Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-06
orns yurner way after thi.,

| ,aarshals and Little Mart marched of, q
| prisoner of the United States, to Athens Two
! months later, after his release from jail, he
| came home. only to learn that Mr4 Baird
| and her daughter had returned to Chatta-
nooga
Little Mart felt disappointed Though he
realized the nature Of the social gulf between
them too we'll to hope to mingle much with
people like the Bairds, yet be wished to sec
| Agnes once more, and tell how her kind
| words and sweet smile had made another
| man Of him
He secured work in tho log camps In the
| mountains. and few weeks thereafter went
down TO Chattanooga on large raft of logs.
! Having then an idle day on his hands, he
| thought he would venture to call on the
| BairdS
| He dressed himself in his best suit Of home
spun jeans, and soon found the house from
the directions given him by the Widow
| Green. The imposing brick front and the
! aristocratic neatness Of the surroundings
rather daunted him, but be resolutely
knocked on the door regardless of the pol
ished bell handle, and boldly asked Of the
trim colored housemaid, who at length came,
if he might see Miss Agnes explaining also
that She n her mother knowd me in the
mountains"
| The servant surveyed him wonderingly,
yet after a moments hesitation babe him fol-
| low her and at once ushered him into the
parlor where Agnes and another young lady,
with two or three fashionably dressed young
men, sat talking and laughing together.
Agnes had risen as the door opened.
Agnes recognized him instantly, and col
ored with the reverse of pleasurable sensa-
tons as she said careleSSly:
"Oh. yes, you wish to see my father. He
never transacts business at the house, you
will find him at the Office. Margaret" TO the
servant. show this-gentleman TO the door"
Then she coolly turned away, and before
/ Little Mart fairly knew what he was about
he was walking down the street with his
thoughts in whirl and dull pain at his
heart, AT the corner gentleman stopped
him
'Why, you are Mart Dodson, are you nota
This is fortunate, as you happen to be the
very man was wishing to see.
The speaker was the father of Agnes Baird,
whom Mart had seen once or twice when
Mrs. Baird and her daughter were at Hawks
Cliff. Mr.. Baird was largely interested in
the new iron industries then developing
throughout East Tennessee; and after drag
cling our half reluctant hero into an Office
nearly as luxurious in its appointments as
the parlor from which he had been so uncer-
enormously dismissed, the former said to him:
"Y Dung man, you are in luck. Our min
ing experts have been Investigating some OF
the iron deposits OF the Red Knobs, particu-
larly near Hawks Cliff, and they report some
veins of unusual richness. The new railroad
now projected from Cleveland to Tellico will
render some land there valuable. You and
your mother have eighty acres. | am pre-
pared to buy you out for a limp sum, or give
you IS 900 for half interest"
/ Little Mart gazed at Mr. Baird, half stupe-
/ fed with wonder Yet amid the turmoil of
his emotions came the thought that, if this
I were so, he would at last have the time and
means to make q gentleman Of himself SO
that people would not want to turn him out
of doors for looking like the clod he felt him
self to be at present.
The new manager of the great Tellico COM
pany was in his private office a lady en-
tered and he looked up from his morning
paper, then inquired briefly:
'Well, ma'am, whan can l do for you?"
The lady pushed aside her veil. The man
ager looked at her more closely, then rose
and offered her chair. He was short and
stout, with a heavy red mustache, close
clipped hair, and keen gray eyes.
'You have advertised for a typewriter"
she said; 81 should like to apply for the stu
alton"
/ The manager still gazed at her curiously,
out he only asked:
'sHow long have you worked at type
writingr
~ have only just learned it at the CON-
mercial school" she replied. hesitatingly.
''Schoo typewriting, like school teleg-
raphy, doesn't always answer so well without
some actual business practice. However,
perhaps, we can. get over that. But let me
ask you a rather strange question: Do you
remember getting lost once in the Chilhowee
mountains, and being brought home by red
headed mountain boy, to whom you gave a
silver dollar and some good advice as to his
turning from the error Of his Inoonshining
waysr'
The lady's amazement brought good ma
tured smile to the managers face, as he con-
tinued, pointing to himself:
'You see the boy has not forgotten, and ne
still retains his red hair and freckles."
She now colored vividly under another re-
membrance, as she said naively, yet with
some embarrassment:
81 also remember being, 1 fear, very rude
to that same young man on another occasion,
but was young and-and foolish then"
your father lso made me the first money
offer for my mothers little farm, that has
proved a veritable bonanza for me in moro
ways than one l then resolved to try to
make a man of myself, SO that If | ever met
you again you would not feel SO ashamed
of me-"
"You have your revenge she said, sadly.
"Papa failed, and gradually worried himself
Into the grave. Mamma and are quite poor
now
Don't EXPLAIN interrupted Little Mart,
kindly II really feel that | owe to you far
more than the giving Of this position will
ever repay Your influence, unknown to
yourself, sent me off TO study, sharpened my
wits, caused me TO drive shrewd bargains,
yet keep my hands clean, end pernst until
we'll, here l am"
1t was difficult for Agnes Baird 30 realize
that this alert, polite well dressed mana
partner and manager OF q great iron industry,
requiring large capital and hundreds OF
workmen-was the awkward youth she.had
carelessIy befriended, tnsn ignored only
few years ago. Such was the case, however,
and it only remains TO say that she obtained
the position and that Little Nart-now Mr.
Dodson TO every one-reuained such good
friend to her under these Few relations that
would not be surprised 70 bear Of another
partnership being entered into by and BY.
A partnership, TOO, OF the most endsArins
earthly nature, involving some change OF
name and other agreeebss future poAtoil
t.es-Ballcus Monthly Magazine.