The daily Alaskan., 1917-01-31
A Bridal
 Commission
By JOHN KENAN

was Sittin' with Amelia before the fireplace, with the logs givin' out cheerful heat. Amelia didn't seem happy, though, and l asked her why she looked so melancholy-like. -
 "Tll tell you, MT. Grimshaw," she said. Did you ever hear the song, No One to Love, None to CaressY We'll, that's the way I feel. Father ever since mothers death has been restless and cross, and now he's goin' to give me a stepmother. l haven't any brothers or sisters to love, and I'm goin' to have a stepmother to hate"
 "Why, Amelia," says l, "the thing for you to do Is to get married"
 How can l do that with nobody to marry mel" she asked, awful sad.
 How you talkw says I. You know mighty well there's lots of fellers that would be glad to git you"
 I'd like to know where they are. If you know any sich wish you'd send em around" .
 "Sartain. I'll git you a husband in no time. Air you particular about his bein' good lookin' or hayin' farm Of his own or anything like that?"
 'No, I ain't particular, leastways won't be if you can fix me out before pSv brings that red headed widder into the house, cause know I've got to git out when she comes in."
 How much time is there" "Well, heard paw say the other day that he calc'lated to be married before the end O next month"
 "Supposin' I send you a feller that suits you and you suit him, what is there in 1t for mel"
 q don't see what l can do for you MT. Grimshaw, seein' that l haven't got a cent in the world, and there isn't any favor know of that I can do you. But I suppose"-looking down at the flOor-"havin' made the match, you'd be entitled to kiss the bride"
 This bothered me a lot. l was to fix up a match by which another feler was to git all the kisses he wanted for lifetime, and l was to git one Kiss on the weddin day.
 Tt seems to me, Amelia" l says, that's like sellin' a man a house wo'th q lot O money for commission. He gifts a whole house, and the broker gifts a few dollars"
 You forgit," said Amelia, that the broker don't want all the houses he sells. What would he do with 'em? Besides, when a man buys a house 1t arcvs that he's able to own a house and wants a house, and wants that particular house. don't see that the broker earns anything more than his 1 commission. Do yOuT
 "I don't see as he does" says l, scratchin' my head And l didn't Howsomever, I couldn't git it out O my noddle that I was goin' to git the little end O the bargain. But l felt sorry for Amelia, powerful sorry, for I'd had stepmother myself.
 "Is it customary" says l, ito pay q commission before the transactions completely
 Not at all," said Amelia. '"That wouldn't dO,"
 "Why not?"
 "Well. the broker, hayin' got his pay, wouldn't take any pains in the mat ter"
 If he didn't do his work he might return what he'd received"
 Tn that case he'd git double pay for nothin-that is. if his commission was a kiss"
 Isn't there somepin among business men like payin' part down, the rest when the deal has gone through?" .> That's got nothin' to do with bro kers: it's when you buy a piece of property yourself"
 "Wen," 1 says, givin' it up, q reckon I'll have to wait for my pay till I've done the job"
 I got up and was goin' out when Amelia said:
 How soon are you goin' to send a feller?"
 q dunno. Somehow I don't like the transaction. Seems to me he'll git the 1 lions snare.
 "WeII. Mir. Grimshaw, since you look at it that way I don't know but ought to make 1t more to your interest to do the job. I might double the commission, one-half payable in ad- vance"
 "Now you're shoutin'," I said, and instead of goin' away sat down agin and tuk the first half O my cOmmis- sion. It tasted so good that began right off to banker for the other half of my pay.
 Amelia" says. you couldn't pay 1t all in advance, could youT'
 "Sartain not. What would there be to hold you to your work?"
 thort awhile, and then I said:
 "Supposin' I make the deal for my self"
 What do you mean by that?"
 T mean supposln' jist take the other feller by the nape O the neck and put him out. Then, instead % actin as his broker, I acquire the prop erty in my own name"
 Land sakes, MT. Grimshaw"
 That was all the talkin' we done.