Arizona republican., 1891-11-22
EARNING AN EPITAPH.

them. There were twenty-seven of them in all, and in the making of each of them he had had part. There were actually tears in his eyes as the door of the safe changed to; and turning away he walked into the outer office with a feeling of desolation in his heart as though he had just consigned his dear est friend to sepulcher,
 Half mechanically he mounted his well worn stool again and gazed through the little glass window out into the great warerooms for the last time. The rooms were empty and deserted, for the sheriff's sale, held three days ago, had cleared them effectually of their stock. And now there was nothing for it but to lock the office up, hand the key to the janitor and be gone
 "l want you to see the last of Twichell, Glance & Co.,, Ham," the senior partner had said that morning when he drerped in to say goodby. You've been with us since the beginning, and dare say you'll like to see the old firm out. It's hard lines, Ham-very hard lines on all of us, you know. We're all in the same boat, however-you, who've lost your few little hundreds that you saved from your salary, and l, who have lost my thousands. The whole concern has gone to the bottom, Ham, and the shoe pinches equally all round It's very hard on you, l know, for you're not so young as the rest of us, and you have been here such long time. Twenty seven years, is it? Good heavens, what an eternityl can remember you sitting over at the juniors desk there when l was little chap in short trousers You've been an excellent worker re- peated the senior partner, gradually re- suming the superior manner he was wont to exhibit to his employees. If my name will be of any use to you though it is not held in the greatest es- teem just at the present moment" he added with bitter smile, use it, of course. But then, with the wide &C., quaintance you've gained since you've been here people will be only too glad to snap you up"
 'Ah, yes, sir" Ham had answered, but ain't what used to be, you know. It ain't that I'm so old-l ain't fifty as yet; but the doctor says if don't have lots of fresh air it's only a question of time"-
 Tut, tut, Haml Confound the doc tors! They're a lot of croakers. You're all right for another half century. Now goodby, Ham, and good look to you" He held his hand out, and as old Jared Ham grasped it the senior partner, whose mad extravaganza and foolhardy tactics had brought the old firm to shipwreck, seemed to fade away, and in his place there stood curly haired little fellow, who used to come down to the office with his father now and then and was forever getting into scrapes.
 God bless you, Master Charlier' Ham had said, and then waving his hand airily to him the senior partner had taken his leave.
 Ham sat there for some little while, and then getting up suddenly he told himself that the sooner things were ended now the better So going to the cupboard he brought forth his old office coat and then taking the little Turkey red penwiper of his desk, his favorite penholder, the little almanac that hung above the desk and few other trifles, he wrapped them up in newspaper. "I'll put 'em round my room, he said to himself. "and they'll look like old times bit"
 Then taking up his parcel he passed out and locked the door. He handed the key to the janitor and walked slowly to- ward his lodgings. He was free now oil for an indefinite holiday, at nobody's beck or call He had chuckled to him self at the thought of 1t, for years and years ago, when he had first come to the city from his New Hampshire home, he had dreamed of a time of this sort when he should be absolutely his own master. Only he was to have been a rich man, according to the dream, and not book keeper out of employment, with little less than $100 to his name. Still, even though the circumstances were altered, the fact remained that he was free. Why not get away from the great bustling city for little whilel The doctor had told him he lneeded fresh air. And if the old people had been alive he would have gone back to them, confident, even thus late in the day, of loving welcome home But they were dead, and there was only Rosie who would care about seeing him now--and Rosie was married.
 He remembered, as though it were but yesterday, the night he took up copy of the village paper and saw the notice of her marriage Anu he knew that 1t was all his own fault--that was the worst cut of ali If he had only written now and then, or gone up to New Hamp- shire when his vacation came, things might have turned out differently. But there was no use talking of that now. He had taken in exchange for Rosie a lot of ledgers, whose columns, with their mystical figures and decimal points, had -allured him and held him as though with chains. He could not undo the past, but he could live differently in the future.
 "Just think!" he said to himself "Supposin l was to die now, there ain'i Twin soul but Rosie as would care
 Two days later he gathered his littl, household goods together and moved tC cheaper street down town. He decided to be very economical until he had ob tained good situation. Days passed and weeks, but he heard of no opening His funds ran very low. At last ther, came a day when Ham resolved that hC would no longer haunt the agencies, but go out on his own account and, no mat