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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 1924)
Love Will Find a Way A Story of How Two Hearts Were Made to Beat as One CHAPTER I - T WAS meeting time in eastern Nebraska. The brown thrushes, chirping Happily, were busily engaged bringing straws, one at a time, into the maple trees, — there to weave them into nests. Pridefully, too, they viewed the results of their labors, these- little feathered chil dren. For, even as humans are wont to de>, they were building their haven of love and happiness. And each little fanciful curve e)f the straw seemed to create within their tiny bre-asts something akin to the feeling of joy that comes to the h, art of young folks when some new cozy appointment is adeled to the home. On the; lawn of her father's house, with arms akimbo and eyes turned heavenward, sat Betty Lewis, watching with more than ordinary interest the untiring efforts of two little thrushes as they flew away ar.ej back again so many, many times. Betty Lewis, red of cheek and with tilian hair was a true daughter of Nebraska. Slightly past 18 years, the spirit of romance and love burned brightly in her heart and dominated all her womanly emotions. Certainly, then, it was not strange that she should feel disposed to watch for hours those little birds. For were they not weaving a love nest? Could anything be more picturesquely gallant than the male thrush as he hovered over the nest while his pretty mate deftly en twined the straws into the walls of their future abode? Hetty found it very interesting anu sometimes she would turn away to gaze wistfully info space, wishing, perhaps, that she were a thrush. Or, maybe, wondering how this little thrush chose to mate with this other little thrush. Hours slipped away; when suddenly a familiar foot-fall and a chet rful "Hello Betty!” told her that Itob Sherman was on his way home from work and had stopped to pay his customary visit. Bob Sherman, tall and inclined to he slender, had known Betty since childhood. Bob's father and Betty's father had been friends before Bob's father died, leav ing Bob with the responsibility of sup porting and caring for his mother. Bob's character was as ch an a new pin. His ambition to get ahead in life was as pronounced as his adherence to the golden rule. Kverybody in the neighborhood liked Bob. ami everybody knew that Bob liked Betty lewis. In deed, he never made any effort t<> con ceal it. Ho was just ns frank about that as he was about everything else. Boh Sherman was a hill clerk, for the Union Pacific. He had secured this position immediately after he had left grade school, which he was compelled to do in order that he might earn suf fieient money to support his mother and himself. But Boh hadn't stood still in the matter of salary. His em ployers recognized the spark of ambition in him and hail already given him two advances. Twenty-five dollars a week could hardly be called a princely stipend; hut Boh had managed to save a few dollars a week after all expenses were paid, and now had $250 in the hank. But his thoughts were not now of his hank account, neither were they of his work, for he was Ihrough for the day and rlosi>* again to Betty Uew;s. "WHY SO 1NTKRKSTKO IN RIRDS. IIKTIY? ‘Why interest,.,1 j„ the li/Flm, hir.ts. Hetty ?" t|Uene,| Rob, l*4r hinu-df bcitido lirr. ii 'I don't know," Mid Rettv. ■ They **■ 11,1 s,,eh patient little thines *,oh- do you know those two little birds have made more than a hundred trips back and forth since I have been watch nip them, hriiijjiny: one straw at , a time, to build their precious little "Well." «*id Bob, “if they had carry all the straw at one time I'm Ilf I aid they never would huvi a hem, of their own, would thex Betty Lewis’s eyes again assumed that far-away, wistful expression as she turned to gaze once more at the little birds still busy with their work. Bob didn't know he had said something that was later to determine the entire course of his future happiness. But Betty, with the true intuition of her sex, felt very deeply the lesson of the bird builders One straw at a time and some time the nest will be built. Conversation drifted away from the j birds, and it w as long past the »vening * meal hour when Boh. whistling like a bird, wended his way home. CHAPTER II. Arthur Holmes, just back from col lege, was quite the flashiest fellow in town. His solid silver cigarette case had