Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-03-04
1T WAS A
GREAT PRIZE
CONTEST
(copyrieht by W. Q. chapman.l

young women In Peterson's
Monument. Peterson's Monu-
ment was a typical mining
town, and contained half a dozen mil
lionaires, FIVE hundred prospectors and
a smattering Of tramps. storekeepers
and professional men. There was
Ransom, the heart-breaker, and little
Klaxon, who sold mining tools, and
the regular assortment Of human char
acters that one would expect to find
in Just such a place.
Nobody knew why the engagement
between Ransom and Dorothy Bennett,
the presidents stenographer, had been
broken of, but II was surmised that
Dorothy had not exercised her privi-
lege from volition. Ransom was
blamed more than he would have been
In an eastern town-but just about
then something happened which en-
tireiy changed the current Of our
thoughts.
The Western Film company came
through and dropped of Edna Lane,
their leading lady. She had decided
to take up ranching, and had fixed on
Peterson's Monument, which had some
fine agricultural land In the vicinity.
Ny own estimate of Miss Lane was
that she had suffered the usual dis
illusionment about life that comes to
such women at twenty-eight or nine.
Anyway, the film company decided to
give her a grand send-off.
Miss Lane will positively marry
the most popular man In Peterson's
Monument, Red Gulch or Burntover,"
announced the general manager.
Red Gulch and Burntover, which ag-
gregated a good deal Of money be-
tween them, came to look the propo-
sition over. Miss Lane came up to
the scratch smiling. Yes, she didn't
care whom she married, she said, as
long as he could take care Of the farm,
and she wouldn't go back on her word.
not even II the most popular man hap
pened to be little Harry K1axon, with
one shoulder higher than the other.
Red Gulch and Burntover developed
a strong mutual rivalry and each town
was resolved to have the honor Of one
Of Its citizens marrying Miss Lane.
However, Peterson's Monument had
its own ideas upon the subject. At
IS cents a vote, It calculated that, II
some prominent man helped out. II
could vote Ransom into the Job.
The prominent man, 1t may be said,
was the employer of Miss Dorothy
Bennett, who had been turned down
by him. Ransom, pursuing his heart
less way, had soon forgotten, but ]
knew Miss Dorothy had not.
The mayor went to Ransom. "Pe-
terson's Monument has done well by
you," he said, "and Peterson's Monu-
ment expects you to do well by II, and
not let Red Gulch or Burntover steal
Miss Lane away from US. You've got
to be the handsomest and most popu-
lar man in town. II amt hard for
you, with all your lady-loves. which
means no offense.
'Tll do It," answered Ransom. after
he had a look at Miss Lane.
Some of the folks tried to stop II
They said Miss Lane was a heartless
young woman to sell herself in that
way. But II seemed that she had the
same idea as the mayor. The film
company had done we'll by her, ant
she meant to do well by the film com
pany, which was only little eastern
affair, and wasn't rolling in money
They had very considerably allowed
her to break her contract, and shC
meant to give them a good send-Off.
Incidentally they were already reap
ing so rich a harvest that they saw
one error Of theirs and raised tn,
price of votes to a dollar. Nobody
kicked.
Incidentally, also. 1t might be added
that Miss Dorothy, being a determined
strong-minded girl. had what wal
called a pull with the prominent man
who had promised to buy as many
votes as he could afford in order L
keep Miss Lane for Peterson's Monu
ment.
Then somebody interjected a sid,
issue. II was all very well for Peter
sons Monument to get Miss Lane, bu
why should such prize go to Ransom
who would probably grow tired Of hli
wife inside Of two months, and not Il
Rex, the pharmacist. who was very
popular among the girls.
"Let the girls settle II among them
selves" suggested little All Peterson
whose fathers grave had given tn,
name to the settlement Alfs fathe
had been the only man scalped by In
dams in the Twentieth century, anC
the town had celebrated its just dis
tinctlen by raising a memorial to him
Then a hideous jest was perpetrated
Somebody put In Klaxon's name Al
that Of the most popular man. AM
at the end Of the first Of the fou
weeks Klaxon led the list with 90.
votes, Ransom coming second witt
only PAS.
Now Klaxon was a Jest. Some on,
had perceived the way he looked a
Miss Lane. who treated him as the dir
beneath her shoes Klaxon was to-
shy TO open his mouth in the presenc,
OF a girl Klaxon was a good littl
fellow. but populari mol He wa
everything else. but not exactly pop
ular
"If we don't settle on Ransom Re-
Gulch will run away with the prize
groaned the mayor. when Red Gulcl
made a sudden squirt and headed tn
second weeks voting with Ed Sim
mons, the stenographer, counting
1.179. We've got to pull together"
What was Miss Lane doing all th