The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-08-15
Purpose. and NO PURPOSE.


anlUze you. Don't bother any longer with
that tresOma atuG'
Thank you, Marl, bat I'm interested in
this thing, ana ] want 70 finish the Job this
Afternoon"
20 come onl Tomorrow ~ DO Just a.
well. I've got box Of dOminoes. Let's
have 8 quiet little gsmo. The crash is Of NO
account, a1-y way /"
II was very huudrura piece Of business
that the two boys-Alsred Reed and Mark
Prircc-were talking shout. The scence
was the basement Of the dry goods j3bbing
house Of Wigan, DOmett & Co. Alfred had
Just opened a bale Ct RlssiRn crash, and was
preceding 10 "take the yards" for compari-
son with the number charged in the invoice.
1t was a rainy afternoon n the dull season.
TIE senior partner was the only member eff
Tic finn about the premises, and he was
reading the pGper in his office upstairs. The
older clerks and statesmen were lounging
here snd there, or making preiexts Of bust
ness IN the other departments of the store.
Mark aouTished bis box Of domlnocs in
Aifrtds face; but the boy was firm, and
continued TO tell CT the yards 10 himself
with provoking monotony. At length he
hastily jOtted down some figures upon 8 bit
of paper and compared them with the in
voice. A shade of annoyance appeared
upCu Lis AA1Ds AAN III AASNk " LIS SoAA4khAos
'iNOw, Mark, you have badgared me into
blunder. Please leave me alone fo- the
present. If you Ike, will come to you'
nouEe this evening and try hand at domi-
noes, or whale you st billiards. But Just
now I have something more impOrtsni on
hand
At this appeal Marx turned away, NUT
teriDg to himself what solemn old stick
All Reed was.
And here, let us look at this point a min
ute and see what sor. of stickn ALI might
truly be called. The two boys were fair
samples of two sorts of clerks which msy be
found in almost any commercial house. AL
fred entered the employ of Wigan, Domett
X Co, about six months before this date,
Mark being then the ''boy" or junior clerk
The task Of sweeping out the store, busting
the counters and tills, and arranging the
goods, YVES divided between the tWO-.he
dress goods and woollens falling TO the
charge of Mark, and the white goods and do
mest.cs 10 Alfred. 1t did not take long for
young Reed to discover that Mark was
thorough shirk. He had busting and OBJ
sequious manner in the presence of his en-
ployers, but when out OF their sight he did ss
little SIS possible.
On the contrary, Alfred entered the store
as he ssid, to work, and to learn the business.
Consequently, he never wasted minute, but
did 81 his duties promptly and thoroughly.
BE had not held his position many week
when Mark proposed that he shoul l do the
work Of both. by way of compensation
Mark offered him One-hslf of his porquisities
which in these days yielded quite hand
some amount OF pocket money to the boys.
Alfred accepted the offer, and thereafter
made his appearance ct the store one hour
earlier than before, while Mark lOunged In
- eoooo-, 20 oeoatNa dofrofiOr krr h1e
periors.
The members OF tho firm had not failed to
notice ths superiority Of the new boy over
his predecessor, and but short time previous
to this date had shown him special mark Of
confidence. He was permitted to take tho
store keys 70 ais own home at night, where
as shiftless Mark had been compelled to make
a long journey out OF his way 70 leave them
st the house Of ire junior partner.
Now to re.urn to the hpn-
drum matter Of the crasr.
packages CT goods they should examine the
contents ard compare them with the in
Voices But Mark he'd always locked upon
crash SIS q special bore. To BEGIN with, the
pieces were chalked with mysterious SYM
holds, which denoted Russian measures Of
length these had to be translated into En-
gllsh yards, and 60 marked on the goc5s
This being accomplished, Mark had fallen
into the lazy habit Of emitting 10 foot up the
total
80, crash IL OF no consequence?' he said
and 80 proceeded without sdo TO check toe
biz as corrected.
It Happened that the crash which Alfred
was opening was 8 sample LOT from a new
manuiscturer. Mr.. Domstt had fattered
himself tbat IN buying it he lad done q good
thing After Marx walked away, Alfred be-
csme absorbed again in his examination.
His first footing of the yards had proved IL
correct As soon as he wss left to himself
he went over them agsin. To his sarprise
re found the figures agreed with his former
total, being about fifty yards short o. the
amount. lie again reviewed his work, snd
with the same result.
"Perkaps the wrong yards are entered for
this bale,' he muttered to himself; all try
another"
he opened second bale, sud an exami-
nation revealed 8 similar discrepancy. AL
fred was puzzled, and again carefully CON-
psred the bill and the marks upon the bales.
There could be no mistake. The goods were
short. Then new idea struck him. He
seized yardstick and began measuring the
pieces. As be had begun to suspect, every
piece fell short
"Ab, Mr.. Russianl" Alfred chuckled.
did you think you were going to take w
ID. 4 Co., in2"
He started upstairs IN search Of the book
keeper, and met Mr.. Wigan, who was msk-
ing & tour of inspection about the store. In
reply to an inquiry what ne was doing, AL
fred related bis experience with the crash.
Mr.. WIgan at once became interested. he
went below with Alfred and superinteadsd
fresh examination, which gave tae same
results Is the former one. Then ne ordered
third bale opened, but this proved to be 81
flcIt IS the others.
"H'm, him." muttered Mr.. Wigan, as nc
slowly returned to his office, "put tnss crash
side, Reed, III further orders "
"By JoveI" cried the jolly Msrk, Eho had
happened around jLst at the time, "yo1 have