Palisadian., 1923-05-18
Eds Store
Opening
BY FRANK II. WILLIAMS


Ed Spayth, young and energetic
plumber, did two things shortly after
his arrival in the city Of Brampton
The first of these was to start up 9
new plumbing shop on Main street q
couple of blocks away from John
Jennings, the oldest and biggest and
keenest plumber in the city. And the
second was to fall in love with be
witching young blonde who passed
Eds store each noon.
Business soon became fairly good
with Ed, but his would-be love affair
wasn't progressing so well.
The trouble was that Ed knew very
few people in Brampton as yet and
that he couldn't find any one who
knew this winsome miss and who
could Introduce him to her. Conse-
quently each noon ehe gazed at her
wistfully from his doorway or from
his store while she went by with
never more than shy glance at him
and with never the slightest indication
that she wouldn't mind becoming ac-
quainted, whether there was a formal
introduction or not.
This condition of affairs went along
In this way for several weeks, so long,
In fact, that Ed felt there would never
be change. And then, quite suddenly,
life became rosy, and then overwhelm-
ingly dark and dismal, and the climax
OF Eds young career occurred,
The start of all this was simple
enough. Ed found, one day, that his
business was increasing so rapidly that
he needed stenographer and girl to
handle the office routine. So he called
up the office of the National Business
college and told them of his wants and
asked them to send him the right sort
of girl.
That afternoon the girl appeared.
And as Ed looked at the girl his
heart skipped couple of beats, all
the world turned sunny and he felt
that fate surely was good to him. The
girl was the girl with whom ne had
fallen in love and whom he had never
met before.
How pretty she was. How fresh her
unrouged complexion, and how demure
and sweet and self-possessed she was
as she informed him that she had beer
studying at the business college. ant
the college had sent her to him.
You're engaged" exclaimed Ed, al
length coming out of the trance inf
which her advent had plunged him
'You can handle the work all right
it's just plain stenography and little
bookkeeping and helping me get ready
for big opening I'm going to have
shortly. Lots of people don't know
I'm in business here yet, and I'm 60
Ing to put on an open house, with
music, and flowers as favors. and
everything to get them coming. By
the way, what's your manner"
LILLIAN Montgomery" the girl re
piled demurely.
81 suppose you know miner" Ed
questioned.
Lillian, smiling, nodded.
OF course, with Ed as infatuated as
he was, anything that Lillian die
would have seemed right to him. But
she really was efficient, and handled
the Office work splendidly and gave Ed
some good suggestions for his opening
which was now but few weeks away
And each day Ed became more deeply
In love. Did she reciprocate his In.
terest? Ed, with dropping heart, was
forced to admit that she gave no indi
cation of doing so.
Business was getting better with Ed
now, and he found his hands full in
looking. after everything and also In
making his preparations for the open
ing.
ut seems to me-" Ed told Lillian
"that I'm right at the psychological
point In this business where Just a
little publicity and advertising will put
the business over TO big success. I'm
getting more business all the time, and
IL l can just get the men to come to
my store and see how nicely I've fitted
out the place, 1t will mean a great
deal. And Pm going to get the men,
too. I've got good scheme for get.
ting them to come to the store during
the opening"
"What is it?' queried Lillian, inter.
estedly.
Ed smiled at her mysteriously
Should he tell her? His plan was
simple enough. 1t was that of Der
sonally calling upon several hundred
of the leading business men of the CITY
and asking them to come to his store
for the opening, and of also getting
the city health officer to make an adj
dress during the opening on the tonic
of right plumbing as necessity in
making homes healthful. Ed was conf.
dent that his plan was mighty good
one. But, still, there was little specB
of doubt In his mind, which made him
refrain from telling Lillian what he
planned. If the plan went over we'll
then he could brag about it. If IL
failed to get the men, then the least