hi- monogram and the family coat of arms engraved upon it. His suit and colorful hose won instant notice for him wherever he went. And Arthur had a 1924 model mustache, short and black, ~ that hugged close to hi nose. Seated in his father’s 12-cylinder motor car, he was easily the “swankiest" male in Omaha. And with the recent popularity for dressed-up "sheiks" still at its height, Arthur’s influence among the fair sex was little short of amazing. However, there was one girl among all the rest that he preferred. One girl upon whom he had decided to stake every physical, financial, and social advantage that he possessed to win. And that girl was Betty Lewis. Bob Sherman had hardly dosed the door of his mother's dwelling when the purr of Arthur's powerful motor car announced his arrival in front of Betty Lewis’s home. Betty was seated on the front porch and immediately acknowledg ed Arthur's gracious salutations by e ra ing down the lawn. Arthur was a different type from Bob. His talks ran mostly to speed limits and dance steps; but with all, he was clever and knew the art of entertain ing especially the fair sex. In the vernacular of the classics he was a "fast worker" and he was not long in bringing the conversation around to the point when an invitation for a drive in his ear was presented in quite the proper form. Betty Lewis hesitated; hut why should she hesitate? She her self didn’t know. Bob and she were good friend*. But so was Arthur a good friend. Arthur pressed his invitation, and at length, under the mystic influ ence of his polite persuasion, she con sent**^ to go. Soon they were over the boulevards into the districts of beautiful homes. Ar thur pointed with pride to his father's pretentious home and hinted that the girl of hi* choice would some day in herit it. And before their machine was headed again toward Betty’s home he told her that she wa* the girl of his choice. CHAPTER III. Whet. Bob Sherman armed at home his mother was not feeling well. "The old rheumatics again," she told her boy, and Bob looked in the medicine cabinet for the liniment. The bottle was empty. "I'll get -i me more liniment presently, mother, at the drug store." said Bob, “and then we'll chase the old rheumatics away.” After they had eaten their happy eve ning meal together. Bob put on his coat and hat and went to the store for the liniment. As he was coming out of the drug store he was so engrossed in the thoughts of nis mother's suffering that he forgot to look to see if there were any motor cars coming before he at tempted to cross the street. He had taken but three steps from the curb when the shrill honk of a Klaxon told him he was in immediate danger. It was too late to jump—he just held his breath and prepared for the worst. The car stopped w thin an inch of his leg. Raising his head, he looked into the faces of Arthur Holmes and Betty Lewis. He wa sorry the car hadn't hit him. He mumbled a greeting. Jumbled clumsily at his hat and hurried across the street and on to his home. "Arthur Holmes and Betty Lew - He kept repeating it over and over. His heart sank. He felt like crying. What chance did he have against a fellow like Holmes. Holmes' folks were neh and he could give Betty a fine home without half trying, while he would have to save up for years to just buy the mere fur nishing? for the modest home. Bcb kept his face concealed from his mother so that she could not read the sorrow in his heart. Finally after much rubi .ng the old rheumatics began to ease up and M her Sherman began to talk. “Did you see Betty tonight. Bob? And how was she?" R*>b nodded ar.d said: "ATI right.” “\ou know. Bob, Betty is a sensible girl. She is the kind of a girl that looks beyond the sham ar.d frivolities of life into the finer and more enduring reali ties. The man who gets Betty will get a RKAT. WIFE." Bob look* d at his mother Maybe | w i and money and maybe perhaps there ? might still be some chance. "Oh, Bob. I forgot to tell you there is a letter for you from Burgess-N'ash company on the dresser in your room." Bob opened the letter It was address ed to him personally ar.d stgred by the Club Blar Secretary. It had all the ear marks of being a form letter, ar.d Bob's first impulse was to throw it into the waste basket. Jhe first line caught his eye: "Do ( you want to marry the girl you love?” ) He read or. Have you a steady job nnd a goo.l character?" Well, thought Bob. what* \ < r’else they could take away from him they couldn't take away his character, ard he felt reasonably sure of his j. K "A comfortable home of four rooms can be furnished for as low as $720: with good furniture too. Ten pr omt is all that is needed and the balance can bo pa: 1 in easy monthly sums *« you use and enjoy the goods. In other words, if you have a little less than or.e hundred dollars we’ll back you for the other sia hundred and you can g*'. mar ried at or..