The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1916-11-09
His Price
It Turned Out to Be
His Own, Not the
Other Mans.
BY CLARlSSA MACKIE
. Q Q o - . Q Q

That was his chief boast. One day
after he had made this assertion one
Of the persons who heard it said to the
other:
"Reckon he did make himself The
Lord never would have made a man
like him.
Skiff left school when he was nine
years old.
There were two things that Babcock
coveted. The one was the most ex-
pensive automobile he could buy, and
the fashiest. The other was Celia
Hart, young milliner. Celia was of
the same sphere in life as Babcock, but
clay.
He got the automobile, and it re-
manned for him to get Celia Hart-if
he could. The only thing in the way
of his getting her SO far as he knew
was Tim Casey. Casey was in Bah
cocks employ, and Babcock considered
that he owned every man he hired It
CALLED him to feel that this common
workman as he called Casey, should
be in the way Of his getting anything
he wanted. But Casey was far before
him in Celia's affections, and he knew
it. But it wasn't natural that this
should be so, and he thought up a way
to change it-a way that only such a
man as he would choose.
For three succeeding days Skif Bah
cock had permitted his brand new red
touring car to crawl along the street in
the hope of meeting Celia as she went
to or from the milliner's where she
worked.
Skif could always pick Celia out of a
crowd by the graceful swing of her
slender, erect figure, but recently she
had identified herself beyond all doubt
by perching a coral colored hat on her
abundant black hair.
All at once Skiff's beady little eyes
discerned her First the coral hat
came into view then Celia's lovely
laughing face and finally the hulking
form of none other than Mr.. Babcock' s
head truck driver. who held Celia's ell
bow in one big hand with a most often
sive air Of pcoprietorship.
Suddenly Skiff Babcock whirled his
machine around and dashed into an
other street.
An hour later he sat at his desk in
the Office of the Skiff Babcock Truck
ing company. At the curbstone his
red car painted impatiently. Through
the archWay that connected the street
with the stables behind his office his
employees were passing to and fro.
4 haze Of tobacco smoke blurred the
little room. for Skiff was smoking CT
gar after cigar in logged, persistent
way, very much as if he knew that
when he reached the end of a certain
number Of these fragrant smokes he
would find solution to the problem
that troubled him.
AL at once he flung half finished
cigar through the window and pounded
the desk heavily with one rudgy fist.
Every man has his price, he said
slowly. IT wonder what is Casey's
price,"
Again he meditated.
"a truckman," he snorted scornful-
", against me, who can turn every
vote in this ward-me. with that auty-
mobile, and could dress her in dia-
monds, with a fat in Central Park
West, if she wanted it. The nerve Of
Tim Casey"'
He rang a bell sharply.
HAS Casey come back?" he asked Of
the boy who responded.
"No, SIR
"Send him here when he comes,' -
scowled Skiff, and he lighted another
cigar.
By the time Tim Casey's huge bulk
darkened the office doorway Skiff Bah
cock had smoked himself into a fit of
cold anger, tempered only by his favor
tie maxim that Every man has his
price"
That this was true to a degree in
Sl1iff Babcock's political circle account
ed for his self-confdence to settle the
case of Tim Casey off halVl.
You wanted me?" grinned Tim
Casey good naturedly.
Skitf froWned up at the big. hand
some young Irishman, whose every
muscle was tense with strength and
vitality. Tins blue eyes sparkled and
his white teeth shone. Life was good
sport to the hard working truck driver
Il saw you on Sixth avenue this
noon,' blurted forth Skif. This was
not the way he had intended to open
| The subject
II guess I wasn't breaking no speed
limits" grinned Tim. ''That gray
horse amt got the grit to cart heavy
| dry goods. He ought to be put on the
ostrich feather route
| ''You wasn't carting that kind OF
dry goods up the avenue. What do you
mean by loafng around when you
! ought to be on your job, eh?''
Casey's back stiffened and his blue
eyes narrowed.
1T was noon hour" he said sharply
Where was the truck?'
Here in the stable.''
Seems to me you can get around
pretty fast when you've mind to-
@rowled Skiff. as he studied the time
card on lis desk, which showed the