The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-08-19
SHIRLEYS VACATION.
a Sacrifice That Brought It's Own
Reward.

..What amuses You, Shirlcy?" asked
the head bool.seorcr, rs he looked mp
from his biz lo3rer and saw "a smile on
the boys face opposite
II just landed - fire-pound bass,
said Shirley, laughing and blushing a
little.
"Um-ah! Did it pull very hard?7
Fearful. said Shirley.
An through the year Shirley Holmes
had been saving the money for his trip.
lie was assistant boolllzccper for Brown
Bros. & Bridges wholesale house on
West Pearl street, where he had been
since graduating from the commercial
colle-e, two years before.
Shirley was an orphan. The small
means left him by his parents had been
exhausted before his education had
been Completed. so that his first gears
savings had been used 20 repay money
advanced him by an uncle TO complete
his course.
His savings. this year, he was invest
ing in building stock with the eNccp-
tion OF one dollar weekly. which hc put
aside for 10 other purpose than "a trip
t. ghe bass strcamS Of the AlleglauIes.
lie was very fond Of fishing. and had
been reckoned an expert rs "a boy. lie
had not taken a day or since hc left
school, and he felt that a holiday was
his due.
All through the dark winte days. as
he pondered over the long rows Of fig
ures, he paused now and then TO muse
for a moment Of green mountains,
blue skies, clear. rushing " ater, and 10
feel in imagination the tug and swish
OF the trout line and the rapid click
OF the running reel Then his eyes
would sparkle for a moment and he
was no longer in the dim and dusty lit
tie Office.
But only for a moment. for the long
columns of figures were waiting. and
Shirley had a feeling OF friendlincss for
them. knowing that IL was through their
mute assistance that his dream would
be realized.
All through the spring and early sum
mor he pondcred over the big books
and thought Of the cool mountains. He
had asked for his vacation IN August,
and his request had been granted. He
had calculated that the ,fty-two dol
lars would pay hiss eNpen-ls. He had
figured II out over and over, and he
knew the items 10y heart.
There were excursion rates to the
would cost him twelve dollars. Then
there was his board at a farmhouse,
which he calculated at twenty dollars.
He could get good rod. reel and line
for ten dollars and for general items he
allowed Is much more.
Il think that VIII cover everything"
he said to himself. Il shall begin To- .ret
my things together tomorrow, and IN .
week ! VIII be on the way
That night, as they closed the books,
the head boolylleeper said 10 him:
shirley, have You been 70 see Ever
eft Harris latcly?"
No" said Shirley, guiltiy. But I
will 20 tonight. How Is he?"
Not very well. poor fellow. lie
doesn't improve much, I'm afraid. The
city now Is so hot, you know and the
doctor SAYS the dust ana smoke urc bad
for him. He coughs q good deal and
YOU know what that leads 10"
Yes" said Shirley, feeling as if a
pressure were on his own lungs. i
should think so"
Everett Harris had been their ship
pinr-clcrk He was ed,
good-natured fellow, whom Shirley had
always liked for his out-SpolSen, friend
" way He was not very strong, how
ever, and one day during the winter had
contracted a severe cold. terminating in
pneumonia. This attack he had over
come, bat it had left him very weak
and with q disagrccable cough.
His mother, widow with small
pension, had found it Il hard matter 10
live without her sons assistance. al
though Evcrctt's employer had Eeucr-
ously assumed his drug and doctor bills,
while employees, from time TO time,
sent or carried such books and dclica-
cies aS he could enjoy.
Shirley had visited Everett very reEu-
larly until the last few weeks, during
which time the prospects and prepara-
tions for his outing had occupied his
evenings almost 10 the exclusion OF
everything else, and what with reading
up on the different streams and fishing
apparatus, hc had forgotten poor Ever
EFT almost entirely. Yes, he would
60 to see him tonight without fail.
After supper, Shirley went TO TIA
market and filed a basket with fresh
ripe fruit; then he hurried off TO atom
for his neglect.
Poor Everett" he thought, ''sicl
and cooped up in the city, while l al
going of for a month in the mountains
and here ! forgot all about him. Hoy
selfish people are, anyway
By and bV. uo elm Bed three flights q