-* Whv don't \ u investigate cur f I l B PI \\ • ” Why? Why" 1- cause he had never had any id* a that such a thing was p. - Mble. Bob almost jumped into tho closet to get his bank book it 'was $250 to his cr> lit ar.d lie did: t need half that much He wondered if l would be too Sat to talk to Bettj that nigh: The clock said 8 His heart thumped Perhaps B tty would rot have yet return* 1 hen: Hi could teh phene her f,rst That’s what h*’ would do \rd in a few • -.nutes Hetty lew s' soft "Hello, Boh.” sent a thrill through Hob that left him «pe- »h less He finally reeovi *od his poise and asked if he might come over for a w'tih 1 he w av Betty said *•«. she vv. h glad to have him come over." gave Kin courage to carry out the plan he had ii mind. • omfortably seated in Berry's parlor Bob told her of his wonderful plan?. Out ride. the busy little thrushes were build ,-.g heir r.est—one straw at a time. CHAPTER IV. If Betty Lewis’ love belonged alone to Bub she didn’t let him know it that right. She did think Bob's plan was a good ere and had consented to go w.'h him on a tour of investigation to the Burgess-Mash Company. Bright and early next morning Betty Lewis and Bob Sherman entered the house-furnishings section of the Burgees N"ash St re. Just as had been promised in the letter, they found that very pretty furnishings for a four-room home tild be secured for as low as $720. They a-ked the salesman for full de tails concerning the Club Plan. The salesman conducted them to the Club Plan office. "We are interested in learning about the Club Plan," said Bob to the gentle man in charge. "We have tentatively selected an outfit amounting to $720 and we would like to know how much we will ha’-e to pay down." "Ten per cent down," answered the gentleman in charge, "and four per <;.rt for Cl-b rian fees." s'f "W1 : ..re the purposes of the Clul Han Jet??" asked Bob. "Th - small charge of four per e. rt gives you full insurance protection against loss by fire or tornado during the time you are paying for your goods and eliminates the necessity of charging you more than the regular low cash price, as is often done in installment house s, where credit is ext-, tided." * How soon can we get cur g o "Just as s or as year ref• rer.ees properly investigated wo w 11 s- re. *r.e goods out to you—a matter of a day or so." "Ar.d may we use the goods while we a e paving for them?" • Yes." "Where shall wo send the goods?" queried the salesman. We!! you see." Bob stammered, "we — or haven’t any place picked out yet — that is, we er dor.’; know whether or not—no. I don't mean that. We haven’t decided to— "Yes, we have decided." interrupted Betty. ^ "We've decided this that iu.t as soon as we can find a suitable home we s-e going to get married. This plar is wonderful." And drawing Bob aside she whispered in his ear: "It has al ways been you. Bob Arthur Heines rover had a chance with me, but 1 was afraid to accept your proposal until I could see seme chance of cur getting a home.'' Bob's face must have -how: the de sire that was n his heart -to pick Betty up and kiss her right then and there, for the Club Flan gentleman w.nked knowingly to the salesman as Bob turn ed around to advise them that they were going out to look for a place to rent. It was hardly necessary to tel! of Bob and Betty's wedding, other than that it was a qu.it little family affair, follow ed by a hires noon tr p to the Rocky M> unfairs \ y* ar ha« passed now sre. thi birds arc nesting again in the maple tree- of Nebraska, while cut in the suburban district ir. a pretty little house a baby coo- to its mother, and * mother soothe with a song about dada coming heme soon. The ledger in the offices of Btygess Nasi C« . .«:•>• shows that Bob Sherman made hi- last payment on hi* or.g-ral < ib Flat- purchase last Saturday " Vn.i what," you ask. "bee me cf Arthur H Imes?” Oh. he had a hundred g tIs - nee ;h - -i the same, wi sup; se, *« he wo. .. . had if Betty had ac. • : h w>. The Knd un h'K I'lSF ' V Nit