The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-08-03

But carving his own way proved te'
dious work till, desperate at his many
failures, he accepted position, offer
ed in jest, ofdriver of an express wa
gon.
"I do understand horses" he said,
"if l can notsell goodsand keep books"
1t proved harder work, however,
than in the first flush of his desperation
he had imagined. Not the mere
work; that he soon conquered but
the Sights, rudeness and stares of his
old friends. Some few recognized the
true nobility that accepted honest Ia
Dor rather than an easy dependence
upon wealthy connections, but these
we're few.
A week passed, when one morning,
delivering some goods at one Of the
most fashionable stores on Broadway,
as he went out Raymond saw Bertha
Haines opening the door of her low
carriage. An impulse made him start
forward to hand her out, only to draw
back crimson with confusion, and
dropping the hand he was lifting to
raise his hat, The sweet musical
voice he loved spoke at once;
"Please, Mr.. Thurston, help me to
open this obstinate door. 1t will
stick"
He went forward, then, with all the
easy grace of maDner that had ever
marked his intercourse with ladies.
The little gloved hand was extended
to meet him as she thanked him.
at is too bad that you are en-
gagged" she said. 81 should like so
to borrow your artistic taste to aid me
in selecting a dress for my reception
on Thursday evening. But you will
come and tell me how | succeeded
alone, will you notH"
She said the last words very earn
estly, raising her dark eyes to his face
"Do you really want me to come
now?" he asked.
81 dol"
"Then I will come! l must say
good morning." and he left her with a
most courteous bow.
But while the great express wagon
ratified down the street Miss Halnes
turned away from the store she had
been entering, and reentered her car
riage.
"To my father's," she said to the
driver, and few moments later the
merchant looked from the ledgers to
see his only child, in faultless walk
ing dress, entering the counting house.
@Another check" he said, moving
chair to her. "How much this timer
"Nothingl 1 want to talk to you.
Shut the door, so those horrid men
can't hear me"
The door was closed, and privacy
to the sanctum was secured. Bertha
astonished her paternal relative by
bursting into a passion Of weeping.
"Why, Bertha!" he cried.
"Never mind, papa. 1t is all over
now. Do you remember what you
said to me when Raymond Thurston
asked for some employment here"
Not exactly"
Il do. You said that man brou't
up as he had been would want a sine
cure; that he would never come down
to real work, and that you had no po-
sition for fine gentlmen; that his offer
to take subordinate position and
learn busindss was simply farce"
"Did | say all that, BerthaT'
"To me you did. suppose you
dismissed him politely enough. But, pa
pa, if you thought he was really in
earnest, really meant to work for a
living, would you give him chance
here?"
Eyes. He has capacity, brains and
a splendid address, But he has been
an idler all his life"
"He is no idler now. He is driving
an express cart"
"BerthaW
"He is. l met him not an hour
ago. He'thought was going to cut
him. AS if" she added, with mag.
nifcent scorn, 81 would slight an old
friend in adversely"
"Bless my SOUL Driving an ex-
press cart! Ned ThurstOn's boy! Ed
ucated at Harvard Dear mel Did
you notice whose wagon it was, Ber-
thar"
Bertha had not noticed, and the old
gentleman hustled into his coat, and
started for the office. At dinner he
informed Bertha that Raymond had
accepted a place in his own large es-
tablishment, with a frank confession
of bis profound ignorance of all busi-
ness affairs, but an earnest resolution to
learn we'll and speedily whatever ap-
pertained to the duties entrusted to
him.
1t was not many weeks before Mr..
Haines congratulated himself upon
the acquisition of his new clerk. He
told Bertha marvellous stories of Ray
mond's rapid progress, and the strides
he was making in his new life, not
knowing of the long nights spent in
poriug over ledgers and accounts, and
the many misgivings the new clerk
felt. The same active brain and quick
intelligence the new student had bro't
70 heer IN oain college 'honOrs now