Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1892-05-26
MechansownL Frederick County, Maryland Thursday May rs, 1892

| minister. l tn0ugnG not. you can
deceive ME. The price of those six pairs
of tan Suedes will be taken out of your
salary next Saturday night, bliss Elk
ms
Eda looked aghast. She had been
out Of employment some time, and owed
money for her board to Mrs. Timson, her
respectable landlady. Without her full
salary it would be impossible to meet
her obligations. Her lip trembled, her
dove like blue eyes brimmed over with
tears, but at that moment party of
customers swept IN.
Hosiery counter to the left, said Mr..
Berlin, answering their inquiry.
And Eda started to think he had
been so near to her.
DO not be troubled Miss Elkins, he
said in low tone. I'll explain mat
ters to the chief. You shall not be fin
ed for what WAS not your fault
But neither Miss Elkins nor Mr.. Ber-
lin knew what Miss Minister was per-
fectly well aware of-that the grease
spot was caused by careless handling Of
the oil can by the carpenter who was
loosenlng hinge on the counter door.
If you're going to discharge any of
the young women in my department,
said Miss Minister to Mr.. Yardly, the
acting member of the firm of Yardly &
Yardly. 1T had better be Miss Elkins.
She amt worth her salt
'Eh p said Mr.. Yardly, who was not
without perceptive powers of his own,
and who had been rather favo,ably i'm
pressed with the blue.eyed novice in
the white goods department.
| i cannot quite agree with Miss Min
ster, said a calm voice behind the acid.
torgued Superintendent. so tar as
my judgment goes, Miss Elklns is an
excellent clerk, and is constantly i'm
proving in all respects.
And Miss Minister looked around
with startled air.
Contrary to her expectation, Eda was
retained, and by means of the machin-
cry Of gossiping tongues, that belongs to
every such establishment, she soon
learned through whose bene6cient agen-
cY it was.
lie has been so kind to mel she
thought. oh, l wish-I wish / could
do something for him But that never
could be possible
Eda Was just beginning to be reck-
oned among Messrs. Yardley & Yard
ley's first class saleswomen, when one
day letter arrived at Mrs. Timson's
humble door for her.
A distant cousin on the Canada from.
tiers was dead, and there WAS no heir
save herself for fine farm, we'll wood
ed and watered, and containing pic
turesque old house, said to be close on
century old.
You'd better sell It, SAID Old Mr..
ScratchaIl, 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 town she would
certainly have written back to New
York to ask his counsel. But he was
travelling for the firm, no one quite
knew where.
I'll go home and think it over said
Eda.
She had scarcely been absent a fort
night, but when she returned there had
been changes. Old Mr.. Yardley had
retired from business. The firm was
Tolland 4 Ysrdey 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 Cad
wallader Hospital. from the result of a
railway accident on his return from his
last busines tri p.
'Hopelessly crippled said Julia,
with the ghoullsh relish whereby some
people dwell on the details of frightful
accidents. And quite without means,
they say, for he's always been support
ing all old uncle, or some such relation.
Folks are saying the Yardleys ought to
pension him off; but they amt legally
responsible, and no one seems willing
to do anything. | guess likely he'll
have to 60 on charity for the Test Of his
days, poor fellow!
'Oh-charlty!' gasped Eda. Mr..
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
where Walter Berlin lay, trying to
realize the force OF the blow that had
come upon him.
Not thirty yet, ard his life career ov,
"A I