The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-09-19
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Both Ends Against the
Middle
ByeoRoNA REMINGTON.

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES ID us gong TO-
take too long, and / can't ask her
ssiess ! get there. With all her
pailliers i've got to have a pretty
teesHt income before my prldeIl
yet me take her. Besides, she's
been accustomed 10 having every,
mag she wanted all her life, and
cant expect her to take 10 the
tp'a4eot stun. A wrong start
might spoil our happiness forever"
Roland Fuller walked up and
iown his apartment sitting room
snd grappled with circumstances.
~ tine well'qhiseled face showed
seciqed worry treWpS as he stared
y ne rugs on the flor and lodged
sLtein patterns on his way up and
Under normal circumstances Ill
9nnld probably take two or three
nefe years to work his way I'm to
Position In the firm where he
would feel Justified in asking Jose,
paine Reeves to be his, And he
seuld not walt and she probably
would not. There were altogether
lee many men worshipping at her
allne for anything like that, Some.
low ne must get things in shape
70 that he could propose within the
aeAt few weeks. 1.-The only had a
nltle more weight or influence, he
would bring those people around
apwn at the store. Many said that
mere was no such thing as pull, but
isoland Fuller was convinced that
y was fully half the victory. Loads
et people with brains and mower
we're holding down brainless
nogerless positions simply because
s9ey didn't know how to get out of
taeir ruts. Hence, argued Roland,
pull and influence would turn
re trick and you hadn't either,
men the best thing to do would be
% create them But how, how on
earth did q fellow work It, he won.
AZ he paced up and down the
room, 9 vision Of Josephine Reeves
ntted before his eyes. She seemed
% be standing SO near him in all
her young loneliness, and HIS hands
ripped the coins in his pockets ms
ne made a silent VOW to create
ppllEte get himself up in the
world OF business, After while he
dropped into a MorrisN chair to
work out plan.
Old man Reeves was one of the
nlggest stockholders in the Morton
store Company, where Fuller
was lapager Of the third floor. He
wished Senergetically that he were
the stockholder and Reeves the
manager, but Wishing did not
make It SO. The power Of wishing
may be great along some limos,
but Fuller decided that 1t did little
good in case like this. Doing count.
ed more than wishing and weight
counted more yet
Walking down the street the fol.
lowing morning remark dropped
by g man In front of him somehow
stuck In his mind all day. Work
both ends against the middle, Char
ley. You don't know how many
business successes have been car.
ned through that way"
The words formed themselves in.
10 a little chant and went hum
ming through Fuller's mind. Both
ends against the middle-both ends
against the middle. At the close Of
the day. and without any feeling
ofshock or fear, Fuller found him.
self walking into Mr.. Morton's of.
lice as Il his mission were a daily
occurrence.
soh, how are you. Fuller?", said
Morton, genially.
& s'Ail right" he answered, still
calm but you're going to be sur.
prised when you hear what I came
for I'll possibly get fired, but my
piotto's always been: when you
want a thing go after it"
Zine !motto!" said Morton, heart.
fly. sIt's the basis Of all success"
wei, I-{'m thinking Of asking
Josephine Reeves to be my wife,
and with all her millions haven't
the nerve until I'm on a pretty
good salary, so l was wondering
whether you'd drop dead Of the sug.
sestion OF making me junior part.
] ies.''
n bucket Of ice water in his face
would have surprised Morton less,
Int, shrewd business man that he
was, he never showed what bel
thought. In q flash he took in the
situaton, and realized that the man
who married Reeves only child
would some day use the Reeves
millions In his own business inter
ests unless a will were made tying
Il mp for life; and that was hardly
1kwobable.
N wen consider the matter ut the
next directors meeting, Fuller" he
answered, after a while.
THANK you, sir"
That night Roland obtained an
Interview with Mr.. Reeves.
;Mr. Reeves he began, 81 have
great hopes Of being taken in as
Junior partner at Morton's, so Il
now feel that / shall be able to
support aEwite and III want to
marry your daughter"
Reeves thought for moment in
thence, then:
. You're likely young chap and
/ believe you can make Josephine
happy. go ahead and try your
luck" he ended as he gripped the
svoiIng man's hand in both Of Mis-