Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-07-08
Automatic Love
BY uLMAR

tONu Olu IEOltSSOE OGlG, Will WIOIu
he was a great fayorite. gave him a.
piece of advice on philosophy that
never left his memory.
"You've been a model student,
Vance," were his words, "and I think
you are amenable to good counsel. i
have worked out a great principle
the automatic. Here Is the proposition !:
put yourself in harmony with what
EVER you undertake, moral, business or
s~ociaI; be right and the rest will
ZONE automatically"
Elliott found the theory a placid and
comfortable one. He went to the city
and sought employment. He found it
with a small but thriving dealer In
gurgicaI Instruments. He was engaged
In a subordinate position.
SNOW, then, to apply the automatic
process" he, told himself, ito act in
harmony with my new environment. I
am a part Of this establishment. What
part7 The working force. My full
duty is to follow out a clear, clean
line, solely to the interest Of my en-
ployer. I shall do my best with no
foubting, no lettering, unalterable
fidelity to the man who hires me.
Progress, development the reward
will come automatically"
IN two years Vance was manager Of
the business. At the end of five he
had a working interest. Routine.
strict attention to details, earnest eff
fort and honest work settled him into
an ideal position. J
Encouraged, confident In the value
Of his theory, Elliott adapted it to his
moral and social life. He thought out
what was salutary In the way of hab-
Its and formed none that ended only
In vexation and weakness. He chose
companions and friends who seemed of
the right sort, was builded up by afhl-
lation with those Of high standard,
and watched and corrected the failings
Of. those he could influence.
At twenty-six Elliott Vance was Of
fered quite a large amount for his
interest in the business. He viewed
his opulent bank account as a prac-
teal demonstration of the cult auto
matte. Then some new ideas came
into his mind. He had never known
much Of womankind. Business first,
last and all the time; he had excluded
all that was sentimental and f%irtatious.
TT e was a reaction as he threw off
the business harness. He began to
feel bored time hung heavily on his
hands; consequences oppressed him.
He envied those Of his fellows who
had married and settled down. He had
missed love and longed for its impulse.
There came to his mind the years be-
tween twelve and eighteen, when he
had gone through the average senti-
mental experiences Of the s~ehoolboy.
He could remember his first girl
friend, red-cheeked, bright-eyed Vi
ola Reeves. Then In the retrospective
view there were others. A sort of han.
kering filled his mind to go back to
his native town and see if among those
he had known there was not some one
of the old-time lassies grown into
blooming young ladyhood, who would
have the power to thrill him and fill
him with the delicious impulse of love.
On the automatic principle nothing
was more simple. He would drift In
among his old circle of acquaintance.
The environment would do the rest, Sc
renity Of purpose would bring about
success In love, just as 1T had In busi-
ness. AIasi one month after testing
out the problem Elliott found that the
results did not apply. Sweet Myrtle
Farr he found welded and the mother
of three children. Winsome, keen
witted Efie Ward had devoted herself
to teaching and was a confirmed old
maid. Others had forgotten him. He
had become an alien. a stranger. Viola
Reeves was not in evidence. Her fam
fly had moved away from town years
agone.
The automatic had failed to work
In this new instance. Love was net to
be acquired by routine haphazard or
environment. No certain young lady
who had come across his path had at
tracted him; he had met no fair
charmer he cared two pins about.
One day he took a long auto ride
and was lining a sluggish brook when
the sound of dismal wailing halted
him. He traced it's source. AT the
edge of the stream a girl was weeping
bitterly and a boy was striving to
soothe her. He ever tried to lift her,
but the burden was too heavy for his
frail arms and she cried out that her
foot was twisted and she could not
walk.
Elliott came toward them and
speedily learned that they were two
woods wanderers strayed from home.
The girl had fallen into a quagmire
and was a sight with slime and earth.
He lifted her in his arms, bore her to
the auto and was directed by the CRATE
full lad.
"Here's home" the latter announced
as they neared a pretty cottage.
aThere's Aunt Viola. Mother has gone
to town. Oh. aunty! We've had a ter
rible timeP
Elliott Vance thrilled-"Aunt Violal'
She stood and stared at Elliott. There
was both gladness and welcome in
her eyes and a deeper glow as the lad
told of the kindness Of a stranger.
Stranger no longer. he and Viola
Reeves, he decided within the hour.
For the true blue, friendly smile on
The face of Viola told Elliott that au-
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