Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-05-20

Mr.. Berlin, answering their inquiry.
And Ella started to think he had been
so near to her.
"Do not be trouble Miss Elkins, -"
he said, in a low tone. "l'l! explain
matters to the chief. You shall not be
fined for what was not your fault
But neither Miss Elkins nor Mr.. Berlin
knew what Miss Minister was perfectly
we'll aware of-that the grease spot was
caused by the careless handling down Of
the oil can of the carpenter who was
looscning hinge on the counter door,
"If you're going to discharge any of
the young women in my department, "
said Miss Minister to Mr. Yardley, the
acting member Of the firm of Yardley &
Yardley, sit had better be Miss Elkins.
She amt worth her salt
"Ehl' said Mr.. Yariley, who was not
without perceptive powers of his own,
and who had been rather favorably i'm
pressed with the blue. eyed novice in the
white goods department.
81 cannot quite agree with Miss Min
ster." said calm voice behind the acid
tongued Superintendent. $50 far as
nv judgment goes, Misf Elkins is an
excellent clerk, aud is constantly i'm
proving in all respects. '
And Miss Minister looked around with
a startled air.
Contrary to her expectations, Eda was
retained, and by means of the machinery
of gossiping tongues, that belongs to
every such establishment, she soon
learned throu Oh whose beneicelt agency
it was.
"He has been so kind to mel" sAe
thought. "Ot, l wlsh-I wish | could
do something for him But that never
could be possible
Eda was just beginning to he reckoncd
among Messrs. Yardley & Yardley's first
class saleswomen, when one day letter
arrived at Mrs. Timson's humble door
for her.
A distant cousin on the Canada
frontiers was dead, aud there was no
heir save herself for fn3 farm, well
wooded and watered, and containing a
picturesque old house, said to be close
on a century old.
"You'd better sell it, said old Mr..
Scratchall, the lawyer. "It's worth five
or six thousand dollars at least, and
maybe more"
Eda scarcely knew what to do. If Mr..
Berlin had been in towr she would GER
tainly have written back to New York to
ask his counsel. But he was travelling
for the firm, no one quite knew where.
"I'll 90 home and think it over" said
Eda.
She had scarcely been absent fort
night, but when she returned there had
been changes. Old Mr.. Yardley had re-
tired from business. The firm was Toll
land & Yardey now. Miss Minister had
set up an "emporium' OF her own, and
Julia Kesley had long story to tell her
of how Mr.. Berlin was in Ca1wallader
Hospital, from the result of railway
accident on his return from his last busi-
ness trip.
"Hopelessly crippled" said Julia, with
the ghoulish relish whereby some people
dwell on the details Of frightful acci-
cents. "And quite without means, they
say, for he's always been supporting an
old uncle, or some such relation. Folks
are saying the YardlCys ought to pension
him of; but they amt legally respon-
sible, and no one seems willing to do
anything. l guess likely he'll have ia
90 on charity for the rest of his days,
roor fellowl'
"Oh-charity!" gaspe1 Eda. "1Ir
Berlin. Oh, that would be dreadful"
The May sun was shining, yellow and
vivid, on the white washed walls of the
great, bare-looking hospital ward wher'
Walter Berlin lay, trying to realize thu
force of the blow that had come upor
him.
Not thirty yet, and his life caree
overl Surely, surely it must be impos
siblel
ga letter for Nj. Berlin" said th'
head nurse, cheerfully, entering will
the mail-tray.
"It's mistake" said Berlin, dresrily.
There's no one to write to me, since my
old uncle is dead"
"That's so3 Well, here's your name
ON the outside-sWalter Berlin, Esq.
So, if it amt for you, who is it TORT
chuckled the head nurse.
Slowly and languidly the invalid
opened the letter; but, as he read it
contents, his eyes frightened, his breati
came quick and fast.
sIt must be from old Josiah Yard.
ley said he He always said he owe
me more than any money compensation
, could repay; but thought he had for
gotten all about my saving his life ths
day of the gas explosion in the bassmen