Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 74, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 March 1915 — [?]IS LUCKY HUMBER [ARTICLE]

[?]IS LUCKY HUMBER

By MARY GARLAND KNIGHT.

(Copyright IMS. by W. O. Chapman.) When the nncle of Willie Templeton died leaving ten thousand dollars “to his beloved nephew,** the latter felt like the richest man in the world. He did not start out on a mad spendthrift riot That was not hie natural pace. He had missed real home life since his parents died two months previously. Young Templeton quietly set out to find a wife. He was not after style, money or position. Some sweet humble little woman who could appreciate a comfortable home was his ideal. “There seems to be none such in Eladene,” he decided, after every, for-tune-hunting girl in the county had set her cap at him. “Business is what yon want to think of, old boy,” declared his lawyer, a young man who was really loyal to his Interests. WBlis considered many business propositions. Then came a wonderful chance to increase his few thousands to a million, according to Vance Trafton. This latter was a cousin. He had been a scapegrace in his youth. Later Willis had heard he had figured as promoter and speculator. He had appeared at Elsdene about a month after his succession to the fortune. Willis had been pestered to death with mean, Indigent and really deserving relatives. He had more or less got rid of most of them according to their deserts. When Trafton appeared, it was an enjoyable relief to Willis to find someone who was not scheming to beg or borrow of him. “I'm north closing a big deal,” reported the fashionably dressed relative who bore all the earmarks of permanent prosperity. "Went to Florida ten years ago, bought one thousand acres of swamp land at two dollars an acre. We’ve sold it all out at twenty and I’m trying to buy a tract from a man In the city. You’d ought to see how we’ve made the wilderness blossom as the rose. Think of it — ninety thousand pineapples this year’s crop, some of them weighing as much as nine pounds. Juicy, mellow— I want yon to come back with me and see a real climate, Willis.” By degrees the wily, specious Trafton worked on Willis until the latter was actually anxious to buy an interest in the wonderful proposition. It was finally agreed that he should Invest eight thousand dollars for a onefourth share In the new land about to be opened up. "I’ll go to the city and arrange to get the deeds for the land,” announced Trafton. “In the meantime I’ll have a choice half dozen of our pineapples shipped to you, Just to show you what magnificent fruit we raise.” In a day or two along came a crate directed to Willis. As he opened it, wrapped in tissue paper were half a dozen pineapples. Certainly they were superior and standard. More than ever In love with the proposition, the elated Willis was about to hasten to distribute the luscious fruit among his friends and possibly influence other investors to go Into the enterprise, when he noticed a neat-looking card 1 In the bottom of the crate. Beside It lay an unstamped letter. It wqs simply directed to "Miss Landon.” The card read: “Acme Fruit Co.” and gave an address In the city. At one end wai the written notation: “Packed by No. 42.”, "It doesn’t square up right,” decided Willis, and straightway started for the city. He fonnd out where the fruit company named had Its warehouse. It was a busy place devoted to the specialty of packing fine tropical fruits. Willis saw the manager. He was soon convinced that the crate of pineapples had been shipped to him on a casual order two days before. “They came from Florida?” inquired Willis. “Oh, no. We get all oiir primes from Central 'America,” was the amazing declaration. And who was No. 42? Ah, yes—one of their fruit packers, Miss Landon by name. Could she be seen? —for Willis had opened the letter to find that it contained an offer of marriage from one “Richard Martin.” Miss Landon was not at work. Address —yes, such and such a number on a certain street Thither Willis proceeded. , A good-natured old lady waa In. charge. She invited Willis In, saying that Miss Landon would soon be home. Certainly the refined homelike air of the delightful little fiat was soothing. Willis lingered. Miss Landon arrived. Bluntly he told her the whole story. He handed her th«T letter. He was sorry, as her bright gentle face grew upon him, that she had a lover. “Oh, dear!” she cried, as she received the missive. "I’ve wondered where? I ever lost it It most have fallen from my pocket into the crate. J am glad to get it A friend of my sister, a gentleman friend, asked me to give it to her. Now I can straighten np a tangle.” Then she, Lucia Landon, as Willis soon found out her name to be, waa heart free! Somehow the discovery pleased him. “She Is the girl I have been looking tor," he told the old lady friend of Lucia one day. “Why don’t you tell her that?*’ “I will,” resolved Willis. He did.'