Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1905 — BY MOTOR BOAT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BY MOTOR BOAT

By ELLIS JEROME

“I do not see,” declared Burton Ashley, “that the possession of a motor boat necessarily renders me unfit to be Molly’s husband.” “It’s uot that,” explained the banker, “but what it represents. The man who marries John Laugdon’s daughter must be the sort of man who can look after John Laugdon’s money aud not fritter It away ou toys.” “Scarcely a toy,” protested Ashley. “The automobile was regarded as a plaything at first. Now it fills a useful purpose. It will be the same story about motor boats.” “Well,” said Langdon, “when you can show me that a motor boat is really useful you may ask Molly’s hand again. Meanwhile I repeat that the man who married my daughter must be able to look after my money.” “You do uot expect Molly to marry a confideutial clerk, do you?" demanded Ashley. “Not exactly that,” explained Langdon, “but I want her to marry a man who can look after her. fortune.” “Suppose,” suggested Burt, “that you give me Molly and make some other disposition of your funds. I have enough for two." “You won’t have long at this rate,” growled Langdon, “spending your father’s money for toy boats.” Ashley rose to his feet. "We seem to be arguing in a circle,” he said quietly. “I guess I had better be going. lam to understand that the question may be reopened when I have shown you that a motor boat is of some use.” “If you can.” retorted Langdon. “Good morning.” Burt strolled out of the bank and up the street. He could not understand Langdon’s prejudice. The elder Ashley had left him a comfortable fortune well invested. He contented himself

with looking after these Interests atul devoted tlie rest of his time to his uutomobiie and his motor boat. The boat was the first one on the lake; aud to tlie people in the little town of Avondale it seemed the height of extravagance to have spent several thousand dollars tlie shell-like craft with the high power engines. That John Langdon, practically the owner of the First National -bank, should have shared this belief was inexplicable to Burton. The banker should have had greater bren ’th. The week that followed was exceedingly miserable for Burt. He saw but little of Molly Langdon, and those interviews were too tearful to be pleasant. Molly was a dutiful daughter and would not consent to a marriage without her father’s approval, and yet her coaxing was of no avail when she broached the subject to her parent. To make matters worse, there were rumors that the bank was not altogether sound. These reports annoyed Molly, who had her father’s assurance that the bank was solvent, but he was unable to combat the growing report. The run came some ten days after Ashley’s Interview. Molly went to the bank one morning to find a long string of depositors before the paying tel lei's window and her father pacing the floor of his private office, white and haggard. “Is it-very bad?” she whis{>ered as she entered his room. “Bad?” he echoed. Hit’s ruin unless we can meet this rim.” “Haven’t you the funds?” “Not in ready money. We cannot keep paying out for more than an hour and a half. We need at least SIOO,OOO more.” “And you cannot get it?” “Not in time. We can get It here by evening, put it is on deposit with the Bank of Trust, and to bring it around the lake by a special train even would require three hfiurs.” “And Osange is only eight miles across the Jake,” mused Molly, “Why not use a boat?” “We telegraphed to Osange, but there Is not even a tug, and it would take a man hours to row across in this weather.” Molly’s faco brightened. “Give mo an order for the money,” she cried. “Telephone the bank to send the mon-

V to the Rter.mei’ wharf, and I’ll have l here inside of an hour.” “Do you mean it?” demanded her father. More than once Molly had exIrlcatlk him from an embarrassment. “I do,” she declared. Five minutes later she was speeding out of the bank past the growing line of depositors. Burton Ashley was waiting for her at the corner with his auto panting at the curb. “Jump in and take me dqwu to the boathouse!” she cried. “I’ll explain on the way down.” As the machine sped over the smooth road she explained the situation to Burt. Osange, where the surplus cash of the First National was on deposit, was eight miles across the lake, but It was an eighty mile run by railroad on account of the dip of the lake. The only hope for the First National lay in the motor lioat. It was not long before Burton was ready for the trip, and the trim little craft was speeding across the lake at a tw< nty mile spml in spite of the choppy waves through which a rowboat would have labored ponderously. Kurt had all of the power on, and the tiny craft trembled with the heavy vibrations, but forged ahead, pushing her way through the rough water as If aware that her own reputation and Burt’s happiness depended upon her work. They were met at the Osange wharf by a very much astonished clerk, who was assisted by two policemen in guarding a pile of bags and bundles. A few words of explanation, the transfer of the receipt and the boat was loaded for the return trip. It was harder work returning, for there was weight to carry, but Burt forced the boat ahead at full s] eed, unmindful of the occasional wave he shipped. A clock on the rail before him told him that he was making time, aud lie forged ahead. The spectacle of Burt Ashley drawing up to the curb in front of the hank in his red automobile, accompanied by Molly Langdon, whose trim spring costume was In odd contrast to his water splashed bathing suit, was a sight sufficiently strange to draw from tlielr places in line the more curious of the depositors. The sight of the bundles of coin and bills being carried into the bank was still more efficacious in suppressing the run. and twenty minutes later the bank, was empty save for the occasional depositor. In the president’s room Burt sat tn one of tlie leather chairs. “And that was how It was done." lie concluded, “twenty-four minutes going, twentyeight for the return trip and the rest of the time was on the road or spent in stowing tlie cash.” John Langdon rose awkwardly from his chair. “1 think June is a good month for weddings,” he said irrelevantly. Burt and Molly agreed with him.

THE TINY CRAFT TREMBLED WITH THE HEAVY VIBRATIONS, BUT FORGED AHEAD.