Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-12

anSiScrs TO technical questions tCiH be Seht
~ THIS column. The most Interesting. prob.
lens Of inquireTs rim be iroreh into the
story Of Peter Flint.
CCLXVItI
I'VE three people coming TO Clearvale
L on Sunday. The first three prospects
for my own business.
Mrs. Semper gave me the lead It
seems friend of hers who lives in the
Bronx is interested in buying some land
where her husband can build a bit of
cottage and keep chickens. She told her
about me and my land. and this friend
"a Mrs. Ohren--said I'd better see her
husband.
I Last night ! went TO their house and
had a nice visit. He's little bit of
man. but talks a blue streak. And all
B he, talks of is chickens-Rhode Island
Reds, Buff Orpingtons. White Wyan-
dottes and suchlike weird names.
happened to mention that the Clear
vale station agent had a lot OF chickens.
and he got quite excited. A friend of
Mr.. Ohren's came in while I was talk
ing and he got Interested as well, and is
coming with us on Sunday.
He's another hen nut and he-hi3
names Mithyn--and Ohren started talk
ing hens.
Mrs. Ohren said 1t was no use me
talking. for once they start riding their
hobby they forget everything else
what do you think these two men do
on Sunday morning" she asked,
laughing.
. II give 1t up, Mrs Dhren; tell me"
'Well, after breakfast they get into
the henhouse with two little stools and
sit there among the eight hens and the
one rooster.
THE henhouse is only about eight
feet by four feet and about four feet six
inches high, so YOU can imagine how
crowded they are. There they sit srlcl:-
ing their pipes. watching the hens and
saying never n word till I fetcn my
man IN for his dinner: such silly Way
of spending a morning. -
/ I've promised to meet them at the
Grand Union in time to catch the 2 :25.
If they buy two lots each 1t will mean
at least s400 profit to me when the
! lands all paid for. The first payments
/ will be 800. Of which $50 goes TO Lucas
Kellett toward the cost of the land and
the other fifty comes to me. / guess
/ I'll make out somehow; don't want so
many prospects of my own to make out
all right.
That's the way ! figured IT, but |
woke up with big bump when I got to
the office and read a letter which kellett
sent me:
Mr.. Peter Flint:
Dear Sir---Let me wish you success
In selling Clearval le lots. II can help
you in any way please advise me.
My bookkeeper has figured out how
much of each payment made TO you is
due to me- He tells me that my part
of each payment is as foliows:
$50, on every 81 collected you pay to
me sixty cents. Since lots you sell for
$500 cost you Sl75 on every 81 col-
@ lected you pay me I iiftS:nine son cents;
5000 on every 81 collected you pay mo
fifty-eight cents.
That means that from the first pay
ment of s25 made to you you pay me
SIS, S14.75 or $l4.5O. depending on
what priced lot you SELL Truly.
LUCAS kELLETT.
I dropped limp into my chair. Goot
heavens, here. before I get started I sc
knockout blow. Id reckoned on get
ting half of ali. collections for myself
How was so stupid I don't know for
of course. I couldn't get that, as | don
make 100 per cent profit.
Then another horrible fact hit me. !
/ get statesmen. I'll have to give then
the usual SO per cent of all payments til
their commission is paid. and to do tina
I'll have to find some money Of my own.
, 1t would be three months before
could possibly get penny for mysel
except on lots personally sold, and my
money will only last out about month
. An old Jingle that dad used to say
kept going through and through m!
, mind. 1t was something about 'If
must so soon be done, It's pity that
was begun"
What fool I am not Ia think o.
these things before. All my life ",
suffered because I go off at half-cock.
Out of the tumult OF thought on,
thing became clear. Unless Lucas coult
help me out of the first three months o
each contract, 1 could not possibly &,
on-"If I must so soon be done, I'll
pity that / was begun---" That mis-
erable jingle kept jigging in my mind.
Miss Sloan was reading a novel
: "Lucy's Lovers" 1t was called, and chew
ing gum in a lazy. cowlike way. 1t 81
exasperated me that [ had hard worl
to restrain myself from snatching TIL
book from her and shouting. Don't b.
so placid when I'm almost ruined-'I
I must SO soon be done, it's pity that
/, was begun--'
That stupid thing was still repeating
itself nniserably In desperation l clap
ped Oh my hat and ran-positively raj
out of the building, round the corne
to the Benzic Building and into Luca
Eellett's office