, 1916-01-13

1t was the irony of fate that Old
Cyrus Martins 5000. meant to keep
carking care from Mary's shoulders,
should have been spent in two days in
advertising by Ambrose Peale. The
explanation of this $1,000 must be
made to Rodney some day too. Every
once in awhile he grew curious about
1t. But Ambrose didn't measure 1t In
dollars and cents, only in terms of
1t came from. Truly he was a 6end
on copy. He would study and expound
the signs which they could see from
the office windows, while Mary, Rod
ney and Miss Burke would all listen
spelIbound when there were no call
ers, as often happened. Not enough
white space, he would cry Of II en-
blazOnment. Not big enough, he would
say. Doesn't bring out the right
point, was another criticism. Amt
clear-not true-no punch, ct cetera.
ct cetera.
If only they had Just made soap,
Mary couldn't help thinking some
times, as all this talk rang in her ears.
If only they had just made soap and
made it good. Good wine needs no
bush, was an ancient proverb she came
to believe in. By the same token,
good soap would need no ads,
Now. the funniest part of the whole
thing, speaking of advertising, was
hat the 13 Soap, the old family cook
book soap, was really good. Mary had
always been loyal to it from the first
time she had used 1t. She had given it
to some friends for Christmas, Inc
they had liked it, too, and said they
would talk it up" She had gone to
a store and bought a holly covered
box and laid three cakes in 1t neat
ly done up in tissue paper and red
ribbon, with a stamp showing Santa
Claus and a legend, Not to be opened
till Christmas" on the outside.
I'VE must spell Christmas with an Y
this year" said Rodney chafingly.
Let Y equal the unknown quantity
Wen see," said Mary, smiling.
She simply must go on hoping and
smiling o.. she should die. 1t was
counting your chickens before they
were hatched no doubt, but, then, you
might get a chance to count
them later, she told herself pathetical-
ly. She had superintendent the first
experiments at soapmaking and fig
ured out the manufacturing costs
They must be ready. she had always
maintained. She even bought a book
on elementary chemistry and had
dreams of a large soap works, like old
Mr.. Martins, where an army of self
supporting girls should be put to WORK
under the best hygienic and sanitary
conditions, and the minimum wage
should be a generous n c She lie
succeed in getting a few gross OF IL
Soap made after the old book formula.
In the loft there were a few piles of
1t, the genuine 10, ranged alongside
the pink CASTLE In old rose wrappers.
AS a matter of fact she had had to
give up manufacturing on any large
scale, because their advertising took
all their money, but Mary cherished
the idea of taking up the work in
earnest some day again. She didn't
really believe much in the idea OF
making old Mr.. Martin buy them out.
Already she had more ambitious de-
/ signs than that for her man Rodney.
The darkest hour comes just before
the dawn, and dawn came with a sud
den burst of glory one morning when
Ambrose Peale flew into the office in
great excitement, interrupting Mary
and Rodney in a long embrace. Al
ways discreet and tactful, he coughed
and scraped his feet as a signal to
them 10 break away.
Say, I didn't mean to interrupt" he
a~pologized.
Rodney kept his arms around Mary.
Nothing in the world can interrupt
u.s." he said. What is itr
"a telegram" said Peale. TITS the
first we've ever had. I was afraid to
open it."
Mary came wei to him and looked
at it ~nervOusly.
"what awful thing can it be?" she
querled.
"Gee, 1 wonder what 1t saysF" came
from Rodney.
"Read it. read itr' said Peale, afraid
to do SO himself.
So then Mary opened 1t and read:
Rodney Martin, President 10 Soap Com
pany. 33s Broadway
go on, we know the address"
Peale broke in impatiently.
Mary went on:
Ship at once, collect. $1,000 cakes 10 Soap
Signed, BROWN & JAMES,
Chicago.
A profound silence fell upon the trio
The colossal number of $4,000 and the
magic name of Brown & James had
oyerpowered them. 1t was far toe
good to be true.
Somebody really wants to buy some
| Of mn. ANN echned Rodney stnnlllY.