The Topeka state journal., 1922-10-09
EDening Story.
Not a Chance.
By FRANK ii. WILLIAMS.

typewriter. the saddest are these: mot
a 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 multi-million-
aire owner of the company. To all
| appearances Ruth was about ras far
above Walt as the Washington monu-
ment 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 theZ<. What are you do
ing here 2" demanded Old Man
Smythe, with a furious display of the
vicious temper for which he was
noted.
81 just came in to say I'm 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-
Get out of here-quick." yelled old
Smythe, volcanically. II
/ Smythe half rose from his seat as
tho 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.
i AS Walt left the office, a handsome
coupe at the curb caught his glance
He knew it to be Ruth's.
Il An idea came to him. He tore of
/ the back of an envelope, penciled the
Following note and then attached the
note to the seat of the coupe:
Il had no chance with you when
was simply one of your dads many
employees. Now that I'm as good al
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 the
note but her dad. who accompanied
her to the car and entered the cal
, first.
"Gosh!" exclaimed Walt. inelegant
ly. from the vantage point where hi
I had been watching for Ruth to entel
the car. ST better get out ef town."
Walt did get out of town, via stoler
rides on freight cars.
RI The town to which he finally came
vas a raw. new town where Old Mar
Smythe was putting up an immenst
) new factory and where things wer,
humming.
. There ought to be a good chance
/ here" said Walt to himself.
Investigation showed him that IN
) the town there was but one restauran
= to feed hundreds and even thousand.
II of men. So being live wire youns
: man in spite of his two years O
comparative inactivity in Smythe's of
. flee, Walt started up another eatin;
house. His business grew immensely
Soon he put up a rude frame hotel
i Then he started a drug Store. In
| fTr1a ha to1n
the high road of prosperity.
1t was shortly after Walt had beel
astonished by the size of his bank rol
that Ruth came to visit the famil,
| of the plants superintendent. Thrl
; the superintendent Walt met her.
And because Walt was very mucf
i in love with her and was energeti,
and resourceful in his love making. i
; was not surprising that he eventual.
: succeeded in winning Ruth's love-
5 You must tell dad about u.s. an
> nounced Ruth to Walt one evening
hes coming here-tomorrow."
Waits heart sank. This was tn
5 end of his dreams, Old Man Smyth
f would never stand for him as son
, in-law.
But to Waits tremendous surprise
Old Man Smythe greeted him cordially
L Glad to see you.' said Old MAJ
: Smythe, 81 hoped my daughter woul
r pick you when 1 sent her out here!
2 What" gaSped Walter.
: Yes, that day back in my office
. when you quit yeur job you strucl
pe as being an up-and-coming youn
5 man. That note you meant m
: daughter to get. confirmed this opin
ion. 1 had you traced. When I foun
you were making good out here, as
r expected you to I send Ruth here
: And now-well, I'm mighty glad"
You want me to marry you
: daughter? gasped Walt. why ?"
: Well" smiled Old Man Smythe
: t'your career appeals to me-im
/ mensely. You see. it was under a.
l most identical circumstances, when
was broke and with no prospects, tha
I fell in love with Ruth's mother an
then made good and married he
: many years ago,"
: Copyright, 1922, by Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)