The Forrest City times., 1893-05-19
HIS ROMANCE.
1t Is That of an Old Head But a
 Young Heart.

This is the romance of a middle-aged man-the romance of an old head and young heart. l am gray-haired and forty, and yet as l sit at my desk in the gloomy little office of liarman's mill, a face comes between my eyes and the columns of figures in the dusty ledgers "a young face with clear, bright eyes and l fall into q day-dream and for get that am ole and poor and com | monplace.
 She is the only child of Je re Harman the millionaire mill-owner, and as gen. tie and good as she is beautiful. I have watched her grow into wom- | anhood. l have watched her character deepening and widening and develop ing toward the ideal of my dreams.
 And all these years l have been learn | ing to love her.
 Surely love is not wholly wasted thoughit is hopeless. l am better man that have loved Nellie Harman. No. I build no air-castles | am forty and she eighteen. l am only her fathers bookkeeper and she is the heiress of millions. | There was time when little Nellie | Harman rode on my shoulder, hunted my pockets for goodies, and escaped her nurses charge several times day to | toddle down to the mill in search of
 "her Jack Spencer" Daily she brought her school tasks. the incorrigible Latin verbs and the unconquerable examples in fractions, to the same old friend, who was never too busy to be bothered by little Nellie IIarman. 1 She is as unaffected and cordial in her friendliness as ever, and sometimes when she lays her hand on my arm and looks up into my face and asks why I come so seldom to the hall. and have l grown tired of old friends, of her then find it hard to answer lightly. to smile calmly, and l go away with a heartlche.
 1 The girl does not lack for friends Grim, stern old Jere Harmans little 1 brght-faced child, motherless since her babyhood, long ago found tender spot in the hearts of the village folk. In the cottages her face is as welcome as sun. shine. The children hang on her gown, l toughest mill hand has always civil word for her, and a lift of the cap as she passes.
 She has her young friends, too, among the country gentlefollS. Young Harry Desmond is often at the hall. It | is rumored that he is the fortunate suitor of Jere Harman's heiress. He is fresh-faced, good-hearted lad. Love is for youth, and they are young to- gether.
 Gray-haired q Jack Spencer, what have you to do with ''love's young dream?i The strike!
 The mill is shut down and the strik- CTS gather in knots along the village street and discuss the situation. The cut-rates have caused the trouble. Jere Harman is hard man and hard mas ter. He holds the fate of these people ! in his hands. A few cents less to them, a few dollars more to him. This seemed to him to settle the question. The times were duil-he would reduce wages. The Harman mill operatives went out in a body.
 The first day of the strike Big John, the weaver, who headed the strikers, came to Jere Harman with delegation to arbitrate the matter. To them Harman said: Return to work at my terms or stay out and starve. Monday I hire new hands if you are not back in your places. As long as own this mill shall be mas ter here"
 | This was his final answer, and no