The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1930-01-16
THE
AUTHORS
WIFE
(9 by D: J. Walsh.)

KING, bachelor. was In
n - terested In Just two things in
life. One was keeping the
taxes as low as he possibly
cOuld-that being his sole reason for
sbothering to be the president Of the
school board of district 60 year after
year. The other thing was the matter
,Of being punctual. He always said the
reason he had never married was that
women always kept q man waiting.
He said that by nature they were I'M
ipunctual or tardy or indolent or plain
lazy, whichever way one wished to
put 1t. Grover King himself was never
late. II he called school board meet
dng for half past seven in the eve
ming he planned to arrive not later
than a quarter past the hour SO that
when the clock struck he could also
strike his gavel and start proceed
ings. The proceedings that he liked
best Of all to start were any and all
items Of business that pertained to
the spending of moneys for large
things like school equipment or the
new school building, which every one
in the district wanted in a half
hearted fashion. But when Grover
King stfrted to talk about the horrible,
life-crushing taxes that would be laid
upon them If they voted the bonds
through and built the new school 1t
was small wonder that the pedal ex-
,tremities in the district grew. If not
cold, at least chilly.
So the years went along until
Grover King was in his thirties. One
by one the school teachers had either
married or left to teach in schools
where buildings were newer and the
equipment more plentiful. The teach.
'ers had, without exception, cast
,glances at Grover King, for he was
handsome and young and very well to
do even though he didn't want to
pay high taxes. But being young and
needless they always proved to him
in one way or another that they were
unpunctual and their charms were
gone for Grover King.
Then Persia West took the school.
She was almost thirty but not quite.
Her coming brought no culver of in
iterest to the heart of Grover King.
He was weary with the sameness Of
young school teachers. The very first
day she said that the children needed
more playground equipment.
"But that costs money" he OBJ
,jected.
She laughed. $50 it does. OF
course. Everything costs more or
less in one way or another. And 1t
isn't for me, you knowl 1 have no
Intention of swinging in the swings
nor using the trapeze nor even slid
ing down the long chute. never had
such equipment when was a child.
] lived in a city and we just had a
cinder playground. But they do have
such things nowadays and want chill
dren to have them"
Grover King remained adamant. He
was surprised that. she chung so per.
sistently to the idea. AS a rule the
school teachers had always relin-
pushed any idea Immediately when
they saw that 1t was out of harmony
with his ideas.
"Then it means a play" she said
YEARLY. "Can you write a play or
pageant, Mr.. King?"
He stammered. This was quite out
Of his line, but he hated to admit any
defeat. II could do play much bet
ter than a pageant" he said guard
eddy.
"Good!" she accepted. "We'll begin
rehearsals as soon as you let US have
the manuscript. l always find home
talent plays go so well when the
writer, too, is home talent. II we
get enough from this first one for the
equipment we may branch out and
put up the new school with play
money. It's certain the children will
appreciate school they have helped
build that way"
How he struggled through the play
only he knew. It wasn't, truth to
tell, much of play when it was COM
.pleted. But he was proud Of it. He
felt that If it had the proper lighting
and costuming and lifting song or two
added 1t would 60 on Broadway. He
attended rehearsals regularly. He
helped paint the scenery and write
the bills.
"We1l let no one in who is not
on time" suggested Persia West.
"That's the way the best concert COM
,panies are doing. Those who pay
their money and are punctual should
enjoy the first of the show without be-
ing disturbed by the swishing In of
late comers."
She was a girl after his own heart.
He agreed that she was right. abso-
lutely and unequivocally right. They
printed this statement on the bottom
of every ticket.
The ticket sale far surpassed any
ticket sale ever held in the township.
"A week before the affair was to be
held they had to hire the opera house
In order to have enough seats. Grover
King was as excited as a bride on
the marriage morn. He went to the
barber and had a hair cut, a facial,
and an Oil rub--all Of 1t. Then he
decided that perhaps turkish bath
would settle his nerves. After that he
was so sleepy he took a nap, just
"a little nap he promised himself, to
put in the four hours before the play
would start.