THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 70, 1 July 1910, Page 6

THE STORYTELLER.

A MATRIMONIAL VENTURE . | lie was st] pompous,' conceited, sell? important old, chap, of about fifty years' of age. The 'fact of liis being a uacueiofc may have hail something 10 v.o with thp ways lie liSq fallen into. Women ofteji liave a effect 011 niv.ll, wiping ; away those'lccentncities which tbiiu to j make uiem peculiar' as they grow old. Those whol understood .Samuel Freeman 'knew, that his bark was worse than : his ibite; andmlthough ije was quick to % into a raglover a trifle, he just as swiftly "went Vi' the boil"' as the harfds at his factory were wont to say of him. iHe was in a Airly big way of business, too, despite the fact thaf he ran tile concern on tin 1 old-fashioied lines that had served his father hailf a century before him. And that, in these up-to-, date days, is not looked on as the rojya}' road to "getting tfoere." _ \[ / Freeman had received a disturbing:letter from his nephevV that morning. He read and re-read ill 'Each time he did so the puckers on hss forehead seemed to deepen. One sentence in the letter r ; ticularly, had a furring effect. "Big chances!" he muttered. "Have to be! Evidently Master Will thinks ;he 'owns the business! Well, those who live longest will see most!" ; J Will was his dead sister's son—-really ; his only near relative—a kien, Smart, ] pushing, up-to-date young man. $ was ] the ambition of his life to "inform" the j whole business of the factory. , lie was j anxious to abandon entirety}'"his uncle's | old-fashioned methods; badly-wanted to ' throw on the scrap-neap the -existing engines, and replace them by somjs newly patented American machinery. He might haVe achieved his! object, but he went the wrong way to work. Youth is proverbially impatient. Freeman might have been led, where he could not he driven. The result was that something approaching a quarrel ensued between uncle and nephew. A, At last a compromise was effected. Will was despatched •to America to study the new-fangled notions; and now, after, an absence of several months, the letter Freeman held announced the nephew's intention of returning home. Freeman's temper had not improved j during Willis, absence. It was true that, he had had much to try it. His faithful old housekeeper, who had borne with, him patiently for thirty years, had died,and it seemed that with tier death came Jrrejpov&ble grit in the machinery of his home life.

Her successor regarded him in anything but a friendly manner. Indeed, he had chanced to overhear her saying to the cook, "What a fussy old fogey master is, to .be sure; I sha'a't ibe able to stand him long!" had set Freeman thinMng deeply. Was he "fussy"? he asked himself'. Was he "old" at fifty-two t (All his life long, following in- Ms father's footsteps, he had worked to - make money. That was a time-filling' Jffitor out Bermondsey way, leaving few spare moments for thoughts of matrimony. But he began to think of it now. Suppose ,he were to marry ? That, would lie the first of the changes Master Will was always clamoring about. He experienced' a grim pleasure m picturing his nephew's face when he returned home to.be introduced to a new "aunt." It almost put the old man in a good temper as he contemplated that mental picture. . - ' i . Then, too', the housekeeper problem; would be solved. No more reluctant service on a "fussy old fogey." -Freeman chuckled as he turned to the "matrix monial" colunin'in his Sunday paper and' ran his eye down it- One advertisement in particular "gave him to think." < "Al spinster,; said to have charming manners, sweet-tempered,' fond of honie, and a good manageress, wishes, to me-it middle-aged gentleman of nice disposition who could provide a comfortable home.—Address 'Angela,' boi 42, care or j the office of this paper."

I Steading the advertisement, Freeman 'at first considered the idea from the point of view of a joke., Then he asked himself, why shouldn't he? After ait, he was his own master. What did he care what the world said? Not a fingers 'snap! Anyway, he cut out the adver- : ; tisement, and put it .between the leaves' of his pocket-book. V ; On Monday morning; at the. office, he: found a further annoyance awaiting him,' On Saturdays he had a way of staving iat home with his hooks, leaving pay- : 1 ment of. wages to his cashier. Now that .'individual told him that, when Miss ' Brown was paid, she had given notice of jj her intention to leave, ji She was the nineteenth girl he had env t ployed in two years, and he really 5 thought he was suited at last! ] "What is , th'r reason," he snapped I out savagely, '"for your wanting to .leave?"

