The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-01-29
THE
PROFITEER
By EVELYN LEE

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Copyright. 1920. Western Newspaper Union)
Marvin Leslie made the mistake of
his life when he married a shallow,
fitting butterfly of fashion. Miss
Ethel Blake, sojourning near Acton
for a month. Leslie had been brought
up In the town and had been left
few thousand dollars by a relative.
The witching ways of the attractive
young lady fascinated him, and her
city social status and his possibility Of
increasing his little capital by going
into business seemed mutually favor
able combination.
Acton was small town and its In
habitants generally poor and humble,
for the most part the male population
being employed In a brickyard near
Silver Lake. few miles distant,
which was quite favorte summer
resort In the season. II was there that
Leslie had first met Miss Blake, and
thereafter he took up his quarters at
the hotel. He was missed In Acton
by at least one person, Miss Lucy
ElstOn. For two years Leslie had been
her constant attendant, and, although
no engagement existed, 1t was pretty
we'll believed that their companion
ship would eventuate in marriage.
When the news came that he had
married Miss Blake and had taken up
a new home in the city Lucy Elston
said not a word. Perhaps she carried
herself trife more primly than was
her wont, but II she suffered secretly
she never showed 1t. Her neighbOrs
considered the action of Leslie a base
desertion and he left few friends be-
hind him in Acton.
From time to time his old aCquaint
ances heard Of him. 1t was rumOred
that he had "made good" in a business
way. AS to his wife, she turned out
to be capricious invalid and died at
the end Of two years indlfferently
happy in her married life. Two years
later Leslie turned up at Acton,
little older looking but dignifed, pros
porous appearing, and the first an
nouncement he made to the village
banker was:
well, l have retired from business
and have come back to stay. | notice
that the Elston house is closed"
"Yes, since September. Lucy and
her mother are at Paxton with the
married daughter"
"Temporarily?"
81 am told so-some Illness of the
daughter and sister, learn. 1t Is
reported that they are coming back
after the holidays"
"And I notice that the Devon place
where the brickyard owner used to
live is vacant"
"And for sale; yes"
an buy It," said Leslie briefly. It's
the best house in town, and | can af
ford that"
Acton warmed up to Leslie after a
few weeks. He was more genial than
OF yore; he contributed literally to
local charities.
~ never saw such prOvder," the
cook Of the establishment told a neigh
Dor. "Mr. Leslie has just stored his
cellar with all kinds of supplies"
perhaps he intends starting a no.
tel?" was suggested.
at isn't likely. He says itll be
worse than the war for year after It,"
1t was In December that Acton be-
gan to feel the nonproduction, scarce
food phase of existence A great snow
storm crippled the railroad branch
line, and the town fuel supply ran
so short that most families depended
on wood. All the material supplies
Of flour, sugar, coffee, tea and the like
grew meager at the general store, and
actual deprivation and suffering re-
suited. At the time Of deepest stress
Mr. Leslie was reported confined to
the house with a severe cold.
"Its all an excusel' grumbled a
man who had not tasted sugar for
fortnight.
yes, to get out OF dividing his
hoardw growled another, to whom
butter was luxury nearly forgotten.
Hes profteer, that's what he is !"
declared third. "See here, can't
something be done?'
Something was done. With the re-
turn to Acton of Mrs. ElstOn and her
daughter the local Ladies' Aid society
welcomed home Its most active work
ers. Leslie, able to sit up, chuckled
and smiled as a committee of four
from that body was announced by the
housekeeper.
His eye took in Lucy Elston with a
longing glow as he entered the parlor
where the four ladies awaited him.
Self-pOssessed as ever, she greeted
him pleasantly naturally betraylng no
memory Of the past.
A Mrs. Denne proceeded to tell of
the suffering among the poor and the
famine among those more favorably
circumstanced.
"Come with me. ladies'" invited Les
lie
lie took them to cellar and garnet.
He indicated fuel and food supplies
the magnitude Of which amazed them.
ut seems MS though my business
sense impelled me right In directing
stocking up" he said genially.
leave me enough to get through the
winter, ladies'. The rest | know you
will distribute deservingly."
II anything was lacking to win back
the good will and regard OF Lucy Ell
ston It was this act of generosity.