Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-12-23

crisis had brought all business men into
temporary difficulties Of greater or less
magnitude.
Will had expressed the warmest in
dignation at the proposal made his
cousin, strongly advising him to throw
up his situation and "see how old Nlilliin
would get along without him." and
Charlie, before seeing Mabel, was quite
ready to follow his advice.
He knew VIII would think him mea
spirited to remain upon half salary
and yet Mabel was right. Half a loaf
is better than no bread.
And while Charlie Castleton was
thus weighing the pros and cons of his
decision. Mr.. Mifiiin was listening to
the counsel of his old friend and chum,
the senior partner of the firm that had
been Gardner & Mifliin. and who.
though he had retired years before, was
still the friend and frequent adviser of
Ills loluicl PAL tlcI.
ait is a mistake, Mifflin," he said.
"You had better send young Castleton
about his business and engage an en-
tirely new book-keeper. You will find
that half pay means half service, mark
my word"
"But{I might search C-froln
end to end and not find cla-a compe.
tent to take his place"
"Then pay hl:a -s:ll 5a'a.y,"
81 'cenn. do it unless I reduce the
nu,nl,.r III statesmen, and | am short
handed now. There is but one way to
keep my head above water. You see
Ciark's failure involves me very heavily
and"
And the worried man of business
entered into explanations of his diff
culties not necessary to repeat here.
1t touched Charlie Castleton deeply
when entering the counting house to
announce his determination to remain
in his old position, to see the face of
his employer brighten. And as Charlie
spoke the large eyes grew brighter and
he smiled pleasantly as he said:
"Thank you, Charlie. Itwould have
caused me serious embarrassment to
lose you, and I am heartily glad you
will stay. I trust you will not long be
obliged to take small salary, but cir
cumstances compel me to economize.'
"You have been kind employer to
me for ten years." replied Charlie, "and
if am really of any more value to you
than another would be in my place, 1
Will not desert you"
And looking into the careworn face
that trouble was marking more deeply
than age, Charlie resovled to serve Mr..
Mif11in more faithfully in his perplexi-
ties than in his more prosperous days.
1t was not long before the old gem
tleman felt the sympathy of his young
clerk, and looked % him as he never
did before for advice as well as service.
He admitted him to confidential rela-
tions, explained to him the di ficulties
caused by the failure of other firms,
some heavily indebted to the firm of
Joel Mifllin, others upon whom he had
depended for goods obtained upon
credit.
Day by day, as the hard, trying win
ter wore away, the two friends grew
faster, and, so far from lessening his
work, Charlie found himself willingly
lifting some of his employers burdens
upon his own shoulders.
He gave more time to business, and
he was gaining an insight into it of
which an opportunity had never been
given him.
And Mabel at home was bravely
taxing her share of the diminished loaf
with smiling face and a cheerful
heart. AS far as might be she kept
from Charlie a knowledge Of her domes-
tic economies, but some of them were
apparent.
The woman whose competent aid de-
manded high wages was dismissed, and
"a half-grown girl engaged to mind the
babies while Mabel cooked and washed
and ironed and sewed, meeting difficult
ties with courageous heart. She had
never been drone in the worlds hive,
having been busy little dressmakeI
before Charlie Castleton won her heart
and took her to preside over his pretty
home.
But for three years of her married
life she had been much petted, and
there were many pleasures to put aside
many dollars well weighed before
they were spent
1t was with a heart full of pardon
able triumph that the young couple, at
the end of the year of reduced pay,
found they were still out of debt and