The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-01-22
HALF A LOAF.

HALF A LOAF.
"'Half a loaf is better than no
| bread Charlie" Little Mabel Castle
ton said this wistfully, her eyes, as she
| spoke, wandering to the cradle, where
| two curly heads were lying.
But when one has had the whole
loaf, May, one does not exactly relish
the half rations you mention,,n said
| Charlie, moodily. But his eyes follow
ed his wife's to the cosy nest of the
! twin babies.
at is bad time of the year to be
out OF a situation" said Mabel, after a
long silence, land many whom we
know are idle. 1t would not be very
easy to find employment now"
You really think | had better re-
main with Mr. Miffiin?"
Il do Tell me what he said to
you
The substance of what he said was
simply this: Business is so very dull
that he is obliged to curtail his ex-
| penses, and he must discharge some of
| his clerks. | have been with him ten
| years, and he was pleased to say that |
am very useful to him, and he is very
unwilling to part with me. But he
can give me but half my present sal
airy, though he promises to raise it as
soon as business prospects brighten. l
| don't know what to do. We are none
| too rich at my present salary"
Yet you have saved something each
month. Beside, dear, we have not
| tried to be economical. There are
many ways in which | could save"
md ln c1n IS
self
Not bit of it. 1 have plenty of
| leisure time, now that Nav and Bella
could amuse each other. Come. Char
lie. accept Mr.. Mitllin's offer. Youmav
hear of something better, even if you
remain there; but don't throw YOUR
| self out of a situation in the dead of
winter, for my sake and the chill
| dren's."
The last argument conquered. Char
| lie knew too we'll that it would be USE
| less to look for a new situation, for the
| whole town was echoing Mr.. Miffiin's
| cry of hard times. The small nest egg
| in the bank would soon melt away
when it became the sole support of
four, and SO, kissing Mabel, he promis-
| sd to follow her advice. But it cost his
| pride very sore wrench.
he had entered the employment of
his present employer at seventeen, and
slowly, steadily gaining favor by dint
of faithfully performing every duty, he
had won his way to the desk of head
clerk. Not until he had acquired this
position and the handsome salary ac-
companying it would he ask Mabel to
become his wife, furnishing pretty
cottage home from his savings, and
giving her a thoroughly comfortable
| income for household expenses. He
was not eXtravagant. but it pleased
him to see his wife well dressed, to
give her an efficient servant, to have
her twin girls ever presentable. his ta-
ble well appointed. All this had been
Easy enough upon his salary, and there
| had been something added for three
years to the little bank fund
| But to do ali this on the present in
come was simply impossible House
rent must Le paid, and the sum re-
naming cach iaonth would have to be
| carefully calculated to meet all the ex-
penses, leaving but little for pleasure
or Extravaganza il dress.
Then what would VIII say?'
VIII Castleton was Charlie s cousin,
who had been his life long companion.
Together they had left the schoolroom
for business position, Will entering
the grain store of Harvey & Russell at
| the same time Charlie had taken the
place in Mr.. Mullins dry goods store.
| Shoulder TO shoulder the Young men
| had worked their way till this financial
crisis had brought all business men into
temporary difficulties of greater or less
magnitude.
viii had expressed the warmest in
dignation at the proposal made his
| cousin, strongly advising him to throw
up his situation and '.see how old Milf
lin would get along without him"
And Charlie, before seeing Mabel, was
| quite ready to follow his advice.
He knew that VIII would think him
mean to remain upon half salary. and
yet Mabel was right. Half loaf was
| better than no bread.
And while Charlie Castleton was thus
weighing the pros and cons of his de-
cision, Mr.. Miffiin was listening to the
| counsel of his old friend and chum, the
senior partner of the firm that had
been Gardner & Mifllin, and who,
though he had retired years before,
was still the friend and frequent advis-
er of his former partner.
1T is a mistake, Miffiin," he said.
You had better send young Castleton
about his business and engage an en-
tirely new bookkeeper. You will find
that half pay means half service, mark
my word. "
But might search c. from end
to end and not find clerk competent
to take his place" "
Then pay him full salary"
Il cannot do it unless | reduce the
number of statesmen. and then l am
short handed now There is but one
way to keep my head above water.
You see Clark's failure involves me
very heavily, and"
And the worried man of business en-
tered into explanations of his difficult
les not necessary to repeat here.
1t touched Charlie Castleton very
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 am heartily glad you
will stay. trust you will not long be
obliged to take small salary, but cir
cumstances compel me to economic" +"
You have been a kind employer to
me for ten years" replied Charlie,
land if l am really of any more value
! to You than another would be in my