Smyrna times., 1918-08-14
THERUT
BY VICTOR REDcLIFFE.

Copyright 1918. by Western Newspaper UniOn.)


tired from the rostrum in the little
village hall of HOLLYWOOD with Il smirk
and bow, and hurried his steps, once
behind the scenes, to table where his
wife was counting over the meager
receipts OF the evening.
'We1l have to cut out these way
back tOwnS-feld too narrow for our
abilities" muttered the professor.
"Attentive audience, though. How
you did pour it into them, Archelanus
quoting the classics"
That was the stunt of the impressive
looking, hasSO-prOfundO voiced pro-
fesSOr. de had worn, tattered Ice
ture, which proved that every town he
| went to had missed a marvellous COM
mercial future through striking a rut
and sticking in it. Get out of the
rut!" was his loud braying appeal to
towns and individuals.
The discourse was dreary and vapid, |
but its one essential point took root |
with at least two of the audience, |
Muriel Baird, eighteen, an orphan, a |
drudge in the home of distant rela-
tive, seriously drank in the glowing !
pictures delineated by the rOstrum
fiend as TO the wonderful prospects
open in the great thriving city for the
young and ambitious, and Muriel long
ed for expansion and independence.
Across the aisle from her, Arnold
Wade was likewise fertile ground for
the seed sOwn by the lecturer. He had
worked at wages never increased in
the next town. had saved some money,
even enough to enable him to buy an
automobile, and in modest way en-
joyed life, but he, too, left the hall re-
solving to "get out of the rut!"
This estimable young man the next
day made all his arrangements for
giving up his position. He experienced
rare sense of freedom as he started
away in his auto, bound for the city
fifty miles distant.
At the same hour carrying a neat
| looking suitcase, Muriel Baird took
the old turnpike road leading to the
nearest railroad town. She was Sec
reilly glad as an automobile slowed up
and its owner sang out cOurteOusly,
Car 1 give you lift, young lady?"
Mufiel turned to view her questiOner,
discerned that he was a young man,
blushed dtvinely and murmured: II
was going to Ledbury."
"Right ON my way. Why" he add
ed, didn't l see you at the lecture last
EVENING""
To which Murlel assented, and this
naturally led up to the discovery that
they were "twO souls of a single
thought'-"getting out of the rut.'
well, WELL" commented the free and
open Arnold, "thi5 is quite ceinciden-
tai. Here we are, starting out with the
world all before us. Suppose you save
time and railroad fare by staying right
in the machine till we reach the city
tell you, consider having your pleas
ant company all the way seems like q
harbinger of good fortune. It wOulC
be pleasant to keep track of one an
other. Won't you write me to the gen
eral delivery when you get settled
And I'll do the same to you"
And then they parted with a goOC
honest, hearty handshake, and neithe
was likely to forget the other for ;
long time to come.
Arnold sold his automobile for
fair sum and spent a week LOOKING
for an investment for his little capi
tai. One day he received a brief not
from Muriel, telling that she had fOun'
work at delicatessen store.
Arnold started to locate the plac
that evening. Inquiry led to it bein
pointed out to him across a street h
had been traversing. A swift autOmC
- bile turned the corner. He met
crushing contact and knew no more
1t was not a long story he heart
when, after q week of Inconsistencies!
fever and delirium, Arnold was mad
to comprehend that he had been ter
derly cared for by Muriel and her en-
: plOyer, a Mrs. LatcOmbe. who live
behind the little delicatessen shop.
3 was directly in front of it that ArnOl
had been run down. 1t was Murie
who witnessed the mishap, and
recognition of his friendly face ha
led to her caring for him as if he WEI
an own brother.
Arnold mended slowly. One da
from an adjoining room he heard h
3 kind hostess say:
Z 'Tve got some rather bad news II
: you, Muriel, dear. l have word fro
z my invalid husband in California, ar
z he wants me to sell out and come
Z him. 1 am offered four thousand fiV
z hundred collars for the five store
Z You have made 'this one, with yOl
2 pleasant manner and neat way
Z keeping it, and am going to ask Il
Z purchaser to retain you in charge"
z At that Arnold joined tie ladie
z "GOing to sell the stOre!" he exclaiI
~ ed. I'D like n chance at this on
Mrs. LatcOmbe. 1 have over one tho
- sand two hundred dollars in the bank