The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-01-07
"Ob. yes, l. know that, and he knew It
~, nit ~ an1hitions And HIGH strung.

deep sign tnat tnaG b Wuat ne is se1einS
now. You know have some cousins In
town, and I have heard how hard it Is for
them to get established in business, and
Jack knows no one there"
Where are all his fine college friendsa"
Mr.. Hartford asked. =. .
"Oh, they are young men themselves,
and EACH of them has his way to make
much the same IS Jack. Mr.. Hartford, II
were you should write to Jack and help
to keep his spirits up" ..
II shall, my dear, and all have to say
Is that if Jack doesn't do something big to
be worthy Of such good girl as you are,
then am sure you won't get your deserts.
I am much obliged to you for coming with
me-" .[... -.s -
"Good-by, Mr.. Hartford" }" the girl said as
the horse stopped at the top Of a hill, and
before she jumped out of the buggy she
kissed the old man on his sunburned
cheek, thus giving to the father unasked
what she had denied to the son, though
much besought. ..t.- -;
When Emma Rogers had finished her
simple little dinner she sat at her fathers
old desk and wrote this letter: ...
NEsRBYE, Sept 81.
DEAR JAcK-I promised not to write to you, but
trust you will forgive me for thus eeriy break
ing my word. ! drove with your father after
church today as far as the hill top. He IS much
concerned about you, and think 1t is your duty
to write to him at least once week so that
he may not feel uneasy about you. Don't foolishly
wait until you have done something to beproud o..
Write to him ut once and write to him regularly
II you will do this you may also write to me once
week, and will answer your letters now and
again, and will also confess that miss you aw-
| fully and often wish very much to see You and
continually wonder what you are doing.
P. s.-why don't you look up all your college
friends who are living in New York; ,..
Jack Harford's Sundays in town had
been particularly gloomy. He had been
accustomed for two years past to spend the
greater part Of each Sunday with Emma
Rogers, and the loss Of this companion
ship was at this period grievous one. The
Monday morning after the conversation
between his father and sweetheart at Near
bye be started out early to answer as many
of the advertisements printed in the Sun
day papers as seemed to him to be Of any
promise The day had been a succession
of dreary disappointments, and be return
ed to his boarding place in the. evening
tired and utterly blue. On the hat rack in
| the hall he found Emma's letter. 1t bright
ened him up wonderfully. He at once
wrote to his father. He also wrote to EN-.
ma and thanked her most sincerely for her
kindness to his father andto him.
In reading over her letter for the first
few times he missed the significance of the
suggestion in Emma's postscript. There
were many old college friends in New York.
He had intended looking them up after he
| had become established in business. That
seemed far enough off now. Itcould do no
harm to see some of them at once. The next
morning he dressed himself as carefully as
his limited wardrobe permitted, and went
for tour of visits. The first fellow he called
on was clerk and student in lawyers
office. From him he learned of the others
and continued his calls. He told each of
them that he had come to town to seek en-
ployment, and each Of them offered to let
him know if anything suitable was heard
of. Late in the afternoon he called on
William Caldwell, who had for three years
been his room mate. The last year at col
lege something had happened which had
strained. if it had not severed, the friend
ship between Hartford and Caldwell.
These young fellows had not talked over
the difference between them, and had
parted still misunderstanding each other.
Each of the fellows who had seen Jack had
asked if he had seen Caldwell, and at Hast
Jack concluded to call. He got the ad.
dress and found the place very easily. He
met Caldwell just at the entrance Of his
fathers large establishment commits.
sion house wh.;h did most extensive
business.
Hello, Jack" said Caldwell, holding
out his hand as the two met. 81 am glad
to see you" =
"I am glad of that, for was just going
to see you. You remember we were not
very good friends when we left college two
years ago."
1.-The bigger fools we, responded Cald-
we'll cheerily. "Come in, old man, and tell
me about yourself"
The two young men walked back through
the great ware house to the counting room
in the rear, and Caldwell took the young
countryman into his private Office. There
ference between them was explained, and
Caldwell learned Of Jacks object in COM
ing to town and Of his lack of success.
"Well, you have come to the right shop
this time," Caldwell said, "for have just
been made partner. and I mean to have
you here-that is, if you would like it."
: Nothing would please me better" Har:
ford said; "but you don't really need me,
do your"
shall know it in little while"
Jacks opportunity had now come, and he
took advantage of it. The firm for which
he worked found him most valuable as
sistant, and from time to time his salary
was raised till in two years after he came
to New York he was getting $4,000 year.
With young Caldwell he saw all that was
best and mcst novel of metropolitan. life,
but his heart yearned all the while for the
dsar girl who was waiting for hin at Near
5ye, and whenever he could he spent his
Sundays at the old place.
One bright December afternoon toward
the end of Christmas week, he took the
train for the Jersey hills and was soon at
the old farm at Nearbye. There were
many journeys made in the next few days
between the old homestead in the hills and
Emma Ropers' neat little village cottage