Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-02-25

nuihilidlihp TACT 4 cannot deny;
and then in sudden outhurst of
confidence Mr.. Randall told his vito the
whole truth, dwelling somewhat longer
upon ks business attempts and perplex-
tiles than on the hope he had entertain
ed OF future life of luxurious idleness.
When he had finished, his wife spoke:
You may not like to hear my father
opinion OF me, Joe, though he meant it
to be complimentary one. He always
said l should have been a man, for had
true business head. For ten years be-
fore he died he was paralysed. and was
the actual head of his business, the
weaving of carpets, in W He left
me competency, which was stolen
from me by dishonest trustee; and
should have taken up some occupation
to gain my own living had not Maude
been left an orphan, and implored me
TO live with her.
sit was scarcely life of dependence,
for she needed me, and her lavish gifts
OF clothing and jewelry l accepted in the
place OF the salary any one else in my
place must have been paid. was
housekeeper and chaperon, and we were
very happy; but never dreamed that
was supposed to own her wealth.
Nov listen to my proposition. The
factory my father controlled is closed,
but am an old friend of the owner,
who carried on the business for short
time after my father died, and found his
ignorance of the details swept away all
his profits. | will introduce you to him
and the sale of my diamonds will give
us sufficient capital for modest start.
You will be nominal master, as my
father was, until you conquer all the in
tricacies of the business, gain our old
customers, and carry ON the whole
without my assistance. Until then, let
me direct and teach you, as helped my
father. When you are rich mani
here Mrs. Randall's eyes grew dim with
tender feeling. you can buy me some
more diamonds"
1t was not a matter for hasty decision.
MIR. Randall, remembering his failures,
was doubtful of his own ability, but his
wife had her way, and before their we'd
ded life was six months DID, Mr.. Ran
dali was engaged in his new business.
Spurred on by an honest shame that a
woman had better business head than
his own, he did what he never done be-
fore-threw his whole soul into his bust
ness, and was amazed himself to find
how rapidly he learned to guide it.
Every day filled his heart with deeper
love for the noble woman who was so
true and faithful a helpmate to him;
who, with all the knowledge he lacked.
never let one clerk or employee guess her
real position.
At home, in the evening, she showed
him the result of her days correspond
ence or bookkeeping, and gave him
clear instructions for the next days
work. And he, learning all quickly,
had sufficient sense to let her control the
entire business, until she herself, after
two years of faithful work, said:
you can do without me now, dear.
l resign
They had lived very economically in
those two years, Mrs. Randall govern
ing the small house and one servant as
efficiently rs she had controlled her
niece's grand mansion or the affairs of
the factory.
But ambition once aroused in Joseph
Randall, he resolved to give his wife
home as handsome as the one she had
left for love of him. Depriving her of
no comfort he could afford to give her,
he denied himself all extravagancies
that had become second nature.
Cigars We're thrown aside, clothing
was reduced to responsibility, ignoring
the many changes of fashion, riding was
exchanged for an occasional drive with
Mrs. Randall, and year by year Joseph
Randall saw his business increase, his
bank account enlarge, until he was
master of flourishing business, and of
the magnificent home where Mrs. Ran
dali had employed me to paint the pam
els of the bedroom doors.
And as years robbed the devoted wife
of her strength and the noble beauty of
middle life, they took nothing from the
love of husband, who knew that to
her he owed all his prosperity. He re-
alised fully the life of INDECENT luxury he
would have led, and contrasted it with
the useful one to which she had guided
him.
A kind master, the families of his
work-people knew they had always
friend in the head of the vast establish
ment in which the husband and father
toiled. Without children, both Mr.. and
Mrs. Randall extended their charities
far and wide, and when gratitude met
them, Joseph Randall said
"The thanks are yours, dear. But for
you | should be that dreadful object, an
aimless, INDECENT man of fashion, what
in days gone by they called AN old
beau