The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1920-09-20
A Wise Fool
By MURIEL. LEE


dlsheartened. He bowed silently to
the mature judgment expressed, and
picking up fiat long object encased
In canvas left the house. 1t might
nave been picture for what it showed
in outline, or sign or a poster, but
1t was none Of these. 1t was in fact
a model of new folding patent chair,
and it had cost Dayton two thousand
dollars.
Certainly it was novel and unique,
and it was no wonder that it's varied
utility and novelty had caught the i'm
pulsive fancy of the young investor.
Dayton was twenty-five years of age
and just out of college. An uncle with
whom he was a favorite had died
leaving him the sum named At once
his practical father had advised an
investment in seven per cent bonds,
but Dayton had demurred.
"See here, father" he had said,
with no prediction or preference for
any particular profession, I've got to
start at work and find my level. Jud-
son barrow, a fellow student, has in
vented chair with some new features
and likely to catch the public as a
needed and useful appendage for the
camping-out tent, the boarding house
hall room, and even for general use.
He has named his price and can just
reach 1t. I believe / can make lot
Of money, and I'd like to try and DEM
onstrate my ability as a salesman and
a business man on my own hook"
And then Dayton had done wise
thing. He secured thirty-days' option
on the device in question and forth
with started out to demonstrate it's
practicability. First he visited manu-
facturers, then the jobbers and then
personally conducted a soliciting cam
paign in half a dozen representative
towns. A week before the option ex-
PRED Dayton had booked sufficient
orders to more than cover the sum
total of his investment, plus the cost
Of manufacture.
"Tm on the safe side," he decided,
seven If father won't see it that way.
It's experience, if nothing more. !
guess I'll go and have talk with
Celia" and Dayton found an inter
ested consider in his closest girl friend
whom he hoped some day to marry
although he had never told her so. He
told the story of his investment to
Celia Dayton from start to finish, in.
OIudino fhn 6Ysoc fin ivvdr nE
father.
"Why, Dayton, think you have just
done splendid" declared Celia en-
Enthusiastically. "If you have taken all
those orders in three weeks, just think
what you may accomplish with some
one to help you, and the business fair
ly started. You promised to show me
this wonderful chair. Is that it?"
"This is it," asserted Dayton proud
ly, as he drew forth what the canvas
receptacle held. First, it folds up
compactly and takes up no room
Next, you attach these two semi-cir
cular pieces of board and you have a
rocker. Slide up this thin covering al
the back, and you have mirror. A
man can shave and arrange his neck,
tie superbly. A woman can powder
and dress her hair-not you, Celia" q
glance of ardent admiration. Mature
made you perfect from the start" and
Celia blushed, but it was from delight
at the handsome compliment.
'Then, too," went on Dayton, 81 have
one or two new wrinkles. am going
to add to the chair a special adapta.
ton for lawn use, and maybe an at.
tachment that will transform it into q
convenient stepladder."
"Oh, Daytonw cried Celia, II think
you are just genius. and oh! SO
wise, and sure to succeed"
II hope it," responded Dayton, ''i1
only to show that am wise fool
after ALL"
Dayton Rudd started forth upon his
first business venture with the ardo1
Of knight errant intent on winning
his spurs for the delectation Of his
loyal lady love, and demonstrating that
his judgment was superior to the
biased prejudice Of his father. He
worked like beaver.
Dayton wrote only once to Celia
during his absence. 1t was a brief
friendly note, embracing the informa.
ton that he had passed the four thou.
sand mark, with a liberal royalty offer
on a large deal from an established
concern in the furniture trade.
II would like to show you some.
thing, father" he said, upon arriving
home. There is little to say, and
this will indicate that / did not make
so foolish a guess as you thought in
buying my chum's invention"
John Rudd was mute as Dayton ex.
tended sheet Of paper detailing his
orders, the expense of manufacturing
and profits.
~ reckon I'm in a rut, Dayton" he
conceded. you've hit it, sure with
your new-fangled notion"
II am going to show you the chair
with its very latest expanding device
attached" Dayton told Celia, as he ap.
peared at her home the day following
and he brought forth the device that