Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-01-24
Love and
Business
BY H. I. KING


WNH DANEORril. want to mar
lNl ry your daughter" Arthur Dut-
ton made this statement as one high
and mighty p0tentnte might propose
an alliance With another, Why should
he notf He had been brought up to
regard himself as a little better than
his nelghbors. From the time Of his
grandfather the buttons had been the
biggest people for miles around His
father owned the butter-tub factory
at Duttonville and there was not an
other village nearer than ten miles
Arthur saw nothing presumptuous
In demanding of John Danforth, the
lord Of mines and railroads, the hand
OF his daughter Eleanor. In his ex-
cursions into New York society he
had met the girl and fallen in love
with her. Danforth had seen Arthur
calling at his house. When he sent
In his card to Danforth's private Of
flee his name was recognized and the
millionaire had him sent In. Where
upon Arthur made the statement with
which this story begins.
want to marry my daughter ex-
claimed Mr.. Danforth. "Of course you
do. Man: young men would like to
marry John Danforth's daughter. Par
don my curiosity. but have you any
special qualifications for the position
for which JvT propose yourself--that
Of my son-ln-law"
swell" replied Arthur, for the first
time In his life fairly taken aback,
"you see, sir. love Eleanor and
Eleanor loves me-"
"Oh-love's young dream-very pref
ty, am sure. And may ask of your
ability to support my daughter In the
style to which she has been accus
toned? | believe that is the conveD'
tlonal phrase generally used by par
ents In my painful position
Arthur was inclined to be sulky.
my father" said he, IFS manufac'
turer-makes butter tubs He owns
DuttonvlIe and | am his only child"
"Duttonvllle? Duttonvllle, did you
sayf" And then after musing min
ute he exclaimed: by Georgel | be
lleve that Is the place. Is this prin
cipaIlty of yours on the Klcklmuit
river, young mann"
at Is" snapped Arthur.
'"Then sit down there and hold your
tongue for a minute. want to talk
to you about something Of more i'm.
portance than boy and girl whImseys,'
almost shouted Danforth. He touched
button In his desk and q clerk ap-
peared. Bring me the papers in the
electric power company matters The
clerk disappeared, presently to re
turn bearing a large number Of tiled
and labeled documents.
snow here's the situation" said the
millionaire, spreading some OF the pa
pers open on his desk. II and some
associates have formed the Excelsior
Light Il i'ower company. We propose
to supply electric light and power to
all that section Of the state Indicated
by the blue lines drawn on this map"
He handed the map to Arthur, who
gazed at II with Interest and said. "a
big project"
at u.s." replied Danforth. Now. your
fathers plcayune little factory
Arthur wlnced-"doesn't amount TO
shucks. But the water power he owns
does. To complete our project we must
have TINT water power. And Dutton
won't sell. Writes that he's going TO
turn over the business to his SON.
that's you. suppose-and In the
meantime won't disturb anything.
Now. this is what propose"
For a solid hour and half they
talked business. Danforth entirely for
got the errand upon which Arthur had
come and Arthur appeared to have
forgotten II also.
At length Danforth said: 1--WE will
go further into this tomorrow. BE here
at ten o'clock. guess you and
working together can astonlsh the m
tives."
"And what about my first PROPOSE
ton, Mr.. DanforthT asked Arthur.
"'rhe tub factory? That goes. OF
course" answered the older man.
"No. sir, proposition with regard
to your daughter" said Arthur.
"Oh, that-weII. we'll take care OF
that later"
"Jusi as you say" Arthur replied.
but you'll find II much more to your
satisfaction to talk power with your
son-In-lnw than with Just plain Arthur
DuttOn--"
THAT'S almost blackmail, young
man."
"Not at all, sir. Business is business
and the Jest way to keep II so IL to
remove nll personal considerations. IN
this case. love happens to come first
II you land In my way with your
daughter ri naturally stand In your
way with my power site"
"But | don't want your power site
under those conditions" said Mr.. Dan
forth.
"Nor ! your daughter under those
conditions" retorted Arthur. Let's
take love out Of the subject entirely"
"IIowT
"By leaving II up to Helen, II she
loves me you give your consent"
Mr.. Danforth was quick to reply:
"Falr enough"
That night when Helen told her
fnther she had said "ges" to Arthur
and asked for his approval he said:
81 have met your young man In q
business way | hope his heart Is as
true as his head"