The Coolidge examiner., 1932-05-27
FAMILY
TRAITS
By H. IRVING KING

all over the town. 1t was rather an
important piece of news. too. for
Nettie owned a full Gozen or more
houses, was a stockholder in the To-
cal bank and ran the Emporium" ,"
the biggest department store in
town.
Nettie was all business. From
the time she was sixteen until her
fathers death she had been his
business associate, and after his
death had gone right on managing
for herself. No time for frivolity
and love making had Nettie had
At sixteen Nettie had come back
from the school on a vacation, out
wardly all that her mother could
wish. She was not exactly what
you would call a beauty, but she
was comely enough and art and cul-
tivation had rendered her a being
Of whom her mother said: "She
could shine in any drawing room
a few years more and she will be
perfect"
But Nettie announced that she
was not going back to school. She
had had enough of 1t. She wanted
to learn her fathers business so
that she would be able TO handle it
when, in the course of time-which
she graciously said she hoped would
be a long time-it came into her
hands. Her mother had wept. Just
as Nettie had aroused in her the
only ambition she ever had in her
life she now caused her to expert
ence the only griel that she had
ever known. What jonathan thought
about ii did not count He was rath
er disappointed on account OF his
wife; but he was secretly satisfied
on his own account. SO that is
how Nettie Havens came TO go into
business. She dressed plainly, al
most shabbily; wore her hair In an
unbecoming manner, seemed 10 de
light In making herself look as plain
as she could-and succeeded admir-
ably. She laid her little, pleasing
airs and graces away in moth balls
and became a sharp. decisive young
person; no nonsense, all business.
And now Nettle at thirty-and
looking forty-was rich woman
But in spite of her wealth the
young men of the town would no
more have thought of making love
to her than they would have thought
of making love TO an adding ma
chine. There was the goggle-eyed
anemic. young man with ade
noids, TO be sure. who oficiated as
her chief clerk and who, allured by
Nettie's bank account, often wished
in secret that he could muster up
enough courage to ask her to be his
bride. But shucksl Philander Lis
comb could not muster up enough
courage to say boo to a goose; much
less enough to propose to Nettie
Hayens.
On her thirtieth birthday Nettle
coming into her store and walking
slowly down the main aisle and
looking about with keen business
scrutiny, was suddenly aware of q
young man, about thirty-fve years
old, we'll dressed and bearing every
mark of breeding. standing at the
glove counter. Passing through the
town he had accidentally lost one
of his driving gloves out of his car
a bright blue roadster which stood
outside, and stopped to get new
pair. Nettie gasped-then stood
stock still and stared. He turned
and saw her. A look of recognition
gradually came into his eyes.
Nettie was the first to speak
BASIL" said she, "come into my Of
fce-I want TO speak to you" He
bowed and followed her. Take a
seat" she commanded. You haven't
changed much, BASIL" she said,
looking at him intently; "a little
older looking, of course-but to me
you look just the same as you did
fourteen years ago"
There is one thing, Nettie," he
replied, "ln which | have not
changed and never shall; my love
for you"
1T is pleasant, of course" she re-
piled. ito hear you say so; but four
teen years is a long time, and
have changed. Can you not see itY"
in appearance, yes" he an
swered. "You look old, and worn
and tired-and lonely. Oh Nettie,
why did you throw me over the way
you did? You know there was moth
ing in the absurd story to excite
your jealousy"
81 have found 1t out SINCE" said
she slowly. But | was young and
foolish then. only sixteen. And now
ii is too late. But we shall be
friends just the same. shall we not?"
"Friends?" he cried; I'VE shall be
more than friends"
'Philander," said Nettie to her
adenoid head clerk a few days
later, do you think you could run
this shop if / gave you full charge
of 70" Philander mustered enough