The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1916-11-02
Changing
The Day
A Shrewd Move That
Brought Its Reward
Bv RAYMOND CAMPBELL

to Shadon's hand and retired to
the bar. The dinner rush was over,
and he was certain that no one
would come now until after the the
aters let out.
Meanwhile the two young people
at the table would surely chat for
half an hour or 50, which time Al
phonss might spend With profit in
disexsing with the fat bartender
certain nice points in the mixing Of
fancy beverages.
Meanwhile his two patrons sipped
their coffee, and Sheldon lit the
cigar that Alphonse had brought.
When he dined alone the cigar came
from the corner box on the five cent
end, but when the young lady came
Alphonse always brought perfecto
from the box in the ice chest with
an elaborately casual "The usual,
monsieur"
This was intended to impress the
guest with the belief that Sheldon
habitually smoked fat perfectos
with red and gold sashes. Tonight
Alphonse's elaborate politeness was
ignored by the usually genial Shell
don.
'Now for the news he began as
the waiter headed for the bar. 81
couldn't wait for Saturday to tell
you, though it is only two days off,"
"Isn't it funny that we always
fall back on Saturday night?" COM
mented Bess. 81 don't know when
we have been out to dinner in the
middle of the week"
"Never, I guess" agreed Sheldon.
'You see, Saturday is sort of holi-
day. 1 get my salary, and you get
your check from the publishers, and
we're both happy and content, even
if not in agreement"
"We would be in agreement II
you would only stop considering a
proposal as an essential feature OF
the Saturday celebration" remind
ed Bess, with a show of severity.
"You must 60 and spoil it all by
proposing, Fred, when I've told you
long ago that to marry would spoil
my career. I am making a little
name for myself in the art world,
and I can't keep house and paint
too."
"And I've told you," retorted
Fred, "that I would not stop asking
you to marry me until you said
Yes l guess I've proposed to you
sixty times in the last sixty weeks,
Bess, and I'm good for sixty times
sixty if 1 have to hold out that
long"
"Did you ask me out to dinner to
propose to me ?" demanded Bess.
"Not primarily" he admitted.
"What I wanted to tell you was that
nv big chance has come at last.
Benny Groll has made good con-
tract, and he needs man to put a
little money and lot Of time into
the business. I have more expert
ence than money, but Ben wants
me, and he'll give me half interest
if III come in. It's what I've been
working and waiting for ever since
I came to town, Bess, and this is to
celebrate my good luck"
A slender hand was stretched
across the table and grasped his
own.
"Dear boy, I am so glad" she
said sincerely. "You have worked
hard, and you are entitled to your
reward"
(Which is why l am going to
ask for it," retorted Sheldon. 81
am going to break my usual custom
and propose on Thursday instead OF
Saturday, Bess. I want you to work
for, dear. 1t will be pretty hard
camping out with the construction
gang and working on the job with
the field corps. I want to come
back to camp every night and feel
that 1 have done another good days
work for you"
"Work, like virtue, should be its
own reward" paraphrased Bess.
Sheldon shook his head impatiently.
II know all that" he said, "but
that sounds better than it works
out. I want to feel that when the
Job is done and Groll & Sheldon be-
come a firm of Importance Mrs.
Sheldon is proud of what her hus-
band has DONE"
81 shall always be proud of what
you do, Fred,' reminded Bess. "We
two are the only ones from the old