Catoctin clarion., 1918-02-28
A Freak Of
Fate
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Unioz
By7VlcToR REDcLFFE

all have in the world. There's one
ray of sunshine, though"
"And what's that?"
J II have paid for everything had.
don't owe cent"
"My brave optimist, you deserve the
very best If you want to rebuild and
start over again III finance you to the
limit"
"Thank you, Mr.. Rogers" said Pey-
ton, "but I'm through experimenting,
for time, anyway"
He was O splendid specimen Of hu-
manity, not yet twenty-five, tall, erect
clear-eyed and open-faced. He and his
would-be patron viewed "a scene OF
wide desolation. For as far as the eye
could reach was water, the roaring
Miami river, and every estuary swol-
len beyond Its banks and shattered
houses and barns and great heaps OF
wreckage where the valley dipped. A
flood, followed by bursting dam, had
swept to wreck and ruin half town
and Its enyirons.
1t came just as Clyde Peyton had
perfected his dream of business felicity.
He had his fad. 1t was chicken rails
ing. He had saved up nearly $4,000.
A poultry fancier and importer had
just introduced into this country q rare
species Of what were called cochin
pheaSants. They were wonderful lay
ers, they were sport fowl, they were
Incompatible broilers. Peyton bought
the entire outfit. Then he had leased a
few acres Of land and had put up some
buildings. The chicken quarters were
pulatal. There was one large shed so
comfortably built that 1t had two stO-
ries and held over 400 of the bl0odcd
fowl. This had been bodily wrenched
from Its moorings and mingled with
other wreckage.
"YOu found no trace OF the chicken
house?" inquired Rogers.
"Yes, parts of 1t strewn here and
there, and such a body Of fowls, even
live stock, massed up where the river
branches ran that hadn't the heart to
look. Poor things!"
So Clyde Peyton started out on the
road, as of yOre, as a travelling sales
man. He did not even leave an address
behind him, He tried to forget his mis-
guided speculation. 1t was during his
vacation month that the old love for
animate farm nature came back to him.
There was a state fair, and he visited
ii.
His whole interest was centered one
day on poultry annex where full
line of cochin pheasants was on eX-
hibition. At once Peyton was In his
element. He engaged In conversation
with the man In charge of the cOllec.
tion.
Peyton turned to proceed on his way,
he faced a bright eyed, handsome
young lady who evidently had been an
interested listener to all he had said
and showed 1t in her intelligent eyes.
Peyton strolled around to the same
place the next day. He found the cx-
hibitOr glad to see him. The young
lady was there also.
They became very well acquainted
and 1t was a rapturOus week for Clyde
PeytOn. Together they went the
rounds of the fair again and again.
One day Clyde narrated his former
business venture and the circum-
stances of the food that had beg
CARED him, Miss Barnett gave him a
strange glance that he did not observe.
Her breath came quickly. 1T seemed
to Clyde as though she was very indul-
gent and considerate with him after
that. His heart beat high whenever
he recalled all her little kindnesses.
The next day his emotions went down
below freezing point when, in casual
conversation, the exhibitor remarked
incidentally:
"Yes, Miss Barnett is heiress to a
very large fortune"
"That settles it," soliloquized Clyde
ruefully, alone with himself. "The
chances Of poor commercial traveller
for winning peerless creature like
that would be decidedly SLIM"
He decided to end his vacation and
told the exhibitor SO the next day.
"Mr. Peyton Is going away in the
morning, Miss Barnett" he told the
young lady who owned the poultry col
lection. II happened to refer to your
being wealthy and 1t seemed to dispirit
him."
Ina looked conscious and her cheeks
reddened.
II must see Mr.. Peyton before he
goes away" she spoke, almost anxious
ly. "There he Is coming now. Won't
you please leave me In charge here? l
have some important business with Mr..
Peyton."
Important indeed, and when disclOs-
ed to Clyde he was staggered. II
seemed that over IS miles from their
old home his cochin pheasant had es-
capped from their wrecked house, and
to the number of over $50 had one
morning wandered into John Barnett's
chicken farm.
They had formed the nucleus Of the
fortune he had left to his daughter. He
had sought everywhere, but vainly, to
locate their original owner.
"And always" said Ina, father In
sisted that II ever that owner was dis
covered. he could be given an equal
share of the business that his brood
had built up" So, Clyde was no long
er poor. He was no longer hopeless,
either. 1t was when he visited the
Barnett farm, and with Ina by his side,
viewed the great brOOds Of beautiful
cochin pheasants that his love found
utterance, and Ina welcomed his words
as life's sweetest music.