Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-03-10
A DOUBLE TREACHERY.
ADAPTED BY l. /.

Thanks 10 his ron-in-laws generosity
Mr.. Chip had been able to crafty his las,
fancy. For three months he had been in
stalled in his empty shop. throwing the
whole ncighborhood into state of wonder
as they saw the shutters taken down
every morning, and as carefully put up al
night. as though the shelves lad been
stocked with the finest and most valuable
wares.
A new counter and showcase with O
set of glittering scales, were all that was
to be seen. In short, Mr.. Chip had moi
yet made mp his mind what branch Of
! trade he should select.
lie considered the matter all day long
a. he stood in the doorway with his per
! behind his ear. The noise Of the street
the hurry and hustle, enchanted the little
man. He watched the unloading of the
! huge bales at the shops near, and amused
himself 10y conjectuIing what their con-
] tents might he; and he went 10 bed nj
night exhausted with experimenting
other peoples labors; saying to his wife
as he wiped his brow: "Yes. this active
! life is just what suits me-
! Mrs Chipp smiled quietly. but made M
! reply. Worn out with her husbands
capiices, she settled herself IN the back.
| room that looked out on n dark court. ar
ranged her hOusch .nl goods as best she
could about her. and consolcd herself by
| thinking OF her former prosperity, of her
| girlhood, and Of her daughter: and. al
ways neatly dressed and Industrious. soon
earned the respect and liking Of her
neighbOrs. Her room was always exdui-
| sitcly clean. During the day the bed had
| the appearance of wide sofa, and q
! screen concealed the cooking utensils in
| the corner. The poor woman was thank
| sul for little peace and quiet, and hoped
/ that her husband would long be as con.
tented as at present.
Mr.. Chip had had painted over his
| door Commission Agent but he made
no mention of any particular line Of goods
| His neighbors sold linen. silk. and laces
he was disposed TO sell any or all Of these
TO be sure he said 10 his wife. IL do
not know much about linens but with
silks | am perfectly at home. But, to
make II answer. | ought to employ a
| traveller. | must sleep on it,"
After three on four months Of this exis-
tenco Mr.. Chipp began TO find il slightly
monotonous. The old pain in his head
returned ~ degrees. The street was un-
healthy beside, there was no trade there.
1t was in the height of these complaints
that Miss Denman paid her visit. The
simple old maid had said 10 herself as she
turned the corner Of the street. IL will
break il TO them 10y degrees" but, like ali
timid natures, she blurted il out the
moment she got inside the door. Mrs.
Whipp rose in her wrath She had never
heard anything to equal thisl Her poor
Sylvia IL hc the victim Of odious calm-
MES Ike these,
Mr.. Chipp took an equal high position.
How dared anyone come 10 him with such
SANDERS How could anyone suppose
that his daughter. the child of an honor
able merchant, could he guilty Of such
conduct
Miss Denman shook her head sadly
bat insisted on the truth of the words
They refused Ia listen, and declared that
she was gossip nd miscbief-maker.
But said the poor old lady. "every
one at the factory knows it; and if you
would present 10 her,
"Whatr interrupted Mr.. Chipp violent
ly, furious at her persistence. What an
i 10 represent TO Sylvia She is married
and lives away from us. 1t Is for he,
husband who has both age and expert.
ence, to advice and control her. 60 Il
him, if YOU choose
Here the little man went off into com
plants nf his son-in-law, the stupid north.
countryman. who spent his life in his Office
and thought Of nothing but making mon
ey; and who would never accompany his
wife into the world. but prcftrred to hei
society his pipe aud his old associates IL
bar-parlor. And Mr.. Chipp spoke %
the Vine in Il tone Of whitening contempt
His wife had grown very silent, for hel
memory was recalling gradually Sylvia:
reckless conduct. A hundred tliies came
back to her mind. which now bore fear
full significance. What would not the pool
woman have given TO have been deaf
dumb, and blindi Like everyone who ha:
been sorely disappointed in life, she fell
as if ignorance was the most desirable
thing IN the world.
Mrs. fenman rose To 60. Mr.. ChipI
lighted the gas in his empty shop. and
his wife cried quietly in her dark back
room.
When job reached home. his sister wa;
there TO receive him. and she told him o
her visit with tears in her eyes.
.'They refused to believe me-" she said
Her brother patted her kindly on the
shoulder.
I'VE did il for the best, my dear. and
for the honor Of our dear old masters
firm"
From this time forth Job was sad and
silent. His cash-box was kept very low
by constant applications for money from
young Speed.
MY confidence is shaken" he said tc
himself. in low voice. And i'll the middle
Of the day, he saw Sylvia in gorgeous
raimsnt coming down the wide stone steps
OF the house. he grew hot with indignation
as he looked at her. Was it for such a
mass of frippery as that, that the honor ol
a great mercantile house was imperilled
Mrs. Florence never suspected that the
old cashier, behind his wire grating, was
her bitterest enemy, who watched her
every acf, knew the hour that her sing
ing mistress arrived, and how many times
a week hei milliner and drcssmaker, both
laden with boxes appeared. job counted
the parcels that came from the shops
end pccred cuiiousls, in ut all the windows
Of the Florences' rooms. The rich cover
ings of the furniture, the baskets of rare
flowers. the tall china vases. none of them
ESCAPED his observation. But he studied
Florences face more than anything else
Could it be possible that this man accep-
ted his dishonor quietly--that he knew il
There seemed something monsirous in
connecting such an idea with his old
friend ;the kindest. the most generous, the
most sincere of men, But it is singular
fact that unsuspicious natures. once
aroused 10 u ceraiuIly III cNli. go after
wards always too far. Once convinced oi
the falsehood of George and Sylvia. 1t was
easy for the cashier To lIclieve Florence
10 be base also Besides, how conld any
one understand otherwise his cxtraoidi-
nary indifference to the increased and
enormous expenditure of the firml
job had little comprehension of Flor
ences nature. Although the latter was
thorough business man. he had much
of the temperament OF the artist. the in
ventor job could not understand that a
man ON the verge of an important dis
coyery. that would rcyoluiionize their
business. lived entirely within himself
ami had neither eyes nor ears or any
thing else Such people are like somnam-
bulists; though their eyes are wide open
they sec nothing.
But job fancied that Florence saw all.
This false idea rendered the old man ex-
tremely unhappy. He watched his friends
face whenever they were together and
gave his own solution of each heeting ex-
precision; until at last, discouraged 10y the
abstraction which he saw there. he would
turn away in disgust. busy himself with
his papers and accounts. and hardly
deign 10 answer question.
No more pleasant little chats over the
books; no more friendly smiles. Florence
vaguely felt the change. and finally spoke