The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-08-29
THE MERCHANTS "SYHPATHY."

I / = Y 4 i " Z u
1t was two o'clock of rainy June
afternoon, and Mr.. Frank Crystal, the
well known merchant, sat i'll his own
private sanctum with the window open
looking out through the fast falling
drops at the crowded streets. lie had
but just come in from lunch. For Nj.
Frank Crystal, being wealthy bache-
lor of more than fifty, knew better than
TO trilie with his health and digestion,
as many business man. will do, and
always made pause in the business of
his busiest days long enough TO allow
him to discuss well-appointed lunch
i'll quiet, gentlemanly manner at
some fayorite restaurant.
AIr. Frank Crystal, having no one
else to take care of, took most excel
lent care of his own precious self. lie
was Il gentleman in every sense of the
word, as society accepts it. He was
tall, slender, and Still good-lOOking in
spite Of his fifty odd years. lie spoke
always in low, soft voice. lie was
scrupulously neat in all his personal
appointments; refinement III fact, WAS
The key of his daily life. He had
no bad habits. He never drank to
excess. or gambled, or used prOfane
language. lie WAS perfectly moral as
the world goes, and WAS Il distinguish
ell member of a distinguished church.
Nowhere in the goodly metropolis
could merchant have been found with
a longer N.tof yirtues-a shorter cat
alogue Of faults.
lie rose regularly at half-past seven,
and breakfasted ut eight. Then he
lOunged over his paper I'll nine, and
was on the way 10 the city, neatly
dressed and smiling, by ten. At one
! ho loft bio o,,ia otrrrr sor- Is,-o-rr- +-,r,
i he was back again. at six lie dined
again at home, and he sat Tong ut table
and over his wine. Al eight he lit his
cigar at home; or strollcd out to see a
friend. or escorted some fair lady to
place of amusement; for, like most
bachelors, he was very attentive to the
opposite sex, though he had never
Si'ootl oii0 VI tLtli luiliOeA ~ 1IINN
""'. 'oo'''1 ms u"''y i'ie' NilI'i ,''','
soo,,'o' !''ueeu' ne hilo" 80, 'i!''it
tiat! lie had studied the art Cf living
till he had exhausted tie subject; and
io "o"i"H' i'o"e'ol l"It VI 9oo"' oo',''
aud single JOY TO ms existence ny
/ becoming his Wiie. 1hat existence
WAS SIMPLY perfect already-looked at
from an earthly point OF We"
Nlttlhg lhere Watching the ra'n-dropS
on TINS June afternoon, the rlch hef-
Chant musings took il strange ana
unsnSpected turn. lilS thoughts Went
back to other ye"TS, when he had been
2 poor and awkward youth, wearing
homespun. working hard on country
farm, and loving desperately u blue
eyed farmers daughter named Mary
lame
Heavens. What if that earthly dream
had been fulfilled? What if he had
married Mary Jane, and been the faith
ar of half de2pn children? Where
wonld his start in life have been then?
lie sbuddpred at the verv thought.
And vet, what blue eyes Mary Jane
had and what a glance he used to get
from them in those foolish, happy days!
lie was a rich merchant now; but 10
wonan's ewes had ever looked at him
IKE that since.
And here his reverie was broken in
upun. \ clerk came, with an embar-
rassed face, to say that a woman was
waj;iar in the outer office to see Mr.
Cryst.I-a woman who would take no
: denial. and who said that her business
was nf life and death.
TLo ,,,n,cl,.p..s face oraw dark.
a woman! Herel Well, show her
. ill.,"
And lie turned, with his steynesi
, luok. TO confront the daring ofreiider.
She did not look very during as size
stood before him with ciasped hands
and downcast eycs-a thin, pale
! ratieu, creature, who had grown des-
nnrate at last. under the heavy burden
IF living. and Who ycntured into the
grim haunts Of 4 business man TO aSt
for aid. Her husband was dead, anl
she and ler three children were almos
starving. WGu,d Mr.. Crystal kindly