Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-12-11

look 10 stralgnt OH. She wasn't a bit like
the others, and seemed as nice and ouiet
and lady-like, as they were noisy and
common: As | said, I took to her, and
she-Well, she dldnt altogether snub me.
We got to be fast friends soon. She told
me the tale OF her sad life: how her father
had been a prosperous mechanic. and
they had lived in such a dear little
home; how the father died, and left her
a mere mite of a thing, in charge of her
feeble mother and baby sister; and how
she contrlved to get along and keep grim
famine from the door on the pittance of
her earnings. Whenever | could, witbout
making q fuss, l helped them along a lit
tie. And when we got we'll acquainted, |
used to hurry through my work SO as to
be able to see her homo every dav after
six o'clock. Sometimes, too, we used to
go to concerts and lectures together: and
very often | found time to visit them ALI
Of an evening. | hadn't said a word of
love to her yet, but was waiting till nv
wages were increased enough 10 enable
me to keep a home of my own, and then
ask her to fill it. OF her state Of feeling
toward me | knew nothing, except that
she looked upon and trusted me as a
brother.
One thing used to rile me, though, and
that was the sneaking sort of liking that
Hardness seemed to nave for her. and
worse, he showed it plainly enough by
the way he prosecuted her with his odious
attentions whenever he got the chance.
She told me she would leave the place if
she could only get another.
| have said that it was sixteen wears
ago that | entered the box factory. II YOU
will take the trouble to subtract, YOU will
find that makes 1857. 1t puts us Just in
the year OF the seat financial crash. | had
been IN. the factory about three months,
and was getting used to the general run of
things; and though it was out of my line.
and none Of my business, | could not but
notice how slack trade seemed to be. Ru-
mors of failures up the street, down the
street, on the corner, at Nos. 30 and 81
over the way, met my ears. Rumors of
failures past and failures to come. Ru-
mOrs of great distress east, west and
south. RumOrs of a threatened general
smash-up. Money men tell me tina, when
the market is tight, it only needs such a
wholesale panic to bring down every one.
1t is the apprehension, not the reality, that
does the work. But this is not telling
my story, either.
Well, old Hardness kept on with his man
utacturlng, though [ could see that, dav by
day, fewer calls for work were made. He
always wore a cheerful smile through
those trOublOus times, as much as
to say, Look at me, if YOU want to see a
model man of business. I don't specu-
Lite. I don't get involved. Mark my
consequent prosperity."Now when [ see
a man with a good deal of bluster and
swagger about him, | always make up
my mind that he is a coward at heart.
And when some people parade their
financial s%oundness, the Wall Street ami
mails always sniff rOttenness somewhere.
1t mus have been on this principle that
| began to suspect that Hardness wasn't
50 safe after all.
One night / was delayed by an unex-
pected breakdown in gearing, and STAYED
in my cellar long after the girls, the clerk,
and the fireman had gone, hard at work
tinkering at the engine. No one was in
the factory but Hardness and myself. |
do not think he suspected my presence.
As | was taking Oft my O~veralls and fix
ing up, | heard a heavy dray come up to
our door. There were four or five men
with it, who were not our regular cart
men. They jumped out, were let in
through the haltcloscd doors of the
main floor above me, and were led up
stairs by Hardness. Presently they re-
appeared, bearing cases Of various kinds
OF stock, fancy paper, gliding stuff, light
machinery and different odds and ends,
with which they loaded the draw,
and then drove off again.
All was lone in such a quiet, mysterious
way, that it was evident that something
wrong was being done. What could it be?
The men were not robbers, for there was
Mr.. Hardness, and he sole owner of the
factory. 4 man does not commit a lar
ceny on his property. | couldn't
make il cut at all.
I started to 90. Just as | entered the
office from below, Hardness came in by
the passage-Way door from the floor
above. He started pcreeptibly when he
saw me, but instantly Tegained his com
posure, and said, as cool as you please:
"Ah! you're late, Bill. What's wrong
today? Hope you won't blow Us up for a
week or so yet. We're doing a Shaving
business, Bill" q think | see him now,
imperceptible water" with that selfsatis-
sent a load Of fine boxes down to the
Winged A7roao. She sails tomorrow, so
We had to ship in a hurry. Fine boxes;
and a beautiful vessel, Bill. Good night
10 YOU"
Good night, SIR said I, and left.
As | went up the street another dray
passed, driven toward the factory. | had
the curiosity to tnrn and watch to see
whether it, too, stopped there, Itdid, and
when | reached the corner of Broadway,
| stopped and looked back once more.
There, in the darkening twilight, the
same process of hurried loading was being
repeated. 1t seemed to be all right.
Hardness Was there, but somehow, L
wasn't quite satisfied. Trimming ma
chimes are not fine assorted gilt-edged
boxes, by any manner Of means, you
know. And knew it, too, though, very
likely, old Hardness did not give me
| credit for being so we'll posted. Well, II
couldn't settle the question, then next best
thing was to give it up. And give 1t
up | did.
Next morning I went over, as usual, to
the factory. jim, the stoker, opened the
l doors always, as he had to be early to
, tend TO the fires, which we banked every
night. | expected to see jim, but was
much surprised when | saw Hardness.
This time it was he who came up through
the cellar door and | through he other
5 As before, we met unexpectedly. Now 1t
< was my turn to be surprised. He was in
7 tensely pale, and seemed much agltated.
With a strong effort of the will he strove
to conceal his strange manner. lie en-
deavored to speak calmly, and halt sue