The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-10-31
HONEY SWEET
BY Macy JORDAN GARTH.
(oopyrlght. 1918. western Newspaper unlon)

through With businesS-all through.
After ten years Of striving, speculating
manipulating, leading the feverish, un'
certain life of the average broker, he
had arrived ut point where every
dollar he had in the world must so to
meet his honest obligations, or he must
stand forth in the world dlshonored
bankrupt.
"Owing nothing, owning nothing" he
mused, with a half whimsical smile
81 wonder what will open volume two
of my life. Come in"
A rare good friend, Tom Daley had
tapped at the half glass door, peered
in and came in. throwing himself into
a chair and strangely viewing the
trusted and beloved chum OF fun
decade.
"It's true?" he asked, dismally'
"You've sold your membership
Daere nodded, gravely but screnely,
There was certain joyous satistac'
ton in feeling a load of debt lifted
from his shoulders.
"You don't want n position-back-
ing, maybe loan?" persisted gener7
ous-hearted Tom.
"Not bit of 1t. The game hasn't
been worth the candle. have no
thought of renewing it. Good old fei-
low! you were one Of the true ones
"What's yOur plan|
81 have none.
Tom meditated, moodily surveying
his friend with real pity. He did not
like the sheer resignation Of lis mood.
IT seemed ambitionless.
"Oh. by the way" he spurred up
abruptly. 'I've a draft for you. It's
only one hundred and scyclty-five dol
lars, but it may be the forerunner or
q regular income"
Daere glanced over the document.
1t was dated at Hopeton. 1t was
signed Abner Wade. |
''NIust be a mistake" he submitted.
81 know no Abner Wade"
"You've forgotten. that's ALL" obs
served Tom. "One of your many kind
deeds. Remember my coming to you
four years ago telling of an honest,
worthy old fellow named Wade, at
Hopeton, who had little place and
wanted a thousand dollars to expert
ment in bee cuItureT
"Why, yes" dimly acceded Daere.
"There was Il brOken-down old man
who had been a professor of ento-
mology in a college and his daughter,
Muriel. | vouched for repayment and
Won never even asked for details. Well,
this morning l got their first check.
1t seems that every dollar you loaned
those worthy people, and every dollar
they have made has gone into a heat
ing plant to provide for the bees in
winter and lot of other new-fangled
contraptions, invented for bees spe-
cially by the old professor. They have
lived got out of debt, the place Isl
clear. prospects dazzling, and you can
imagine the delight of those square,
deserving people to be able to begin
paying dividends"
"Why, there couldn't be more than
the usual 6 per cent interest" began
Daere.
THE professor insists differently. He
has placed the title to the whole bust.
ness In your name and has settled on
an equal division of the profits. You
can't bulge him on that, so, In the
midst of this abOminable poverty you
seem to take a JOY in adopting you
are not only landed proprietor. but q
partner in a most promising business. L
Il declare!" muttered Daere. really
interested, you give me something to
think about"
He thought so much about 1t that
morning saw. him headed for Hope1
ton. 1t was a pleasant diversion to
weave fancy picture of rural fe7
licity. TO feel as though he had am
anchor settled somewhere. He made
an inquiry at the general store ap
Hopeton as to Wadc's bee farm.
"Thats it," explained the man in
charge. aud pointed to written adj
vertlsement tackled onto bulletin
board Wanted-Man for light work,
and there followed the route to the
bee farm in question.
If Van Daere had found a grabbed,
self-absorbed old fossil and captious!
suspicious old maid daughter at the
bee farm he might not have stayed,
Instead. he came across the most de-
Hghtfully intelligent old fellow he had
met in year. As to the young lady,
as TO Muriel-she was beautiful and
attractive as her own sweet modest
name.
So Daere "hired OUT Within a
week he was as deep in the science Of
bee culture as the old professor The
business possibilities OF the venture
appealed 10 the true commercial sense
in his nature. AS Muriel daintily
taught him how TO handle the little
treasure gatherers he evinced a fasT
cination beside which money grubbing
in the city was dull, sordid work.
They were seated, those two, on q
garden bench. each veiled after swarm
ing colony and resting and enjoying
the lovely calm of the evening of q
perfect day. He had been at the bee
farm Just two months. His hand imf
petuously strayed toward her own.
Everything honey sweet" he mur1
INJURED raptly. "You, these busy little
workers. the flowers. It's been sort
,oF NOW uoradfsn to me II is all har4