Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1921-01-28
The Luck of
heLanes
By ELLA S. LAROUCHE
@ 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicatt
"Marthy, Marthy" beloved the


masculine summons.
Then In cyclOnic fashion open flew
The kitchen door and five feet six inch
cs OF masculine whirlwind burst into
the room. Flourishing aloft the local
weekly newspaper the excited little
inan jerkily exploded:
"Rich-rich, my girl! Now We'll
have everything we want, an'-an'-
III be Square Lane. Oh, Marthy!' y
and, making sudden leap, he pulled
the astOnished middle-aged matrol'
away from her bread dough and pre-
scented her with two celebration
snlacks.
Nate Lane! BE you crazy?'
Gee, Marthy! Guess l be-almost.
Look J" And again he waved the pa
per-this time before her face. "We're
rich!' he shouted. "Recollect that
knickknack pcddler we gave free
board to for i; few days last winter?
he said he'd pay us some time Well,
he's dead. lie was really "a miser,
Mar,hy. and he's willed us"-he paus-
ed for emphasis and then slowly add
ed-"Afteen thousand dollars"
Gone was Mrs. Mates composure.
Tremblingly she retreated into the
depths of the nearest rocker.
Set down, Nathan, set down. You'd
make dead COW nervous hopping
about like a hungry .grasshopper. We'd
best decide on what to do right off and
we must use-er-efiiciency.
Industrious tongues worked over
time. Their fortune expanded with
each retelling until the couple them
selves had a vague belief in the eXag-
gerations, and multi-millionaire spi:-
1t peryaded their systems.
The church committee paid an early
visit and incidentally called their at
tentiQn to the condition of the shingles
Oh tie n1eeting house.
wal, Square, Irawled Deacon
SAUNDERS. ''y"l'il be one of our lead
ing citizens nnW. and we know y0u'll
show the right spirit. A leetle con-
'rihution just at the beginning, so to
pie feeling Of confidence in you. No
reason why you shouldn't be church
treasurer now, Deacon Grimes is so
poorly now, and you'll. be Sc
)eetman and on the school board next
year, Of course.
Square Lame beamed.
HIM er''-he hesitated and glanced
surreptitiously at Martha, who appear
ed unimpressed by the Square" "Er
wal, III give you sOmethin, Of
course. Martlly and I'll talk it over
and let you know, soon.'
The next morning the couple decided
to 60 to Fitzwell and draw out their
entire savings for immediate use pend
wen 60 shopping" breezily an
nounced the jubiant Martha. I'm
going to the Ladies' Aid Wednesday
afternoon in the best silk dress this
town ever saw. You've got to quit
chewing tobacco, Nathan, and buy
some cigars, and I'm going to get my
Gngernails s1.lnlpuoc.i.'
That night weary, heavily laden
couple returned to a cold house and
were almost Immediately forced to adj
NIT interested and envious neighbours.
AT eleven O'clock they were again
alone. Martha Glanced to glance to-
ward Nathan just as ne was in the
act of biting off generous mouthful
Of his favorite tobacco. That bite was
never cOnSummated.
Mr.. Lane, tobacco chewing is
filthy habit. III have no spittOOns
when get my new carpets
I'VE don't say?" sneered the new
made Croesus. IF spile carpet l
can buy new one. Maybe when We
git them new gewgaws on you'll be
casting about for another man,
Mrs. CrOesus retaliated with force
and venom, and no peace treaty on
earth would have had any influence
on that domestic battle.
In the early morning hours, exhaust
ton triumphed and they retired-to
separate bedrooms.
Mr.. Lane in the cold discomfort of
the spare bedroom started to remove
his clothes. The latest edition of the
city daily newspaper fell from one of
his pockets.
His mind reverted to his inheritance
and with the idea of obtaining more
information concerning his eccentric |
benefactor he glazed over the head
ings. Sure enough, there it was!
He sat down On the edge of the
bed, and, regardless of the cold, vi
stoned the glorious future. Martha
was always beside him, of course. He I
felt vaguely troubled. Why had they
guarreled? Really, it was his duty to
give her a chance to apologize.
His wife stood before HMM tears.
"Marthy-Marthy he suffered in
tone of deep cOntritiOn.
"COnfound the money anyway" he
exploded. 1--WE never quarreled like
that before. Let's make up, Marthy."
Confused, repentant, he fumbled !
aimlessly with the paper he held in his
hand, and with hardly thought Of
what he was doing glanced again at
the heading, ''The Millionaire Ped |.
dler." He read further. Then with.
eyes riveted to the page he sprang to j,
his feet and screamed: s.. "Marthy -
my heavens, Marthy! Listen to this.
piece in the paper: The beneficiaries
Of the will of the eccentric. speddler
who died recently leaving fortunes to
various individuala and institutions
viii have little trouble investing their
wealth, as neither real estate nor
h0n6a have hoon locotod IIin lo-n.o..