The Bolivar County Democrat. (Rosedale, Miss.) 1887-1969, 1922-10-28
NOT A CHANCE
BY FRANK n. WILLIAMS


OF all the sad words of tongue or
! typewriter, the saddest are these:
Not chance!''
AT any rate that's what Walter r.
Byron, humble clerk in the office of
the monster Acme Manufacturing
| company, thought when he dreamed
OF one day marrying beautiful Ruth
Smythe, daughter of the multimillion-
aire owner of the company. To all
appearances Ruth was about as far
above Walt as the Washington monu-
nent is above an ant hill.
But-you never can tell.
And Walt was a plunger.
Because Walt was a plunger he one
day boldly broke all the office prece-
dents and stalked into Smythe's Office.
Ruth, looking more adorable than
ever, was. sitting on her fathers desk.
Waits heart leaped at sight of her.
"What the. What are you do
ing hereY" demanded Old Man Smythe,
with a furious display of the vicious
temper for which he was noted.
81 just came in to say Pm quitting"
said Walt coolly. For two years I've
worked here and you've paid about as
much attention to me as the dust un-
der your feet. Now"
| "Get out of here-quick yelled old
| Smythe volcanically. Il"
Smythe half rose from his seat as
though about. to use physical violence.
Walt went He was not cowed nor
awed nor frightened, but discretion
was the better part of valor and he'd
done what he wanted to do-bearded
the old man in his den and made an
impression on Ruth.
As Walt left the office, a handsome
coupe at the curb caught his glance.
He knew it to be Ruth's.
An idea came to him. He tore Off
following note and then attached the
note to the seat of the coupe:
81 had no chance with you when l
was simply one of your dads many
employees Now that I'm as good as
any man, is there a chance?
"The Man Who Quit His JOB in
Your Fathers Office"
+ But here fate smiled cynically.
1t wasn't Ruth who got and read
7 the, note but her dad, who accom-
Epanied her to the car and entered the
car first.
"GosMi" exclaimed Walt, inelegant-
ly, from the vantage point where he
had been watching for Ruth to enter
tire car II better get out of town."
Walt did get out of town, via stolen
ri les on freight cars.
The town to which he finally came
| was raw, new town where Old Man
Smythe was putting up an immense
new factory and where things We're
hummjng
"There ought to be a good chance
here said Walt to himself.
Investigation showed him that in
the town there was but one restaurant
to feed hundreds and even thousands
OF men. so being Il live wire young
man in spite of his two years of com
parative Inactivity in Smythe's office,
Malt started up another eating house.
Tiis business grew immensely. Soon
he put up a rude frame hotel. Then
he started a drug store. In short
time he was booming along on the
high foad of prosperity.
1t was shortly after Walt had been
astonished by the size of his bank
roll that Ruth came to visit the fam
lily of the plants superintendent
Through the superintendent Walt met
her
And because Walt was very much
in. love with her and was energetic
and resourceful in his love making, 1t
was not surprising that he eventually
succeeded in winning Ruth's love.
"You must tell dad about us" an
nounced Ruth to Walt one evening.
Hes coming here-tomorrow."
Waits heart sank. This was the
end of his dreams. Old Man Smythe
would never stand for him as SON
in-law.
But to Waits tremendous surprise,
Old Man Smythe greeted him cordial
". "Glad to see YOU" said Old Man
Smythe, II hoped my daughter would
pick YOU when / sent her out here !"
"What?" gasped Walt.
Eyes. that day back in my office,
when you quit your job You struck
me as being an up-and-comlng young
man. That note you meant my daugh-
ter to get, confirmed this opinion. l
had you traced When | found you
were making good out here, as / ex-
peeted YOU to- sent Ruth here. And
now-weIl, I'm mighty glad"
.'"You want me to marry your daugh-
ter" gaspedN Walt. "Why?"
"Wen," smiled. Old Man Smythe,
"your career appeals to me-immense-
ly. You see, it was under almost
Identical circumstances. when was
broke and with no prospects, that l
fell in love with Ruth's mother and
then made good and married her many
years ago!'