Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-05-14
Cutting Down."

John Furlong sat at his desk, in
the Office of Lord & Co. Close ap.
plication to the duties of his position
through long series of years had
driven the color from his face, until
it resembled in hue the leaves, oi
the open ledger before him. From
bending over bis desk his once broad
shoulders had become rounded, and
what was once splendid physique
had become so emaciated, until
scarcely sufficient strength remained
to hold bis bony frame together.
One by one had the clerks who
had been his assistants and COM
panions been discharged, and their
duties added to his, until, overtaxed,
overweighted and overworked, his
brain threatened to succumb to the
unceaeing strain which was slowly
hut surely sapping away his very
life. Yet no word of complaint or
expostulation did he utter, but he
struggled on with an unwavering
will to complete the new tasks which,
together, made up the sum of his
every day life.
1--WE must economize, said Lord
& Co. Labor is drug in the
market, everybody is reducing ex-
penses, end we must cut down-cut
down cut down." and as he threw
himself colnposedly into his luxur-
ious Office chair, the trade dollars in
his capacious pockets seemed to jim
gle out an echo" Cut down-cut
down-cut down.!
Wages had been cut down until
the employees received scarcely
enough compensation for their SER
vices to purchase bare existence,
and the working force of Lord g. Co.
had been reduced until one person
was compelled to perform the labor
of three. Business was brisk, but
day after day would an employee be
summoned to the private office of
the firm, and his pale face, despair
ing look and quivering lip, when he
emerged S6er efrom, plainly indicated
that be was another victim to the
cutting-down process. A summons
from the firm to an employee to visit
their Office was an inevitable death
warrant to the victim.
-, Onas dass 1ehn Enrlong sak posing
over his ledger. His face, If possi-
bic, was paler than ever, and his
shoulders seemed rounder than ever.
His eyes were deep sunken in his
head, and the expression OF pain
that occasionally flashed across his
marble features denoted that his
iron will was endeavoring to keep in
subiection the terrible nervous suffer-
ing under which he was laboring.
Mr.. Furlong," said the office
boy, " Mr.. Lord would bo pleased to
see you in his office"
John Furlong ins:inctively turned
pale. He dropped his pen mechan-
ically, and after moments heslta-
tion, during which the blood that
flowed through his veins seemed to
rush back to his heart, walked de-
liberately but sadly toward the office
in which the senior member of the
firm sat composedly.
"Ah, Mr.. Furlong! Take a seat,
Mr.. Furlong-take a seat, sir. Glad
to see you! All, Mr.. Furlong, we
find we must cut down-we must
reduce. Our expenses are altogeth-
er disproportionate to our receipts.
Economy is our only safeguard, sir
i might say our only salvation.
Boy, order me carriage at four,
sure. We have concluded to dis
pense with your services, Mr.. Fur
long, we will not need you after to-
night"
"But, Mr.. Lord, after ten years
service in your house, you will moi
dismiss me in so summary man
ner."
Cant be helped, Mr.. Furlong
we must cut down. Everybody Is
cutting, and we must cut. Can ge
men to work for less, sir.
"But I am wiling to work fol
less, Mr.. Lord"
"To late sir-too late. Got
man engaged"
But, Mr.. Lord"
"Don't detain me, MIR. Furlong
The carriage is waiting, and the clul
will have champagne supper o
five. We must cut down, sir"
The senior member of Lord & Co
carefully adjusting his high hat Of
his bald head, entered the carriag
in waiting and was driven rapid.
away.
"Poor Emilyl what will she d.
now," said John Furlong, as h
stood like one paralyzed IN the pr
vate Office of Lord & Go. He hear
, the Office door closed heard the raj
/ tie of the wheels made by the de
8 parting carriage, and yet he stoo
, alone in the center of the Office, a
impersonation of the statue of d.
spnir.
Poor Emilyl' 1t was all b
Snid. the tears cOursed down b.