The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-06-10
WITH THE BEST INTENTIONS.

There's no doubt about it that Robin
son was good fellow at heart, and
meant well; but it's astonishing what an
amount of trouble man may bring up
on himself by undertaking too much for
his fellow-creatures. I don't suppose
there was another man in our store that
took the interest Robinson did in the
different wardrobes of his fellow-clerks.
If man got new hat, Robinson no
ticed it right away; wanted to know
where it was bought, and why, and gen.
orally concluded by saying that if the
purchaser had consulted him, he might
have made better bargain. And I've
no doubt he would. Robinson would
have made it point to favor him with
his influence and experience, both of
which were considerable. The same
way with coats, or pants, or boots, or
anything! But, notwithstanding all
this, very few of our boys consulted Rob-
inson in these matters; they generally
bought their articles with reckless in
discrimination that was painful to man
constituted as Robinson was. Itseemed
hard, when man took the interest in
his fellow-creatures that Robinson did,
that his motives should be misconstrued
and unappreciated. remember when
I bought that new Ulster of mine, dis
liked, for some reason or other, to see
Robinson. had ridiculous aversion
to telling him Just where I got it, and
when, and how much it cost, and what
did with the other one. It was kindly
sympathy on Robinson's part, there's no
doubt about that; but it was wasted, as
far as our boys were concerned.
"Why don't the fellow mind his own
businessp" they said. ''What does he
want to manage other peoples concerns
for?'
So was glad when he told me, conf
dentially, that he was about to be mar
ried. I felt then that his interest would
be so absorbed in the one object that it
would be impossible to diffuse it all over
the universe.
Robinson seemed to have found
treasure. Of course everybody thinks
SO; but I knew that Robinson would
know more, and see more, and be less
likely to be deceived than other men,
and he had, as I supposed, gained the
confidence of the family into which he
proposed to marry. I was afraid his
projected mother-in-law might object to
some of Robinson's ways, but he told me
he got on with her splendidlv. I thought
she was q remarkable woman, not alto
gether because she got on so well with
Robinson, but from Robinson's con-
versation 1 imagined she must be very
clever.
"The fact is," said Robinson, "we
are mutually interested in the same
topics. We sit and talk about domestic
matters for hours together, while Annie
thrums over her new piece on the piano;
and Mrs. Page has told me, time and
again, If there's one thing more than
another she admires in my character,
it's the interest I take in little domestic
details that most men despise or hold in
utter indifference. You see, Smith,
marriage is sacred obligation"
Undoubtedly, Robinson"
"And requires study, Smith. I
wouldn't have been Q successful buyer If
/ hadn't inquired into all the little in
tricacies. of our line of business.
You certainly can judge Of . good
article, Robinson"
ssAh, Smith, theone I've secured now
Is beyond price. She's just the kind of
goods man wants to rest his eyes up