I "I am going to get married, sir." ( "Oil! 1 ' It certainly was a reason!' ! "And I am to have the difficulty of flndi ing another typist?" 'There is not much difficulty, sir." she smiled; "there are quite a number I of girls wanting situations. There is ] an advertisement in this morning's pai per, sir, of a young lady who writes more words • a minute than I do. She asks the same salary as you pay me " i "Give me the paper." ! The girl fetched it from her room, and then returned to her duties. Treeman picked it up and perused the advertisement the girl .had marked for/ him. "Yes," he muttered, "reads all right, but you cannot always believe ..what* is said in an advertisement. This one doesn't say she's "experienced." All the last lot who applied said they were,'foilt when they turned up they" had their hair down their hacks and wore short frocks, and ought to have been playing battledore and shuttlecock in their backgardens. Anyway, I'll'write this one to j «all, and see what she's made of. He did that. The act of writing, and ! the cause of Miss Brown's leaving, i«minded him of another advertisement. He took it from his pocket. "If I answer this," he muttered, "I must do so cautiously. No committing myself—oh, iio! By way of opening the

hall, ,1 might ask for her photo; sight of that would tell me a lot." • His mind made up, he,dipped pen in ink again and wrote: "The writer has read advertisement in newspaper. Will the lady advertising enclose him her photograph ■(which shall be returned immediately) ? Good mignt result.'' .He read what he had written again and again before being finally satisfied. At last he took up his pen again and directed the envelope.

The next day the merchant had a big surprise. His office-boy, full of merriment- choked back to bursting-point, ushered in a tall, elderly female of fierce aspect and warlike, aggressive manner. It did not need the white, green, and mauve ribbon with which her hat was adorned to tell that she was a suffragette; the word was written large oil her; She carried a poodle, a full to overflowing handbag, and an umbrella. jFreejnan surveyed her with growing /consternation. The jvvoman walked in and seated herself in; the most comfortable chair in his office, and stated that she came in respons'e to his answer to her advertisement, jl "What a typist!" Jie thought. "She must be got out of the office as speedily "3 possible!" Marshalling his he contrived ti sa y ; ' ' I" .. "Well, what wages are you asking, madam?" "Wages!"

The word iiJnmt screamed out, as she juHipeil i<3 lifiV ' fit find glared at him over her spc >ta6i«3, The umbrella she had been nu.i.ng fell to the floftr with a bang, and the poodle began to yelp and dance round Freemalt'a legs. "Do you take ytiur confounded .pttodlfc with you 1 wherever you go?" he asked as he drew his legs up to safety point. "Indeed I do! Confounded, indeed! Not for all the men in the world would I part with my darling Fido for so much as a day!"

To Freeman's Relief, she reached out and picked up the barking arid snapping little beast. To his disgust she clasped the animal to her bosom and kissed it. That was the climax. ' "I am obliged to you for coming," he said, "but I am quite certain yoii would •not suit me.", VNor you me, indeed," the woman relifurfled -viciously. "Understand, sit"— the umbrellsl she had picked up was lithumped on the floor so vigorously that 'the clerks bfiow wondered whether the .."governor" was having a new carpet laid —"that I djtl not come here to be in ; Suited, l'l: show you up, sir." (Repeated tattoo performance with the fer* ,rule). "it's disgraceful that we poor, down-trodden women should have to suf-, fer at the, hands of y®u so-called men. Wages! i jwas never so insulted in all my 'life!" J •.. Thereupjl she flounced out of the office/ leaving Freeman, amazed and bewildered, staring at the door through fchich -.she had disappeared. "Over came across a typist like her beforfe!" he sighed, in his relief that she had gone. "And," he added, "never want to again." ■ . i A clerk brought in some letters which had j'tfst been delivered by the postman. One unusual Iv thick one attracted his attention.. Opening it, .he found it contained a photograph of a young and exceedingly prettv girl. The letter was ! short, to t&e effect that, as requested; 'the writer enclosed her photograph, and 1 was ; confident that she would be found .satisfactory. _ . Freeman stood the picture up against | 1 His inkstand, ami, as'he contemplated 1 , it, rubbed Ms foands and agreed with the | writer. He distinctly thought that she, ■ would prove satisfadory. What i a wife she would ma'lce,. to he sure! When If#, led Her to the altarlit would take some, of the siiine out ol the younger ones. lUtiter!' "Old'f' -''Fogey!" ''Fussy!' Indeed'! He'd slfo'w tliem! Then he laughed as he*, thought of his nephew. "Wlia-t a surprise-tor Will," he chuckled, "wl.eri\T tell Ijiml am going to be married! I gues& liell think that a change!''' i He glanced up at the elock. "And he ought to be here by now, according'to this telegram." He had' not long t« wait. The door was suddenly flung open, and _a _ young man entered boisterously, exclaiining: "Hallo, uncle! Here I am! You saw ■by my wire that we'd Broken, the record. Got in nearly half' a day before our time by, tlietowtf Fishguard route—Great Western, you know. Well, I've hao. m ' end of a jbllv time, uncle. How are ' things going? And, by the way,- who in Heaven's name was the fire-eating old party who came out of the gates just as I entered'them ?" | "Oh, ; that was a typist. Came after

