The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-10-15
WHEN
HE DECLARED
DIVIDENDS
Copyright BY W. @. Chapman,
By GERALD NEAvE

ing company, as he sat down at the
mahogany desk In the Office of the big
city building.
Half Dozen" answered Miss Lori
mer, laughing. "Say, Mr.. Sanford, it
certainly does seem to be getting bit
warm in these parts. That clergyman
from Boston has been writing In want
ing to know whether the mines ever
started operations, or ever going to-"
swell, I'll write him LATER" an
swered the president absently. IF
necessary we'll declare 10 per cent
dividend for his benefit"
"And that old lady from Philadel-
phia, who says she's invested every
thing"
"Pshaw! We needn't notice her till
she writes that she's coming to inter-
view me. Then we'll send her divi-
dent, too. Applications still piling in?"
twelve thousand dollars since Sat-
urday."
"Whoep!" CALCULATED the president.
"Say, Miss Lorimer, there certainly
are lot of suckers in the world, amt
there? I wonder how many's been
born since we shut up shop on Satur-
day night?"
"Just 2,400," answered the secretary,
after a short compilation upon her
pad.
"That ought to mean something for
us," commented the president
Nevertheless he was anxious that
morning. He had promoted many dubi-
GUS concerns during the past year or
two, aided by sucker list" for which
he had paid the sum Of three thousand
dollars. The money had come rolling
in from all parts Of the country !;
clergymen, widows and fools had con-
tributed largely on the promise of
hundred per cent dividend annually.
Whenever any applicant became too
troublesome Sanford cleared himself
and allayed suspicious by declaring
dividend" But he had reason to sus-
pect that the federal officers were In
vestigating him, and he was bordering
the ACCESSIBILITY Of departing for cool
er climes.
Miss Lorimer had been with him for
six months. She had come to him
simple girl. innocent Of his methods of
finance" He had corrupted her, he
had taught her to believe that his
methods of business" were those uni
versally followed in the financial
world He did not know the revolt
e that had taken place within her, nor
that she needed ,her salary of fifteen
] dollars urgently to support her wild
owed mother.
Sanford had begun to think Miss
Hilda Lorimer had the best business
head of any woman whom he had
known. And something as close to love
as his selfish nature would admit had
been growing up in him.
In fact, he had once or twice made
tentative overtures to her. She had
repulsed them with the easy way and
the smile that covered such a multi
tude of regrets. If she had faced the
problem Of her manner of living she
might have done what her instinct
prompted her-left the Office. But she
dared not face 1t, for there was moth
ing saved; and so she left the re-
sponsibility with her employer and
tried to forget.
At lunch time Sanford went up to
her.
1Come, Miss Hilda. when Is it going
to be?" he asked.
what iss that, Mr.. Sandford?"
"Say! You know what I've been
driving at for the past three months.
mean honest nova diamond ring and
nice little fiat somewhere"
She laughed, evaded him, and put on
her hat. "Well talk it over some
time,' she said evasively.
Yet when he had gone she confessed
to herself that she did like Harry Sand
ford. And she felt, with womans
7 Intuition, that he was the victim of
circumstances. She knew that his IA
Their had disowned him when he was
a boy, that he had run away, return
ing home to find his father dead and
his m0ther, turned out of the home by
greedy landlord, gone forever from
tuC NIUE fAio6O WACLO AC was OOkus
If he had had different opportunities.
When he came back from lunch Hill
da Lorimer was bending over her
work very attentively.
swell. any more suckers come IMP
he asked.
When she did not answer him he
looked at her attentively. To his
amazement he saw that there were
tears in her eyes. s
"Why-what's wrongs" he inquired.
The girl looked up at him. 'Every-
thing" she answered briefly. She
could no longer fight down her rising
indignation. -The business, Mr.. Sand
ford"
"Say! Turning pious?"
mo, but listen. Mr.. Sanford. I'll
tell. you why couldn't listen to-what
you said. I couldn't marry AMMAN