The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-01-26

to enGeavor to persuade the owner to
put price on the property. which he
was to agree to pay. no matter how
much the amount.
Winslow visited the bungalow and
was told that Miss Edgerton. the rose
cultivator, was In the Office of the con
serva.ory. He went there and found
very different person f.'om what he
had expected. He supposed he would
see young woman Of plain exterior.
serious. businesslike, and whose COS
tune would be suitable for her work.
Miss Edgerton was a Sery pretty wo
man, dressed in excellent taste and i'm
fashion. Her assistants. who were all
OF her own sex, were the only indica-
ton that the owner was of the new
woman order. She received Mr.. Wins
low with an engaging smile and listen
ed to an introduction to his subject,
which was an account Of his prepara
ton for the agricultural profession and
his having settled upon the branch of
rose culture. From this he explained
that he desired to purchase plant
ready for production and ended by sug-
gesting that he would like to buy hers.
Miss Edgerton listened to what he
had to say. then told him of her own
ambition, adding that her property was
not for sale. An effort to get her to
put price on it was not successful.
There was nothing left for Rowland
to do but tackle the lioness in her den
himself. Upon Winslows repdt of her
personality he resolved first to attempt
to win her favor. then adopt such 9
plan as might seem best to buy her
! property. AS to concealing his identity
| as multimillionaire. this was now be-
yond hope.
Rowland had by this time got into
| his country home. He sent her some
strawberries from his garden-great.
| luscious fellowS-with note of well
come to his new neighbor. He receiv-
ed note Of thanks in return and All
invitation to call. The call was made
in due time. and the visitor devoted
himself to pleasing the hostess. He
said not a word about buying her
plant. On the contrary, he expressed
his satisfaction at having SO attractive
property near him. He left with the
belief that he had made very agree
able impression.
1t was not in Mr.. Howland's plan to
lead Miss Edgerton to believe that she
had made a conquest Of him. This
would rather hinder than facilitate his
purchase Of her property. He wished
merely to secure her good will. hoping
that she would accept two or three
times its value, or that he might place
her in position Of standing in the
way of friend. While lie lavished
upon her every favor she would ac
cept, he neither looked. spoke nor HUT
ed love. His aim was merely to play
the good Reighbor.
When be had fully established
kindly entente he one day told her that
a site for her rose plant where she
would have had better facilities for
transporting her goods to market. To
this she expressed herself well sutis-
fed where she was. Later he Inform
ed her that he owned a splendid site
for her plant nearer the city and on
railroad by which she could ship her
goods. II she wanted ii he would ex-
change it for her property. build new
Conservatives for her and give her
triple the value of her present proper
ty to boot.
She appeared to take the matter into
consideration. But she never came to
q decision-at any rate. no decision
that she revealed to the would be pur-
chaser of her property.
Disappointed in this move. Rowland
resolved to try what virtue there
would be in lovemaking. He would
try to win the property through the
heart. If he must wound the heart
he would heal the wound with gold,
for he had no doubt that II there was
enough gold bestowed any such breach
would be stopped by It, But How
land had been SO beset by women to
marry him for his fortune that his
ideas on this point had been somewhat
warped.
So he began by first looking a little
love, then acting little love and final
~ ilttie IONe. A
having been made. he doubled the guam.
titles. Miss Edgerton received his at
tentions coyly. She was always trifie
behind him In this lovemaking New
ertheless the affair developed.
Then one day Miss Edgerton told
Rowland that she was thinking of TAX
ing a partner in her business. How
land took fright at once. and when a
swell from the city came to the rose
factory and hobnobbed with the owner
Rowland discovered that the factory
had become Of small importance to him
in comparison with the owner The
moment the swell departed Rowland
went to Miss Edgerton and told her
that IL she would not marry him he
would commit suicide.
That's the end of my story. The two
were married, the Conservatives were
taken down. and the land on which
they stood was made part Of How
land park. But there Is an explana-
ton as to how all this came about.
Miss Edgerton was one Of those bril-
liant women who from modest begin
nings climb to the top Of the social
ladder. Getting wind of Howlands
fo. n, M che