The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-01-10
MAKING A MILLION
BY 4. 7. RICH.
tCopyriBht, l9I7, by the McCluro Newspa
per Syndicate)

CHafleS ~. u. AcherSOn was an OBJ
scure little author OF unpopular fic
tion-short stories that one thanked
heaven were short.
The difficulty lGy not in any lack OF
language, hut in a certain dearth OF
ideas. Result; a dun and tedious
tale.
ever hear Of him? I doubt It. Any
1wUy, you would be unlikely to know he
lind a daughter. he had, though Her
name was Allalie, and her mother had
died when she was very small, leaving
her to her fathers kindly but irregu-
lar tutelage AS a consequence OF
which, by the time she reached twen-
ty, she was ih possession among other
things of as vigorous an artistic tenn
perament as the most ardent tempera-
mont fan could desire.
Now an artistic temperament must
have its opposite, and hers was H. f..
Bennink-though he pretended he had
just such a temperament as hers and
swore he was a writer. For Bennink
was versed in the ways of women
Moreover, he and the aforesaid
Charles were friends. Put this with
the fact that he actually was in love
with daughter AlEalie, and you have
situation that would really have af-
forded grounds for fiction.
Henry" Charles said one day, "you
don't write. III wager you sever sold
a story in your lie"
"Hush!' Henry replied, dropping a
SLOW lid. 81 use nom de plume"
Whereupon Charles had ceased TO
be concerned on that point. They
understood each other, and the sooner
a certain marriage took place, the bet
ter.
But not SO Allalie. She wanted n
real author, not one who used nom de
pumes" and was mysteriously retl-
cent about his work.
cts no use Henry" She exclaimed
+ length, after he had been coming to
see her for several months. you've
either got to write under your own
name, or 60 away-for good"
Her words were final, and he
knew ii.
"Would you marry me if l did," he
asked
"Yes," she said.
Now watch
Bennink, being a business man, be-
took himself to Charles inner shrine
and sat with him in solemn conclave.
There was bold talk, and mention of
sums OF money in seven figures. An
agreement was reached. Then he re-
turned to Alalie.
"AIy dear" he said, "it shall he as
you wish. | shall reveal my identity
at last, in n series of stories which
promise to begin tomorrow"
And when tomorrow arrived, the
series was begun.
We must now suppose some months |
to have elapsed, and Allalie to have |
become Mrs. Bennink.
Do you remember those stories In |
ks Magazine last year, about the |
young fellow who succeeded in reliev-
ing Wall street of so much money? |
Henry Makes Million" the series |
was called. Perhaps you have forgot
ten, but the name II. II. Bennink was
under the title.
Bennink will never forget. The
day the issue containing
his first story appeared, he had re-
turned from the office (YeS, indeed, it |
Is quite customary for authors now
ldays to have city oflcesD to be met
IN his doorstep by an exultant wife.
"Not %. Henry'-H. II. Benninkp"
le had laughed, and kissed her.
He said 1t bored him to see his name
n print. But the arrival of each
months issue of Ks continued to
1e fraught with keenest interest for
ds wife and a certain pride in her
husband grew and grew. Nor was she
lnduly proud, for the series was a
,reat success.
a case of getting famous all OF a
he confded to Charles one
norhing "Why, do you know. dozens
# magazines are after me for stories,
are bothering me to death
bout book rights, and seven colleges
ave offered me professorships in Eng !
ish. They hail me as the man of the
our, whereas"
"1Iush % warned Charles.
The months sped on, the series was
and presently It appeared I
4 volume form-so that all might buy !
nd learn how a certain Henry had :
cen able to gather together ten hun !
red thousand dollars out Of the debris
f Wan street.
Then. one day, Charles Il. c. Acker-
On and II. II. Bcnniull voted them :
.lt, Ic1ve OF ahsences ana Mrs. Ben ]
.uk returning from an afternoon auc- !
on party, found the following more :
'Oln her distinguished husband pinned ,
ll.ishly to the lampshade in the Ii :
rary:
Ny Dear:
Il am the hero, your father the au-
Tor. l made the million. lie made It !
'mous. We are on our vacation. !
owe. HENRY. =
'P. S.-You viii find my bapkbooA
the top drawer of my desk" -.
When Mrs. Bennint, found ihat :.
she learned something that
i've her artistic temperament ter !
fic iolt--and brought her to The cou- )