The Bolivar County Democrat., 1922-10-14
WORK BOTH ENDS
BY CORONA REMINGTON

NG Dy Mcclure Newspaper Syndlcate.D
II know I'll make good in the end.
have the ambition and the know
long, and can't ask her before get
there. With all her millions I've got
to have pretty decent income before
my pride'll let me take her. Besides,
she's been accustomed to having ev-
erything she wanted all her life, and
ina cottage stuff A wrong start
might spoil our happiness forever
Roland Fuller walked up and down
his apartment Sitting room and grap-
pied with circumstances. His fine,
well-chiseled face showed decided
worry frowns as he stared at the rugs
on the floor and lodged certain pat
terms on his way up and down.
Under normal circumstances 1t
would probably take two or three more
years to work his way up to position
in the firm where he would feel justi-
fed in asking Josephine Reeves to be
his. And he could not wait, and she
probably would not. There were alto
gether too many men worshiping at
her shrine for anything like that.
Somehow, he must get things in shape
SO that he could propose within the
next few weeks. If he only had q
little more weight or influence, he
would hiring these people around down
at the store. Many said that there
was no such thing as pull, but Roland
Fuller was convinced that 1t was fully
half the victory. Loads Of people with
brains and power were holding down
brainless, pOwerless positions simply
because they didn't know how to get
out of their ruts. Hence, argued Ro-
land, If pull and influence would turn
the trick and you hadn't either, then
the best thing to do would be to create
them. But how, how on earth did a
fellow work it. he wondered.
AS he paced up and down the room,
a vision of Josephine Reeves fitted
before his eyes. She seemed to be
standing so near him In all her young
loveliness, and his hands gripped the
coins In his pockets as he made
silent vow to create pull-to get him
self up in the world of business. After
a while he stopped his tramping and
absently dropped into chair to work
out plan.
Old man Reeves was one Of the big
gest stockholders In the Morton Store
company, where Fuller was manager
of ~ {~I 10 wi n.
ically that he were the stockholder
and Reeves the manager, but wishing
did not make 1t So The power Of
wishing may be great along some lines,
but Fuller decided that 1t did little
good in cases like this. Doing counted
more than wishing and weight counted
more yet.
Walking down the street the follow
ing morning remark dropped by a
man in front Of him somehow stuck
In his mind all day. "Work both ends
against the middle, Charley. You
don't know how many business sue
cesses have been carried through that
way"
The words formed themselves into a
little chant and went humming
through Fuller's mind. Both ends
against the middle-both ends against
the middle. At the close of the day,
and without any feeling of shock or
fear, Fuller found himself walking
into Mr.. Morton's office as if his mis-
sion were daily occurrence.
"Oh, how are you, Fuller?" said
Morton, genially.
"All right" he answered, still calm,
"but you're going to be surprised when
you hear what 1 came for. I'll pos
sibly get fired, but my motto's always
been: when you want a thing go
after It,"
"Fine motto!" said Morton, heartily.
'It's the basis Of all success"
"Well, I-Tm thinking Of asking
with all her millions 1 haven't the
nerve until I'm on a pretty good sal
ary, so l was wondering whether you'd
drop dead at the suggestion of making
me junior partner"
A bucket of ice water in his face
would have surprised Morton less, but,
shrewd business man that he was, he
never showed what he thought. In
flash he took In the situation and
realized that the man who married
Reeves only child would some day
use the Reeves millions in his own
business interests unless a will were
made tying it up for life; and that
was hardly probable.
"We'll consider the matter at the
next directors meeting, Fuller" he
answered, after while.
"Thank you. sir"
That night Roland obtained an in
terview with Mr.. Reeves.
"Mr. Reeves" he began, II have
great hopes of being taken in as junior
partner at Morton's, so I now feel
that / shall be able to support wife
and IL want to marry your daugh-
ter"
Reeves thought for a second in ST.
lence. then:
you're likely young chap and I
believe you can make Josephine happy.
Go ahead and try your luck" he ended
as he gripped the young mans hand
IN both Of his.
When Fuller kissed Josephine good
by for the ninth time that night she
smiled up into his face and muir
mured:
81 always knew you'd make good,
Roland, and I'm dreadfully proud Of
you"