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Show . NOT A GOOD RISK CORNER By Maud McCurdy JANET had said, "I'm not going to marry you, George!" ' He had bought a run-down mansion man-sion at the edge of town, which he'd had converted into apartments. The place was 3' M Inula surrounded by minute mead0ws. . Janet Fiction and George were 1 out on the grounds, looking over the patios, the tennis courts, and the lily pond. There was still space left over for playgrounds of most any size. This was where the trouble started. start-ed. Janet said, "Think what this will mean to children who've never had room to run and play." George looked startled. "We can't take children, Janet," he said. She was astonished. "But this is such an ideal place for them." George looked startled. "We can't take children, Janet," he said. George shook his head and Janet flushed angrily. "I don't believe you even like children. What else would you do with all this ground?" She hesitated a moment then added, add-ed, "I'm not marrying you, George. You wouldn't be a very good matrimonial matri-monial risk. George tried the best he could to defend himself, explaining that children were destructive. He argued, ar-gued, but Janet only looked at him in bewilderment. "If you feel that way," she whispered, whis-pered, "you really are not a very good matrimonial risk." She left him standing there still trying to defend himself. George tried to see her. He called her every day at the newspaper office, bat she was out. It was plain Janet didn't want to see him again and there seemed to be nothing be could do about it. No matter what he tried, he could not get to see her. Finally the apartments and grounds were complete. Peter Bol ton, his partner, put a full page advertisement ad-vertisement in the newspaper. WITHIN an hour after the paper came out people began coming, prosperous-looking young couples, every one with children. They were excited over the place, anxious to sign leases at once. George was bewildered. He asked Peter what on earth had he put in the ad. "Only couples without children," chil-dren," Peter said firmly. George began to feel a little desperate. des-perate. There was one pretty young mother, with violet eyes, almost the color of Janet's, who said feelingly. "Mr. Hartley, the mothers of this town will call you blessed." "But I . . ." George started to say a mistake had been made, but was stopped by another young couple shaking his hand and saying, "This is wonderful. It's like 'a dream." George was perspiring. He found a moment, and took a look at the ad. There It was in bold type, "Only couples with children need apply." Leaving Peter in charge, George drove to the newspaper office. Before Be-fore he could get to the advertising department a reporter button-holed him. "Mr. Hartley, the whole town is talking about what you've done. You've really made news. This will make every newspaper in the state." v George pulled away from him, hurried to the advertising department. depart-ment. A voice said, "Yes?" and a pair of violet eyes looked up and met George's. A quick flush came to her face. "George, they only put me on this desk yesterday and I I made the mistake. I'm sorry." George stood there looking at her as if he never wanted to stop. "Look, Janet I was looking at the matter in a cold-blooded, business way." He drew a long breath and went on, "You didn't make a mistake. mis-take. I did. The place is just like you said, a natural for children. And they're there already, about a dozen of them with their parents.' "George, you mean that?" Janet asked. "You're not just saying it to get me to change my mind?" "I never meant anything more," George answered. "I'm glad," Janet said. "You know ... 1 must have bad my mind on the children. I didn't make the mistake in your ad on purpose. I really didn't George, and don't you ever say I did." George just smiled. The whole office of-fice force might be looking, but he didn't care. He bent hir bead and kissed her. |