The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-06-15
The Dissolution
of j. and M.
BY JANE OSBORN
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There were four OF them, Jean and
Jane, Maud and Matilda, and they all
lived together in little white house
in Hilton and taught school In the
Hilton public schools.
There's nothing to it," said Jean
one evening after the supper dishes
were out of the way and the four had
gathered round the lamp that stood
on the center table OF their living
room.
Nothing to what?" said Jane, look
ing up from the algebra papers she
was correcting.
Nothing to school teaching" Jean
explained "You work like a horse all
day with such big classes that about
all you can do Is to keep order and
drive in enough facts to get the bright
children to pass at examination. You
come home tired"
"And what do you get Maud took
up the refrain.
"A bare existence sighed Matilda.
"And you never meet any one" Jean
resumed. Look at a stenographer.
Doesn't have to know half as much
as a teacher and she meets men. She
gets married or else she starts in busi-
ness by herself and makes good
money"
81 don't care about getting mar
ried," said Matilda. But" she hesl-
tated and took a chocolate from the
box of bonbons open on the table.
Lets start in business, the four of
us" 1t was Jane who made the
proposition.
Then and there 1t was agreed that
they should go into business with
capital b. In few more months the
school term would be over. They
could start the day after school
closed, see how they made out, and
II prospects were good they would all
hand in their designations by August.
That would give the school board time
enough to get other teachers.
Lets make candy" said Jane, who
had followed Matllda's example and
was nibbling a chocolate cream.
"Sugar is six cents a pound at retail.
Chocolate is fifteen, and candy, that
is mostly sugar and chocolate, sells
for eighty cents a pound"
So it was agreed that they should
start a candy business. Also II was
agreed that they should operate under
the name of the J. 4 NJ. company.
Then some one suggested that they
must have capital. They must have
a shop in prominent place to sell
their wares. They must start from the
first with good equipment. They
would need at least two thousand dol
lars and their combined savings made
only one thousand. Some one must
get the necessary funds, and it was
easy for Jane to persuade the others
that Arthur Hayden, confirmed old
bachelor and shrewd business man,
should be approached. He was the
towns richest man. He was most
active in enforcing the latest amend
ment in Hilton. The fact that pro-
hibition mad created a keen demand
for candy ought to be a good argu-
ment with him.
Lots were drawn, and before the
school teachers retired that night 1t
had been settled that Maud should
undertake this quest OF capital. The
fates had decided wisely. Maud was
aggressive and unafrald She taught
S-B boys because she had a firm COM
mand of herself at all times. Her
eye was dark and steady and shyness
had been left out of her makeup.
SO Maud went to see Arthur Hay
den. Arthur Hayden did not want to
see her. He avoided her, but she was
inslstent. He was rot especially at
tracted by her brisk manner and did
not feel that the town of Hilton
needed another candy store. More
over, his own business though in
prosperous condition, was in need of
every bit of capital he could command.
But Maud came home with her pledge
OF thousand dollars.
The next day she called again on
Mr.. Hayden and that night announced
herself as out OF the compact.
"Mr. Hayden has offered me sal
ary that amounts to twice what | am
making now. He wants me to begin
as soon as school is over. My first
work will be to sell stock for Hayden
and company"
The fact was that Mr.. Hayden had
been very favorably impressed with
the selling ability of the young woman
who had actually been able to con
vince him to subscribe a thousand dol
lars TO business enterprise in spite
OF himself. Mr.. Hayden called several
times on the teachers, and then one
day he came with good news for Jane.
He was president Of the local board
of education. They were in need of
a superintendent Of elementary schools
and Mr.. Hayden, having looked up
James record as a teacher had de-
clded and convinced the board that
she was the best candidate for that
position. This meant double James
present salary, 1t meant an opportu-
nifty to use talent which she knew she