Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1921-05-19
The $500 Bride
By HAZEL SMITH
70 1921. Western Newspaper Union


But whole year is an eternity,
MurieL" pleaded Frank Crawford. MS
he bade goodby to his Aancee, Muriel
Lee, upon the stoop of her boarding
house
Muriel was adamantine. My dear"
she said for the twentieth time, II
won't start married life in debt"
Frank went away dlsconsolute and
Murel went to bed and cried herself
10 sleep
But on the next evening Frank was
back, jubilant. In his hand he held
copy Of the evening paper
Look, dearest he cried, thrusting
II before her eyes, do you see thisY
Mumford & Curtis have promised
hundred dollars TO the first one of
their employees to get married. And
Caber & Roche not to be outdone,
have made similar offer Now,
thenl"
but my dear boy, you aren't an
employee of either firm protested
Muliel.
NO, but don't you know l can ar
range TO begin my vacation tomorrow
morning2 And those department
firms always want help of some kind.
Why, tomorrow morning | can get
position at eight dollars Il week as
a packer and weir get married at
noon"
Suppose they don't pay?"
"Of course they'll pay"
well" said Muriel, after an inter-
val of thought, az you can really get
that position Tll-I'll meet you at the
marriage license bureau mt half-past
twelve Which firm are you going to
try2"
'NIumford & Curtis" answered
Frank. 81 know man in the packing
department. He'll take me on"
You're sure it won't be Caber &
Roche2"
Sure, WhyY
"Oh, nothing. | just wanted to
know" said Muriel.
His first act on awakening in the
morning was to read # again. His
second was to telephone to the Office,
asking that his vacation might be
counted as commencing from that
morning. To effect this was easy,
for he was one of large force of
clerks in the big life insurance Office
where he was employed and his work
could easily be undertaken by others.
Then he put on an old suit and went
down to the big department store of
Mumford & Curtis, which stands, as
everybody knows, at Seventh avenue
and Hollis street.
you want job2" querled the
woman superintendent "What can
you do?"
1--WE had some clerical experience"
aaswered Frank.
Well" said the superintendent, ~
believe they want some addressers
Just now. Write your name on this
piece of paper That's all right. Now
I'll take you to Mr.. Briggs"
Yes, Mr. Briggs could use an sd-
dresser. But the pay was only eight
dollars a week. However there would
be chances of advancement.
"He fell for IT," Frank announced
to Murlel later HE tumbled right
in Wen, / worked at full blast till
noon. had to work Muriel to keep
from jumping up and shouting. And
at the stroke of the hour | was up
and out of the office and across the
square and down town on a surface
car-and here ! am"
And Murlel blushing dlvinely, en-
tered the office Of the marriage IL
cense registrar with him, and five
minutes later they emerged, carrying
the coveted paper that gave them the
right 10 be made one, and stood up
before the minister and were actually
one.
Twenty-Five minutes later they were
in the presence Of the head of the
great firm himself
you can hand me check for
hundred dollars" answered Frank
bHthely "We were married this
morning-and here's the certificate"
He slapped It down before him.
BLESS mew exclaimed Mr. Mum
ford ~ never heard Of you in my life"
I'm surprised at that" answered
Frank, solemnly. why, Mr.. Briggs
engaged me to address envelopes this
very morning
"Wbatl what? You we're only en-
gagged this morning"
Il believe, Mr. Mumford, that your
offer made no reference to length Of
service. OF course, II 1t was not
meant ! can obtain position with
Messrs. Caber & Roche" And Frank
turned on his heel.
Stop" shouted Mr. MumfOrd.
Have YOU actually had the nerve 10
Why, I'll have to offer a hundred
dollars again If ! pay you--if I pay
you. Confound you, why didn't you
play this trick on Caber & R0cheY
Il attended 10 them" spoke up
Murlel quietly. II worked there as