The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1920-02-27
A COMPLETED
TRANSACTION
By ALvAH JORDAN GARTH

copyright. 1920. Western Newspaper Union)
John Colby owned the office build
ing at 224, quite sky scraper. Will
nam Burley was the proprietor of a
minor structure at 900, several stories
less In height. These buildings were
fairly pretentious. income-productive,
and their care kept pretty well,
occupied the time of the respective
owners.
Mr. Colby had a daughter Eunice,
who often aided her father in taking
charge of the Office building. Next
door the son of Mr.. Burley, Adrian,
similarly attended to the numerous
calls of their tenants, this one wanting
a new window shade, that one more
space, all together manifesting various
and numerous little needs during a
days progress.
John Colby and William Burley were
at opposite poles. The former was
supercritical, austere, and did not
make friends readily. His opposite
was genial, easy going and longsuf-
took to his credit one day as he en-
tered the office of his uncongenial
neighbor.
Hello! come with the old COM
plaint?" insinuated Colby rather ag-
excessively.
ooh, no." replied Mr.. Burley, with a
patient smile. 81 shall not dwell fur
Their upon the rights or wrongs of that
contested light bill. Candidly, your
cross wire will cost me several dol
lars. I've paid the contested bill, so
We'll forget it."
"Then what, row?"
Just this, Colby" replied Burley.
My son, as you know, has trans
formed our roof into a sunny breath
ing spot for our tenants.
''The park is half an hour away, and
a noOntime walk there would consume
the lunch hour entirely. The clerks
and typists, as it is, have a pleasant
spot to pass their time-chairs, tables,
few palm trees, as you have perhaps
noticed, and some Of those unsteady
inclined give quite a creditable concert
once in a while"
1--WE heard their amateur efforts"
admitted Colby crustily. "After a do
nation to keep it up?"
"Not at ALL" answered Burley, "rve
come to see if you won't notify your
tenants to exercise little care in dis
posing of their odds and ends of pa
per, cigar stubs and fruit Feelings.
They quite litter up the roof and some
of them have made havoc with the sky
light as an especial target for empty
ink bottles and the like"
Eyes, I'll speak to them about it,"
promised Colby, but did nothing of the
sort His dignity was ruffled by what
he contemptuously termed the interest
his neighbor had in his roof "bear
garden" He expressed his sentiments
in words to his daughter the next
day.
"Why, papa!" exclaimed Eunice,
you surely don't want to do anything
to discourage that splendid idea of
Adrian Burley to give pleasure to the
tenantsY
what do you know about. Adrian
Burley" demanded her father, aroused
by the suspicious familiarity with
which she alluded to the young man
in question.
"Only that he is person Of kindly,
generous impulses and-didn't tell
you?" questioned Eunice, with quick
flush on her bonny face. "He was SO
very courteous and helpful the day
our car was in collision"
Colby said nothing further, but did
nothing in regard to his neighbours
latest complaint. A month went by.
One afternoon when he was all alone
Burley entered his office again. AS
usual, Colby stood on the defensive,
scOwling. His visitor was bland and
polite, as was his wont.
i've put screen over the skylight,
which saves the glass;" announced
Burley, "but the showers of banana
peels and bread crusts continue, so I've
come TO enforce my appeal"
Enforce. eh?" repeated Colby, bris-
Ting.
"Yes, l may use the word. Simply,
I'm going TO have the roof protected, or
] may push you little hard. Here's
the facts: l had a new survey of my
property made recently, and find that
you are nearly four inches over on my
lot line"
John Colby started and almost paled.
"Incredible !" he exclaimed.
"Now then, Colby" went on Burley
persuasively, "let's be human. ask
simple thing of you-protect my
sons hobby, the roof garden"
"Never mind that. The rest of it
is a serious matter. Of course you're
going to mulct me for a big sum for
those four inches"
mot at ALL" declared Burley read
lily. You're going to leave this build