The Republican journal., 1917-01-11
A, Bridal
Commission
By JOHN KEENAN,

cheerful heat. Amelia didn't seem
happy, though, and l asked her why
she looked so melancholy-like
'I'll tell you, Mr. Grimshaw," she said.
did you ever hear the song, No One
to Love, None to Caress? Well, 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 I, "the thing for
you to do is to get married"
"How can l do that with nobody to
marry mel" she asked, awful sad.
GLOW you TALK says 1. 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 SIGH 1 wish you'd send
EN- around"
"Sartain I'll git you a husband in
no time Air you particular about his
bein' good lookin' or havin' farm Of
his own or anything like that?''
mo, l amt particular, leastways l
won't be if you can fix me out before
paw brings that red headed wilder into
the house. cause I know I've got to git
out when she comes in.
GLOW much time is there?"
"Well, l heard paw say the other day
that he calc'lated to be married before
the end O next month";
"Supposin' I send you Teller that
suits you and you suit him, what is
there in it for me?'
81 don't see what l can do for you,
Mr.. Grimshaw, seem that I haven't
got cent in the world, and there isn't
any favor / know of that | can do
you. But | supose"-looking down at
the -''havin' made the match.
you'd be entitled to kiss the BRIDE
This bothered me a lot. | was to
fix up a match by which another Teller
was to git all the kisses he wanted for
a lifetime. and l was to git enc kiss
on the weddin' day.
at seems to me. Amelia l says,
chats like sellin' man a house
wo'th lot O. money for a commission.
He gifts whole house. and the broker
gifts a few dollars
you forgit," said Amelia, that the
broker don't want all the houses hei
sells. What would he do with 'em?s
Besides. when a man buys house 1t
argys that he's able to own house
and wants a house, and wants that
particular house. | don't see that the
broker earns anything more than his
commission. Do you?"
81 don't see as he does" says l,
scratchin' my head. And l didn't.
Howsomever, l couldn't git 1t out on
my noddle that l was goin to git the
little end O the bargain. But l felt
sorry for Amelia, powerful sorry, for
I'd had a stepmother myself.
SIS it customary" says l, ''to pay
a commission before the transactions
completed?'
mot at ALL said Amelia. ''That
wouldn't do
"Why not?"
"Well, the broker, havin' 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"
''In that case he'd git double pay for
nothin-tnat 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 piece of
property yourself"
"Well," 1 says, givin' it up, 81 reckon
I'll have to wait for my pay till I've
done the job"
/ got up and was goin' out when
Amelia said:
"How soon are you goin' to send
feller?'
81 dunno. Somehow | don't like the
transaction. Seems to me he'll git the
lions share"
"Well, Mr. Grimshaw, since you look
at it that way l don't know but 1
ought to make it more to your interest
to do the job. l might double the
commission, one-half payable in ad-
vance,"
"Now you're shoutin'," l said, and
instead Of goin' away 1 sat down ag1n
and TUX the first half O. my commits
sion. 1t tasted so good that l began
right off to banker for the other half
Of my pay.
amelia" says, you couldn't pay
1t all in advance, could you?"
"Sartain not. What would there be
to hold you to your work."
l thOrt awhile, and then l said:
'Supposin' I make the deal for my
SELF
What do you mean by that?
81 mean supposin' l jist take the
other Teller by the nape O. the neck
and put him out. Then, instead O
actin as his broker, acquire the prop
erty in my own name"
Land sakes, Mr.. Grimshaww
That was all the talkin we done
| was hungry for another kiss, and
TUX her in my arms and had dozen
without stoppin.
Good gracious, Mr.. Grimshaw, what
you doin'?" she says.
I'm maxim fust payment to bind
the bargain
Amelia and l was married before her
father brought the stepmother to his
house, and Amelia found a home with