Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 April 1906 — She GATE THAT WON JANE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

She GATE THAT WON JANE

By FRANK H. SWEET

“No, ye can’t have Jane,” snarled old Tillson ungraciously. “She’s my brother’s daughter an’ has money of her own an’ ye ain’t nothin’ but a hired man with no prospects. I don’t see what Jane was thinkin’ on to say ye could ask me. Ye can’t have her, an’ that’s all there Is to It” Zeke opened his mouth as If to protest or to strengthen his case by further argument, but Tillson’s face was grim and forbidding, and he knew the old man too well to weaken his chances by causing useless irritation. He turned away. That afternoon they were near the farmyard gate, Zeke digging post holes and old Tillson patching up a wheelbarrow, when the drummer of an ag-

"HOW WOULD TOO LIKE TO MAKB A TRADE?”

rlcultural warehouse appeared, but instead of going straight to Tlllsou he ■topped at .the gate and began to ex-

amine It curiously. “Queer contrivance, that,” he said presently. “Good idea, though. Grand good idea. How did you happen to think of it?”

“It’s some of my hired man’s dillydallyin’,” replied Tilsou gruffly. “He’s forever up to somethin’ of that sort. Wastes half his time.” Zeke flushed a little, but did not look up.

“No wasted time about that,” declared the drummer emphatically. “It's a valuable idea. There’s money in it.” “Money?” questioned Tillson eagerly. Then he saw one of the horses squeezing his body through the open doorway of the corncrib, and he rushed off. He would have sent Zeke only he preferred him to continue at the post hole digging.

“So it’s your idea, is it?” said the drummer as he crossed to Zeke’s side. “Going to have it patented, of course?” Zeke laughed. “Patented!” he echoed. “Thr.t foolish thing? Why, it’s nothing but a lot of stones and two binges placed so rlie gate will shut itself.” “But that's just the sort of thing which usually proves valuable,” persisted the drummer. “The simpler the device. If it’;; useful, the better. You’ll make a mistake if you don’t protect the idea."

“Then I guess I’ll make the mistake,” said Zeke carelessly. “Patents cost money, and I haven’t any. Besides, if I had, I wouldn’t risk 50 cents on that foolish thing.” The drummer regarded him thoughtfully. “Look here,” he said suddenly. “How would you like to make a trade? I could appropriate the idea for j»iyself If I did business that way, feut I don’t. Still, I like to make money wherever I see a chance. My house does a good deal In patent articles, and I can generally guess pretty close whether there’s money In an idea or not. Now, If you say so, I will put this through at my own expense and keep half the profit. What do you say?” “You mean, use stones like that, and all?” asked Zeke skeptically. “No; It’s only the idea I want. We would find some substitute for the stones.” Zeke’s Indifference began to vanish. “If you really think it’s worth anything,” he said doubtfully, “I’ll be glad to have you fix It up. But I don’t want you to lose money.” Then a little wonderingly, “I thought patents were made of pulleys and springs and—and such things aud that *twas geniuses who got ’em up who studied years and years to make ’em all right.”

The drummer smiled. “It Is that way sometimes,” he “but not always. I have known Inventors to have their Ideas come to them In a moment, In a flash of thought. But suppose we fix this up now.” He opened a notebook and wrote for some seconds, then tore out the leaf and handed It to Zeke. "It’s a sort of agreement for you to put your name Whe said. "Read It

first, though. Never sign anymtng until you know what it Is. Later I will have regular papers made out for both of us.”

Zeke read the paper and signed his name with the pen which the drummer held ready. Then he resumed his digging. A few moments later Tillson came hurrying back. “The dratted horse ate a full peck of good corn,” he began wrathfully. “No supper ’ll he get this night. Now. what Is it ’bout that gate bizuess? How’s there money in It?” "By getting the invention patented,” answered the drummer carelessly, “but Zeke and I have fixed that up. Well, I must be going.”

“But look here,” exclaimed Tillson. “Ye must talk with me ’bout that gate. It's mine. Zeke ain’t nothin’ to do with it.”

“Oh, I don't want the gate,” said the drummer coolly. “It’s only the Idea, and that, I believe, belongs to Zeke. Goodby.” Tillson stared at him as he walked away, the wrath deepening on his face. Suddenly he swung round to Zeke. “What did ye get?” he demanded. “Come, hand It over.” “I didn’t receive anything In money,” Zeke answered.

“Stop!” roughly. “Don’t tell any yarns. Didn’t I hear the man say ye an' him fixed it up? Now, how much money did he give ye for my gate? Look at me straight.” Zeke did so, with a half smile. “He’s to pay for getting out a patent,” he re“and have half what we make.” “An’ ye didn’t get any money?” “Not a cent.”

Tillson looked at him sharply, but there was no deceit in the straightforward face. Even he realized the fact. “Then ye’re an idiot,” he snarled. “The man was set on the idee. I could see that from the way he spoke. Ye could have got fifty or a hundred dollars jest as easy as nothin’. Mebbe we could have made a trade for a lot of his tools. An* now—huh! Ye'll never hear from the man again.” In spite of what had been said Zeke could not bring himself to believe that the simple contrivance was of any value. Even when the “regular papers” came, with Imposing seals and blank spaces for him to sign his name, he regarded them more as Interesting novelties than as anything that would affect his future.

But one day a letter came which caused his eyes to open wide with amazed delight and which, after a half bout of hard thinking, carried him into the house after his Sunday clothes. It was nearly dark when" he returned from the town. Old Tillson met him at the bam door, his face dark. “What d’ye leave work for without my say so?” he demanded. “Business,” replied Zeke. “I heard you say t’other day the mortgage bad run by and that If you didn’t raise the money soon they’d be selling you out. So I’ve been to a lawyer and had It fixed over fa my name to save you