The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-11-21
CHAPTER III.
THE TWO FATHERS.

q
Hope looked wistfully ut that crush
neither kind nor polite to intrude bust
ness upon grief.
But presently BARLEY caught sight of
him, and stared at him. but said moth
ing.
Then the poor fellow saw it was no
use waiting for a better opportunity. so
he came forward and carried out Boil
tons instructions; Inc put on a tOlerably
jaunty air, and said, cheerfully. II beg
your pardon, sir; can ! claim your at
teDtiOn for a moment"
what do You wantI" asked BARLEY
but like man whose mind was else
where.
"Only employment for my talent. sir.
1 hear you have Il vacancy for Il man
ager." =,
Nothing of the sort. Tam manager"
"But YOU don't know, sir, in how
many ways ! can be useful to you. n
grand and complicated business like
yours needs various requirements in
those who have the honor to serve you.
For instance, | saw Il small engine at
work in your yard:. now | am Il me-
chanic, and | can double the power of
that engine by merely introducing an
extra band and Il couple Of cOgS."
1T will do as it is" said BARLEY. lam
guidly. "and | can do without Il man
ager."
"IIave You an opening for a clerk? L
can write business letters in French,
German, and Dutch; and keep books by
double entry
mo vacancy for n clerk was the
weary reply.
swell. tIen. Il foreman in the yard.
have studied the economy Of industry,
and will undertake to get you the great
est amount OF labor out of the smallest
number OF men,"
II have a foreman already" said Bart
ley, turning his back OH him peevishly,
for the first time, and pacing the room,
absorbed i'm his own disappointment.
Hope was i'll despair, and put on his
hat to go. But he turned ut the window
and said: You have vans and carts. [
understand horses thoroughly. am g.
veterinary surgeon. and can drive four
INLAND. | offer myself as carman, or
even hostler."
81 do not want Il hostler. and have y
carman."
BARLEY, when he had said this, sat
down like a man who bad finally dis
posed of the application.
Hope went to the very door. and lean
ed against it. His jaw dropped. He
looked ten years older Then. with u
piteous attempt at cheerfulness, lie came
nearer. and said: Give me some kind
of employment, sir. You will never re-
pent it. I've intelligence, practicability
knowledge; and in this age of science
knowledge is wealth. Example: | saw
81 swell march out OF this place that
owns all the parish | was born in. |
knew him in Il mOment-Colonel Gift
ford. Well, that old soldier draws his
rents when he can get them, and never
looks deeper than the roots of the grass
his cattle crop. But I tell you he never
takes walk about his grounds but he
marches upon millions--coal. sir, coal
and near the surface. know the signs,
But am impotent; only fools possess
the gold that wise men can coin into
miracles. Try me. sir; honor me with
your sympathy. You are father-you
have a sweet little girl. | hear" Bart
ley WINGED at that We'll, so have i,
in is not good for her, sir. She needs
the sea air, the scent of flowers, and.
bless her little heart, she does enjoy
them so! Give them to her, and will
give you zeal, energy, brains. and anil
lion of money"
This, for the first time i'm the inter
view, arrested Mr.. Bartley's attention.
u see You are a superior man." said
he, but | have no way to utilize your
services"
"YOu can give me no hope, sirY" ask
ed the poor fellow, still lingering.
"NOne-and am sorry for it,
This one gracious speech affected poor
Hope so that he could not speak for a
moment. Then he fought for manly
dignity, and said, with lamentable
mixture of sham sprightliness and real
anguish, THANK you, sir: / only trust
that you will always find servants as de-
voted to your interest as my gratitude
would have made me. GOod-mOrning
sir" He clapped his hat on with a
sprightly, CHASTITY air, and marched off
resOlutely.
But ere he reached the door, Nature
overpowered the fathers heart; away
went Bottoms instructions; away went
fictitious department and feigned cheer
fnlness. The door wretch uttered a crv.