Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1920-06-24
A STORY
BY BETTY MCINTYRE.
t@. 1920. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate

thing but call on your dad for cash,
and that is some different proposition
from earning it. am ready to bet
cool thousand that you can't do it; are
you gamer"
The speaker blew a cloud of smoke
into the air and smiled as he had a
mental picture of the fashionable Ned
dred dollars.
Il say, Grant, do you really mean
that?" and Ned rose from his easy
chair and perched on the end Of the
table.
'Bet your life I mean it; want to
take me on it?"
Il know I have never earned a cent
in all my life, but dad didn't want me
to work but I'll take you and I'll show
you that can earn it,
The other half-dozen young men seat
ed in the clubroom gathered around
and all the details were arranged. The
month began the next morning, and
Ned, eager to show the fellows what
stuff he was made of, rose early. He
hadn't the least idea what he could do
and for the first time in his life he
scanned the want ads in the morning
paper. One after the other he dis
carded them, realizing just how little
he was fitted to do But like an oasis
there was one thing that he knew he
could do.
Boiling the rest of his breakfast he
rushed out Of the house and was soon
in the next city. Once there he had no
difficulty in securing the position. For,
despite the fact that the man who had
advertised for an instructor to teach
his two daughters to ride horseback,
was one of the "new rich," he knew
breeding when he met it.
Huh, what a cinch; guess I can get
job? I'll say l can" And Ned pat
ted the sleek side of the splendid horse
that was to be his in his new position.
According to the arrangements no
one was to know what he was doing
to earn the money, and although he
missed the many hours of ease he had
been having every day he was enjoy
ing himself greatly. The two girls were
good-leoking, wholesome young ladies
and learned to ride with ease and
grace.
One morning, after he had held his
position for three weeks, the elder Of
the girls wanted to ride downtown,
through the crowded streets, just for
hn Of Nnd :
to ride with her Now it CHANGED that
very morning that Neds fiancee had
asked him to ride in her new car, and
on the plea of important work for his
| father, he had excused himself
Fate, ever busy, arranged in a crowd
ed street Of the city motor with
charming young lady at the wheel and
almost beside it a fne-looking couple
On horseback, who CHANGED to be laugh
ng over the antics of a hurdy-gurdy
monkey. Yes, that is right: Ned, Miss
| Seton and his fiancee. Happily uncon-
scious of any complications, Ned was
stricken dumb when he found himself
| looking into the troubled blue eyes of
| the girl he loved
COralie James returned his ring with
short note that terminated the en-
kagement, and all his efforts to see her
were unavailing. At the end of the
month he returned to the club with the
| hundred dollars he had earned, and
amid the cheers of his friends he col
| lected his thousand dollars.
TO cti h11c q
dance where both Ned and Coralie were
sure to go. Al the evening Ned watched
for a chance to approach COralie to
explain, but she avoided him. About
midnight dozen couples gathered on
the veranda and someone suggested
that Ned, ever famous as a good story
teller tell a story. A happy thought
struck him he would tell his own story
of the past month and thus be telling
story and explaining to COralie at
the same time. A hasty glance told
him that none of the club fellows was
that he could see Coralie he told his
story, adding his explanation to her
thus:
"And the young fellow did not tell
his fiancee, for she did not approve of
betting, and of course he had to tell
her something about that morning, and
of course she couldn't understand" and
then, like all good story tellers he had
them reconciled and happy ever after.
After the applause the crowd re-
turned to their dancing and Ned asked
Coralie to dance When she nodded
her Eyes" he led her, not in the dance.
but to a secluded part of the veranda.
"Ned, dear, forgive me-"
Sweetheart it is you who must for
give me-" he whispered. "Tell me that
I am forgiven, Coralie."
ooh, my Ned, of course you are for
! given, and if you must bet then con-
fine your bets to me. I'll wager two
neckties that you don't dare kiss me In
this light"
"Done-and you lose" And he kissed
her not once but many times. and by
the expression on Coralie's face she
| -lx,l tlaSat IL Lax.