The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-10-15

their youth; but I really am not dis
posed to trouble myself about them
any more than Papa Riching did. Let
them 90 on in their self-willed way.
They were company enough for each
other. 1t was only Jacob Riching who
was lonesome. It was in 1875 that
the mutineers were married, and at
that time the great merchant was only
Sc. There mi ht still have been time,
perhaps, to outwit fate by marriage,
but former defeats had discouraged
the man, and he went on his silent and
solitary way without further striving.
From time to time a question came
to him, rather as a thought originating
in his own mind, whether he had done
quite right by Tom Shines, the father.
He remembered how very necessary
Shines had been to the beginning of his
success, and wondered whether such
services were, after all, quite repaid,
even by a good salary; and would it
not have been fairer thing by Shines
if he had consented that the children
should marry, and take Shines son as
his partner? But, for the most part,
Jacob Riching was able to turn a deaf
ear to this impertinent whisper from
somewhere.
So the years went on. 1t is just
possible that for wilful Emmy and her
young husband time galloped withal;
but it moved heavily enough for soil
tary Jacob Riching. He had been
thoroughly beaten by fate. TO found
the house of "Riching & Son. had been
the dream of his boyhood, the am
bition of his young manhood, the strong
purpose of his middle age, and again
and again had stern death met him on
the threshold of his desires, and at last
love-the foolish young love of a girl
and boy-had overthrow him utterly.
His business grew and grew-and he
pushed it On vigorously, rather from
habit than from any real interest. His
name would die with him, aud he
could not carry his fortune through
the gates of the grave.
I have just now come to the place
where my story began. The time is
the 31st' of December, 1883, as
Jacob Riching, at 81 feels HIM
self already an old man. 1t
in the melancholy company of his
own thoughts that we have gone back
to his boyhood, and then on through
the advancing years that had at last
left him so old so solitary and 80 sad.
1t is as if he, who had taken stock of so
many things, were now taking stock of
his own life. What, indeed, was the
sum of these years of struggle? He
was restless. He felt as if some change
were before him. He thought of his
wife dead so long ago. Could she be
reaching out pale hands to draw him
into the world where she had gone?
No, surely; for he realized, in his final
stock taking, that the only thing in her
for which he had never bargained was
her love.
He put on his overcoat and went out
into the keen cold of the December
night. It was a gay night, as the
night before New Years is wont to be.
The life of which the streets were full
made his loneliness lonelier. The frosty
air made his quiet blood tingle. He
felt sharp sense of his own existence.
Actually, he, too, was hurrying with
the rest.
After brisk walk of a quarter of an
hour he found himself at his book
keepers door. Old Shines himself
opened it.; and look of puzzled sur
prise crossed his face as he saw what
visitor had arrived.
Anything wrong, Mr.. Riching?' he
asked anxiously.
mo, nothing; unless it's wrong that
l should be paying you an unexpected
VISIT
''No, no, bless my soul, nor the
good bookkeeper cried, hospitable
even in his embarrassment. walk up
stairs, hope-I say mean, it's a
sort of family gathering tonight
kind of watch the old year out bust
ness, you know
He hustled on as he spoke, Mr.
Riching following silently up the stairs
and into the door of bright lighted
cheerful looking sitting room. And
the warm glow of fire and lamps fell
upon family gathering, as Mr.. Shines
had said. Motherly Mrs. Shines, with
her soft, white hair and tranquil face
sat at one corner of the fireplace, and
against her knees sturdy little boy OF
perhaps years old was leaning. Al
the table, looking over book OF
pictures, was brown-haired little girl
some two years older, and beside her,
telling her the stories of the pictures,
! was young man, handsome enough,
and if the witness of his face could be
trusted, good enough to justify any
woman for loving him. Aud at the
other corner of the fireplace sat, as OF
course you know by this time, Emmy
brighter, happier, handsomer than
ever. What would Jacob Riching do?
He walked up to old Mrs. Shines and
shook hands with her, and then he
crossed over to young Mrs. Shines and
put out his hand.
$50, this is what l came for?" he
said. Il see you are not sorry for
anything, Emmy?''
''1'm not sorry to see you. papa
Emmy said, smiling. ''It was all
needed to make me altogether happy. -
Jacob Riching cleared his throat.
Its New Years day tomorrow, -
he said.
If that seems an irrelevant remark to
the reader, have no doubt that Jacob
Riching knew just what he meant by
it.
The very next day he proposed to
Thomas Shines, jr., to add to his own
the name of Riching and come into the
firm.
II might have done so in the begin
ming of things" the young man an.
swered, "but I've lived too long now
as Thomas Shines, jr., to show my
fathers name at this late day, the dis
respect of changing it.
1T will have to be Riching & Co.,
then after all; for must have you fol
my partner. l set out for the firm Of
'Riching 4 Son, and I've struggled
hard enough for it; but when a man
fights against Providence he doesn't
seem to get the best of it,
Salvation OIL delights everybody. 1t
can be had of all druggists and dealers
in medicines. It eradicates pain by
quickly removing the cause. 1t is a
specific for neuralgia, rheumatism and
pain in the side, back and limbs. Price
Is cents.