
take" said Zeke carelessly. "Pat'
ents cost money, and I haven't any
Besides, if I had I wouldn't risk sc
cents on that foolish thing"
The drummer regarded him
thoughtfuuy. 'Look here" he saic
suddenly, chow would you like te
make a trade? | could appropriate