Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-01-31
Nice to Have
Money
BY Fl. LOUIS RAYBOLD


question to his friend Don Burgess as
the two sat sorting tackle preparatory
to raid on an up-country trout
stream.
Me? Five hundred thousand dol
lars: Why waste time imagining a
combination like that?"
"Well." persisted Kerry, "Il tell
you what I'd do. I'd buy up the en-
tire town of Westburg-all blu. that
darned Sherman property-and I'd put
a fence around that.
Don laughed. pat Sherman been
giving you the frosty eye again?'
''Pat? You mean Miss Patricia Van
Alstyne Sherman. Funny, we were
kids together. and lately l can't get
near her with ten-foot pole. I went
to her father to buy that corner lot,
Gave me to understand that not an
inch of Sherman property was for sale,
or ever would be. Hello, what's this?"
In at the slit of the door the post
man was slipping long official-look-
ing envelope, and Kerry fastened to
pick 1t up and run finger under the
flap. A moment later he sank back
into his chair his eyes fairly bullying.
"Ha, ha ~ he laughed weakly. give
hundred thousand dollars! Mine"
Kerry's speculation concerning the
money and its pat arrival were not
so coincidental as you might think.
He had read in the paper day or
two ago Of the death of his uncle, who
was reputed worth exactly that
amount. Unfortunately, Kerry, al
though the only heir. was on such bad
terms with his uncle that he had not
the slightest idea but that the estate
would be distributed among the eccen-
trio old fellows pet charities
It came then as terrific shock to
learn that his uncle had died in be-
tween the destroying Of one will and
the drawing up of another, and con-
sequently Kerry inherited the entire
fortune.
Kerry's act was to get list of own
ers around the Sherman place.
And when. little by little, he began
buying up that property he let him.
self in for the most adverse criticism
on all sides. His friends feared that
not only was the making himself ap-
pear fool to be squandering his
money for purely personal revenge, but
that he was throwing it away where
no returns were possible.
His only recreation was an Occa-
sional afternoon trout fishing, and it
was from such an expedition that he
was returning around twilight one day
when he noticed at the corner of Sher-
mans best meadow a large "for SALE
sign He made his way up to the
Sherman place.
Patricia'S father sat on the veranda.
"Saw my sign" he grunted. "Sup-
pose you've come to buy and gloat?
Been making fool of me. grabbing
everything around me? Heard you
were going to fence me in"
Kerry sank comfortably down on
the upper step and crossed his long
legs. "Not at all. Mr.. Sherman. In
fact, I've come on an entirely differ
ent errand-to urge you to hold on
and not sell at any figure!"
The older man regarded him sus-
piciously "Why are you telling me
this?" he asked.
Kerry stood up and faced him
squarely. Because" he said firmly,
II cannot play other than fair with
the father of the girl l love, however
little she cares for me-"
That's funny" said John Sherman.
Then he bent down. Fact is, Pat
loves Nou," he said "I'm sure Of it,
but she fancies it would not be recip-
rocated, and so takes special pains
to conceal the fact. Result is" he
how girls are!" Suddenly, before
Kerry could protest. he lifted his
voice. "Oh, Pat. come here! See if
you can worm out of this young man
just why he won't buy my land!"
Some months later when the koly-
nae Perfume corporation built their
huge factory and sidings in Westburg,
and all the nearby property rose ire
mendously in value, Kerry's former
critics changed their tune and had
nothing but admiration, somewhat
grudgingly but none the less genuine,
for their young toWnsman's marvellous
insight. How had he foreseen con-
dition which more than trebled his in
vestment?
1t would have given them great
pleasure to have overheard a little
conversation between Kerry and the
girl he was shortly to marry one af-
ternoon as. side by side. they tished
a ripping trout stream.
what sort of bunch did you
have, Kerry? You have never told
me, you know, and l am very curl
GUS Think of my husband being a
man with such a clever mind that he
could foresee anything like the COM
ing here of this world-known bust
ness!'
II hate to confess it, to you of all
people," sighed Kerry, "but l see that
L will get no l.eace until 1 do! Fact
is, darling, tht re was not the slight
est bit of h}lnch about it. On the
dav that | came Lack from settling