Seven Chances
1
One beautiful summer day,
when fragrant flowers
were in bloom, Jimmie
Shannon met Mary Jones,
and he wanted to tell her
he loved her.
2
When autumn had cast its
golden glow and the
flowers had faded and died,
he still wanted
to tell her
he loved her.
3
When winter came and the
leaves had fallen one by
one and the snow had
covered the hills and valleys
he still wanted
to tell her
he loved her.
4
However - when nature had
changed again, bringing
forth spring time with
its beautiful buds and
blossoms - -
He still wanted
to tell her
he loved her.
5
Jimmie was the junior partner
of the firm of Meekin and
Shannon, brokers, that had been
tricked into a financial deal that
meant disgrace - and possibly
prison - unless they raised
money quickly.
6
A lawyer, unknown to
the firm, with good
news for Jimmie.
7
"This man has some
kind of a legal paper
with him!"
8
"Maybe it's a summons!"
9
"He's not in."
10
"Let's go out to the
Country Club."
11
"Your grandfather
has left you the
sum of - -"
12
"Seven million dollars."
13
"Providing - -"
14
"- you are married by
seven o'clock on the
evening of your twenty
seventh birthday."
15
"When is your twenty-
seventh birthday?"
16
"Today!"
17
"There's plenty of time -
you've got until seven
o'clock tonight to get
married."
18
"Maybe Mary might
marry me."
19
"Mary, you're the only
girl I have ever loved."
20
"Will you marry me?"
21
"I must hurry back to
the country club and
tell Billy it's all fixed -
and we'll be married
today."
22
"Why today?"
23
"My grandfather left me
a lot of money providing
I marry some girl today."
24
"I don't mean some girl -
I can marry any girl! I - I
mean, it don't matter who
I marry, but I must wed
someone!"
25
"He said he must wed
someone, and it might
as well be me!"
26
"- and so you see, dear,
how much better it is
to give him a chance to
explain."
27
"Then, Mr. Shannon,
you've got to marry
some other girl."
28
"I couldn't marry any
other girl."
29
"But, you'll lose
this fortune."
30
"I don't want the money -
it has already cost me
the only girl I ever loved."
31
"Take this to Mr. Shannon,
and ride for your life!"
32
"- - and we'll lose our
reputation, our friends, even
our liberty - unless you do
marry! - We're partners; -
if you won't do it to save
yourself, you must to
save me!"
33
"Who will I marry?"
34
"How many of these
girls do you know?"
35
"You have
seven chances."
36
"Would you marry
me?"
37
"I'll propose to this one
for you."
38
"Have you ever thought
of getting married?"
39
"Constantly!"
40
"Would you marry a
man who loves you
better than his very
life?"
41
"Wait a minute -- I'm
proposing for him."
42
"Who bats next?"
43
"Wrong party."
44
"Meet me at the Broad
Street Church at five
o'clock - I'll have a bride
there if it's the last act
of my life."
45
"You and try and have one
there too in case he
fails."
46
"In case two show up,
I'll marry the other
one."
47
"Yours?"
48
"Are you going to try
to raise it?"
49
"Do you think anybody
would marry me?"
50
By the time Jimmie had
reached the church,
he had proposed to
everything in skirts,
including a Scotchman.
51
"Ladies, you are evidently
the victims of some practical
joker -- I must ask you to
leave the church as quietly
as possible."
52
"What time is it?"
53
"Bring the minister to
Mary's house. I'll try
to get there somehow
before seven o'clock!"
54
"You've killed him!"
55
"I know a short cut -
we'll head him off!"
56
"I'm too late!"
57
"And we're not going
to be married?"
58
"But Jimmie - Don't you
think we could be happy
without the money?"
59
"Mary - there's nothing
before me but failure
and disgrace, and you
mean too much to me
to let you share it!"
THE END
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