ia situation."' ... ~ , "She'd suit you. uncle —I.don t think. Will' roared with laughter. Then he suddenly sobered. He ftacl caught sight of the photograph oil his uncle's desk, : For 1 a moment he seemed too aston- : isV 1 for speech: thep he enquired, as 1 j <\p nicked up the picture: , ;, Where did you get,this from? : ■ ■ The old'man-actually Washed; then she simpered and "bridled. This affectation Of coyness at any other time would have J roused his nephew's laughter. As it he waited patiently till the old man'answered:, "Had it sent me, of course. Ah, Will, mr fooy, ! ifr" 1 stolen a march on you. Then, wi't'h'w cunning- look in his eyes, he continued ' : Yon want such a.. lot ot chafes, don't you? Well, your okl uncle is going to give you one. ile chuckled gleefully. "I;r"'thafc picture you see the future Mrs. Freeman." - "What on earth do you mean? Will could not understand. For the moment he thought Ms uncle was practising iome stupid- joke on bun. All the same, his face was a sade paler,, and his voice graver, as he questioned. "Mean ?" Freeman 1 answered. "Wfc. that I am going to .he married, my bov!'"' "Married!" "Ay! ,To her." He pointed to the picture again, and added maliciously: "Don't you think she will make you a.very nice aunt? "Married?" " A note of anger sounded in the young man's voice as he repeated the word. "What infernal nonsense are you talking, uncle?"

"Nonsense?" "What can you know of Marion Caroy ?" It is not nice to hea,r one's matrimonial intentions called "infernal nonsense." But Freeman applied the brake to his rapidly-rising temper. He was so surprised at his nephew's knowledge of the name of the person in the photograph. "I don't know," he said, after a moment's pause, "how you came to know •her name. But it is correct. The fact is, Will, she—well, you may as well know the truth—she advertised for a husband." "Marion did what?" "Advertised for a husband." "Rot! Stuff and nonsense! She would not think of doing such a thing. Look here, uncle, there is some ridiculous mistake or misunderstanding some'where. That girl—Marion—is my promised wife." "What?" It was Freeman's turn to stare and question. "We have been engaged," Will continued, 1 "for nearly a year. I did not say anything about it to you before I went to America "

"Seeing is believing," Freeman interrupted, thoroughly sobered now. "Here is the advertisement, Will.' Read that. And here's- the letter. (Perhaps you'll •believe me, then." Will read the letter, It was from Marion right enough. What could it mean? It was, of course, some horrible mistake, but it needed setting right on the instant. He was not the kind'of young man who' allowed grass to grow under his feat. "Put on your hat and coat, uncle," he said, "and come with me. I'll have this little mystery explained before 1 am an hour older," . •Hurrying the old man from the office, hfe put him into a taxicab, and gave the driver instructions to drive to Chelsea.

(Reaching their destination—a mansion of flats—Will made straight for one of the upstairs suites, his uncle following. The young man's knock at the door was answered by original of the photograph. Immediately she saw who had knocked she threw herself -into his arms with a cry of joy, saying: • "Will! Will! You dear old Will! Bome at last? Oh, how glad lam to gee you after all these weary months! "One moment, Marion darling!" Her delight at seeing ihim quite set his heart at rest. "Let me introduce my uncle —Mr. Samuel Freeman." "How strange," said Marion, smiling. "Why, I—l—l wrote—" ~„ . "What do you mean,,young-'lady, he blurted out, "by bargaining to make a fool of me in this idiotic manner. You advertised " "I know I cfid" Marion interrupted, and turning to Will, she "the Willingford Bank failed. All mothers money was lost in the smash. It fiecame necessary for me to do something. I had learnt typing and shorthand to amuse myself, and -I believed that I could turn it to profitable account. . I thought ft best to advertise for a situation asr a typist." "As a typist!" , . Freeman's face was a study. The girl cowld not help laughing—though happity, for Will's arms were still round her waist-r-as she continued: '•Believe me, I am quite expert; hut your reply to my advertisement diu make me smile, Mr. Freeman. It was so ; curiously worded and to ask for a, photograph seemed so strange." ; Then it dawned ojj old Freeman wnat •had Happened. He had a wfiy when he wrote' letters of not Wotting the envelopes, but putting each one on each letter: This te had done the day he I answered the advertisement. Each letter had been directed care the newspaper- office. The 'bottom 'line of each envelope was "Fleet street, E.C." Left to dry, they had somehow shifted as he went through his morning letters. Hence the mistake. , . ■He ibTOke into a sweat of. horror at the thongiit of the woman—poodle, bag and umbrella included —he had been ex: jpected to- marry. What an escape. What a merciful escape! , After that Freeman took a keen interest in Tils nephew's matrimonial venture. He played the part of fairy godfather wi'tfi big success; hut if anyone had 1 ventured! to suggest that he hnnselt should get ma»ried, why, he would have kicked tfiem out of the office. . His one experience with the spinster, mid' to>» have "charming manners,' to sav notMr:g of the poodle and the bag ( and' tlie umbrella, had proved all, sufficing;