Daily Republican., 1884-10-31
What It Cost Him,
By EVELYN MALCOLM.


Merri,t's business office in the glory of
its early summer strength. Ledgers,
day books, and records OF almost every
possible bind ing and size, Law piled
npou bis desk for large, influential
and wealthy was the firm Of Eugene
Merritt & Co.
He looked a selEsufiicient master
enough In his gray, business suit, spot.
less linen. and heavy gold chain with
which his fingers thoughtfully playe
markedly infexible to-day, as he
sc AIMED the list Of names before him,
putting dot here and there. And that
hearts were in fancy following that
pencil which 30 often paused In Its way !.
They were the names OF the hundreds
Of sswing-wonen ON the many floors
above. and Eugene Merritt's careless
dot was the ia: that suspended them to
months of enforced idleness, or perma-
nent dismissal, with the prospect OF
starvation ahead. Did he think OF this
or wonder, with that touch of nature
which 1t Is said makes the whole world
kin, what these poor girls would do
when they knew the worst, how they
would feel or act, and to what homes
they would sadly return? Not he
Sympathy, and her practical relation,
Charity, were entire strangers at the
door of this mans heart; they never
knocked there now; for. even years ago,
when he WAS young and impression.
able, he had steelcd himself against
these petitioners, and refused them al.
mittaRco.
At this moment his thoughts were Of
o vastly different nature. He wondered
II he could catch the twelve O'Clock
train to Seabright, instead of the three
O'Clock, as he had previously intended,
and 80 enjoy three hours more IL Nelli.
Langdon's presenoe-that beautiful
presence which alone, of all the women
he had met In his successful life, had
power to thrill hts forty year old hear
" it'll the passion Of youth.
There was 3 timid knock at his Office
door at this moment. He lifted his
head and said, indifferently, Come
in. There WAS hesitating pause, with
out. and at last girl OF twenty, OIL
Whereabouts entered. As she wore an
apron and had ON no hat, he presumed
she WAS one of his employees, although
he had never seen her before. His
glance swept over her hauRhtily as SHE
stood trembling before him, and noticed
the smoothly combed abundance Of
brown hair, the two bright, earnest,
sad, gray eyes, the sunken cheeks Of
which two spots burned (6gurative
funeral Gre balls y the slender form
In Its dress Of worn and faded black,
the broken shoes showing beneath its
pitiful garniture of Grape.
1t would have been lowering to thu
dignity OF Eugene Merritt to address
this cir first, who had presumed Il
make her way to his private Office
In stern, uninviting silence he startet
at her.
"Mr. Merritt, know you are dis
y, eased at my venturing into you
office" she said, in accents which
showed her to be refined and gentle
and l ask pardon for what may seen
An unwarrantable intrusion, butt
was my last chance ! felt that per
haps, ii you really knew how much tn,
sum / earn weekly Is to me, You would
not discharge me to day."
She lifted her eyes full of appealing
despair slowly to his own. above which
the frowning brows were ominousl.
met.
/" Did you come here to say this
this, and nothing else, to me ?''
His satirical tone was insulting, AM
q sha # of wounded pride fiashe
through the settled sadness Of he
face.
"Only this" she said more firmly
(" know 1 am among those who hAv
como latest, but I pray of you not t
send me away"
az shall do Is think best about II
EXACTLY as would had you not com
to meet me at all >" was the uncom
promising answer.
"Oh II you only knew my story
and what have suffered, you woul'
do me this kindness the position @
. mendicant Is new and unpleasant
one to me-" she said. clasptng he
hands.
"What is your name ?"
"Mrs. Agnero."
1.-THE interview is at an end
madam"
She sought in q dazed, blind way
for the door, one hand upon her heart
Z" could not 60 from place TO plac
seeking for employment again, on,
weary day after another. l would sinl
down and die by the way.
That L. your affair" said Mr.. Mer
rift, not mine"
"If you will only keep me, there 1
no position in the house too mental To-
me to I'LL. oh, please remember, m!
dism issal from here would leave m
without shelter"
The door closed, and the hoilow.eyet
sowing girl was gone from his sight
/ 49, -Ord ~ vntn ayn far - heating In hi