Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 246, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1912 — HIS BUSINESS ABILITY [ARTICLE]

HIS BUSINESS ABILITY

Jack Bemis Knew Something More Than Aviation. By CLARISSA MACKIE. *No, Jack," said Mr. Far l * ll ® bot finely, "I cannot permit you to marry Dell.” “But, Mr. Farlane," persisted Jack Bemis, quite as firmly, “what’s the matter with me?" ——— --- “Nothing except your precarious “means of livelihood. - . _ • —— “I earned twenty-five thousands last year.” “Yes—but how?" ‘ln cash prizes for long distance flights and for altitude. You congratulated me at the time, and said you were proud of me, sir." "Ah, yes, but that was before I knew you wanted to marry my daughter,” explained Mr. Farlane ■with a singular lack of logic. Jack looked bewildered. ”1 mean that an aviator’s like is constantly in danger —think of the anxiety suffered by your wife every time you made a flight. If you will choose some other vocation you can ask me again.” “But I might not succeed in doing anything else.” “Then you are not made of the stuff I thought,” snapped Mr. Farlane,

who was exceedingly nervous over the matter, for he had had just concluded a distressing Interview with 1 his beloved daughter on the same subject. 1 “Thank you.” said Jack slowly, as he picked up his hat “Will you leave the matternpen for a while?” “You may have three months.” said Mr. Farlane curtly, and he nodded coolly as Jack said good-by and left the house. “If Dell doesn’t change her mind,” he called after him with a wicked smile. “Change her mind!” sniffed Jack scornfully, for only a few hours before Dell Farlane had promised literally to fly with him to the ends of the earth If need be. “What other business could I enter?” he asked himself later in the day when he found time to brood over the matter. “In a place life WeHcot there Is no opportunity for competition; every one Is satisfied with the merchants and it would cost a mint of money to run any of them’ out of business —unless —unless” (a satirical gleam came into Jack’s eye) “unless I gave my respected father-in-law-to-be a run for his money. The more I think of it there is just one business that appeals to me, and that is to open a small, first-class hotel and garage on that bit of shore front just outside of Wellcot! t “There I can catch all the eastbound automobile parties and treat them so well that they will quite forget to stop at Mr. Farlane’s famous Red Tree Inn. FatheMn-law, look out for trouble!” Mr. Farlane made several trips out to the point to survey the snug little cream brick Inn and garage that went up as if by magic. When he heard that Jack Bemis was the owner and promoter of this nefarious scheme ■against his own prosperous business, he refused the young man admittance to his house. "But, father, you wanted him to go 'into some safe business,” objected the tearful Dell. “It was not necessary to become my closest competitor!” declared the outraged hotel proprietor. “You see, it’s a business that does not require much experience—and Jack wanted to make money quick, and so he pu| everything he had In it. It’s safe!” ’ ’ “Doesn’t require experience, eh? The boy’s crazy!” Mr. Farlane flew around his library in angry indignation. “Don’t I have to go down to my hotel every day to see that it is •properly run—eh?” “Yes, father. But Jack will hire •a manager.” “Aha! And what will Mr. Jack do with himself?” “I don’t know. I suppose he might fly as a recreation.—-it is a gentlemanly sport, isn’t it?” “Of course, of course! Well, I shall never permit my daughter to marry a man that runs me out of business! ” “I’ll tell Jack,” murmured Dell, but there was a deep dimple in one round cheek.

“Jack, you musn’t run father out of business!” she warned when she met him the next day. “He isn’t pleased.” "I wish your father would select some perfectly proper enterprise for me to engage in when I'm on the earth, for of course he cannot expect me to give up flying. You wouldn’t would you, dear?” Dell shook.* her pretty head. “Of course not! ’ You know how fond I am of going up and how proud I am of yoh and what you’ve done for aviation. Father doesu t seem to understand that it’s a career and that perhaps you are one of those born pioneers who have to take risks in order that others may fly safely in yean to come!” “Darling!” murmured Jack ardentproud of you!” went on the enthusiastic Dell. “I wish we could .fly together—always!” "If we didn’t have to have to have ■your father's consent”—suggested Jack a little shamefacedly. "Ah, but we must have that! We would never be happy unless we beT ’ m beginning right now," '■

“Father is rather scared and 1 never saw Mm that way before —no I think perhaps you may be on the right track,” encouraged Dell. "Walt until after my grand opening next month and we’ll see! He won’t love me any better." “But he might respect your business abilities more!" retorted Dell quickly, “and that seems to be troubling him more than anything else just at present.” “If the Sandy Point Inn fails I’ll have to fly and win some more prizes to make good, for I’ve sunk every dollar in that enterprise,” said Jack. “It will succeed one way or another,” predicted Dell. The opening day came. at last and In response to Jack’s broad advertising there came a host of pleasure seekers to partake of his hospitality. To his mingled delight and chagrin the Inn was a success from the start. Farlane’s Red Tree Inn, which was situated in the town of Weildott, suffered heavily through loss of patronage. People much preferred to stop at Sandy Point and lunch or dlne on the wide piazzas overlooking the bay, and the absurdly high prices charged by Jack Bemis seemed only to enhance its desirability In the eyes of the money-spending public. At the end of a month Mr. Farlane sent for Jack Bemis.

“You’re running me out of business!" he said fiercely. “I’m sorry,” said Jack. "I didn’t know the confounded thing would be so successful. I was only trying to make good on your account. “Huh!” snorted Mr. Farlane incredulously. “I hate it!” “Would rather fly, I suppose?" sneered the elder. ’ “Of course!” “Dell says you’re a pioneer—l’ve always thought you were a fool.” Jack laughed. "I must be a pioneer, for have I not started a new hotel where none.was before?” “You have. ’ Want to sell out?" “What do you mean?” ’Til put some money in it and run It as an annex to the Red Tree Inn. You can be a stockholder and draw dividends and so forth —and fly if you want to!” “Fly with Dell, too?” demanded Jack warily. “Yes, she says she’ll marry you anyway? bargain. sir! I’m sorry I “I startled,” retorted Mr./frariane as he held out Ms hand to tmSyoung man, but their eyes met and into each pair there crept a glint of understanding. Dell came into the room and saw their clasped hands. , “You dearq!” she cried happily and mn to them. ———-———■ (Copyright, 1912, by Associated Literary Press.)