The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1921-01-25
A RISK ROMANCE
BY MINNIE M. TOWNSEND.
100000 ccSgsgSeSgSsS


huge city mnps, turned the much
pasted pages until she came to the
particular streets designated on the
application which she held In her hand
and ran n finger down the street to
the little square house which bore the
correct number. She carefully STU
died the surroundings and then shook
her head.
wen have to have this appllca-
iiOn cancelled. Mr.. Phelps" A tail
young man came at her call and
glanced at the tell-tale map. "You
: see" she continued in explanation, "lt's
nothing but an old shack. surrounded
on all sides by diapdated buildings.
On this side is a laundry nnd-on the
other another ,one-stOry wooden shack.
The whole street is one big fire trap"
"But they only want $500 on house
hold furniture, Betty"
Miss Simms resented such easy use
Of her given name and plainly showed
It. ~ know, but If ever n good fire
got started In that neighbOrhoOd
there wouldn't be house left. I'm
quite sure the furniture which you
recommend insurfng would not remain
suspended unhurt in the air"
Despite the sarcasm the young man
was nonplused.
II grant you that. but" he leaned
closer and to all intent was engaged
in Il strictly business conversation
"but, Betty dear, have you no heart?'
Betty glared. what are you driv-
ing at? This Is II poor business risk
Il very bad fire hazard, and probably
Il poor moral hazard as well. Folks
who live in sucn places may not he
overparticular about setting Il fire
Please have it ordered cancelled
"As was saying, Betty" he con.
tinued easily. "this poor couple have
hegun a home, all secure in their fan
cied happiness, and then you. n girl
without a heart. refuse to issue .feil
policy when they try to insure the
material part of their happiness. Con
fidence is smashed, they begin t.
think about the poor outside of theil
home. the rickety old freprooflcss
shack. They 80 to sleep dreadin,
that elixir Of life, afraid the hOus,
till burn around them while they
slumber. The nols. of the laundry be
comes prophetic; the kid next dool
with a fire cracker SETS their nerve.
| jangling. Peace is gone and all be
ccanse a certain flint-hearted-"
"That will do, Mr.. Phelps. This /,
a business Office. try to be a busi
Jess woman but you have utterl,
failed to be a. business man. Per
haps if you had She hurried ga,
leaving Il much disconnected persof
leaning over the map counter.
The much abused $500 policy wa.
cancelled in due season. Days passed
as they do in oil Insurance Offices
Betty retained J, cold. silence. ever
Ignoring Jmmy's wistful attempts t,
appear .contrite.i And then. one day
after the company had sustained ,
big loss, he came over to Betty's cor
ner. his face aglow, all differences for
gotten. =
"Ive got my chance, Betty" he sal,
eagerly. II asked Cor 1t and Tn 20
ing TO do inspecting starting this af
ternOon with that big. loss at w
I've imagined that you were hard
hearted. Betty, but perhaps IL l tr,
to become n business man, perhaps
| = But Miss Simms totally ignored thu
mischlevous face above her. ~ cam
ever forgive YOU" size, announced curt
~, hanging away ON her nOiseles
typewriter in an effort to create noise
| She thought, with remorse, of he
words late that afternoon when ther
came rumors that the sllaky walls O
the w ruins had collapsed, njurin
several. The company could not ge
i'm touch with its agent and Betty wen
home without her usual appetite 70
supper. She tried to eat and ut las,
after several attempts, gave it up an
little shamefacedly went to the tele
phone.
The voice ut the other end of I'll
telephone seemed coolly impersona
"Yes, he has been hurt badly, thoug
not seriously"
"COuld she come ovcr?" There wa
a moment of silence and then:
I'm sorry, but he thinks you ar
probably not really Interested and |
would only be an unnecessary bother.
"I'll be right over" said Miss Bett
Simms, shortly.
Jimmy's white face grnned aboy
the cOverlet. Tried 20 be n busines
man, but twas knocked on the hea
first time, by II brick, ut that. Cues
} ! can't be nothing but sob sister
clerk"
Betty slipped a hand over his on
\ unhandaged 0nc, "J:m," she said sof,
ly, ut was mean of me TO call 40
that. II you'll jus, try to get stron
soon again, Ill-wa'll make bMsincs
: man of yOu-together."
"We?" he qneried faintly. and n
} she nodded, he shook his head. IN,
1t was selfish even to think of such
thing, Betty" -
1T wasn't. If You have withdraw
| the dozen prODOsalS. Jimmy phelus III