The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-10-12
THE SOLICITOR
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

"Say, dad, you're awful deaf. I've
been calm and callin'."
Hey? Well. what is 1t? Cribbses
want TO borrow the mare again? Tell
them to walk to town. They famed
her last time"
"No dad. 1t amt Cribbses after the
mare It's Sam Harms. He's back from
the city and he's solicitin'."
"What?"
Hes solicitin'."
"Whats that? After somethin'?"
"Well, sort of. You come on down
to the house, won't you, and talk to
Sam? It's about a new bulldin' in
town. He's all dressed up and sittin'
on the front porch. Hurry up an'
come on. dad"
"All right, I'll be down."
''When did you come back to town,
Sam?" Carrie. in her Bingham dress,
with white collar and cuffs and a
dress-up apron, was very pretty. Her
hair. corn-colored and wavy. touched
off a complexion of roses and cream
that reminded Sam Of the big bisque
dolls in the city windows. Her eyes.
with their long, dark lashes. were big
and very deep gray.
IL came back last Tuesday. I'm rum
ming the campaign"
Campaign Oh. are you trying to
be elected?"
Sam laughed. mo. it's not politics.
I'm an organizer That's a man who
takes charge of things and makes
things come that nobody else will
new library or hospital or chamber Of
commerce building, they send for me.
Then l roll up my sleeves and go to
work. The old town here wants
library, so that's why I came back, to
get them what they wanted. Oh. I'm
the man that put the g in get, all
right. We're after fifty thousand dol
lars"
Carries eyes were big. us that
what you're solicitin' for?"
"Yes."
"He won't give much"
"You just wait and see. I'm after
d hundred dollars"
Goodness Her eyes widened.
why, he won't give me and ma
enough money for new hat"
But won't 1t be fine to have q
library In town."
81 wouldn't know what TO do with
It."
"Why get books and read them.
Magazines, too and all sorts Of things.
A pretty girl like you wants to know
a lot. Carrie"
1T know enough. I can bake the
best angel food of any girl in Clark
county"
"All right Maybe you can. but I'll
bet you don't know who Shakespeare's
contemporaries were."
"What did you say?" she asked be-
wildered. "Oh. here's dad now"
Sam began instantly. II came to
get your subscription to the new
library. Mr.. Weigel. You've heard
about 1t, suppose. Let me see, we've
put you down for hundred dollars"
"What?" cried the old farmer. "Tll
be hamjugged II I will" He pushed
back his chair. crossed his knees and
fumbled awkwardly for his pipe.
whats the darned thing for?"
"a library for the county. Books.
you know. Books" And then Sam
gave q dissertation on the blessings
Of a library In tone calculated to
ha Toe tn
And he got the hundred.
"Goodby, SAM" said Carrie, putting
her hand to her smooth. snowy throat.
"Goodby, Carrie" said Sam, and
then in a tone which Egyptian num-
mics could never have heard he leaned
forward and said, "Tve learned to
know what beauty is since I've been
away, Carrie, and you're the loveliest
thing I've seen In that line ever" He
pressed her hand gently-and was
gone.
A year passed. Ferdinand Weigel
was going for the cows one day when
Carrie called. Dad. oh Dad!"
The old man turned. Hey? Well,
what is 1t? Cribbses want to"
mo. 1t isn't the Cribbses. dad. It's
Sam Harms. He wants to see you"
"Wants me to build another library,
does he? Well. tell him to 60 and
talk to the chickens. I'm busy. What's
he want?"
III don't know" Carrie smiled and
dimpled. "He said to tell you he's
soliciting" Carrie had picked up on
her G's since reading books from the
library. and she had found out just
what "Shapespeare's contemporaries"
meant.
AT the head Of the hill Carrie and
her father met Sam, who came up
energetic, irresponsible, smiling. The
old man had to acknowledge that his
visitor was splendid looking, but new
ertheless he retained his scowl.
How do you do, Mr.. Weiger' said
Sam, pleasantly holding out his hand.
How dor responded Ferdinand.
what do you want