The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-02-13

COURSE MI ueliJ attohuou w 1hh1' all
right"
Mills stood and thought half minute,
in his slow way. Then he asked:
"Please, Mr. Thorn, is this business
matterp'
"Business2 Well, l should say sol"
"Then, sir, can you give me Mr..
Gillespie's Toledo address? Mr. Helfy
may wish to know it,"
"Can't. He's gone to his sisters,
Mrs. Barton Brown. l don't know her
street and number"
Mills VIZ mt back to the office. Peters
had gone, and the janitor was locking
up. He went in and found the note to
Gillespie lying upon Mr.. Helfy's desk.
So he hurried to Mr.. Helfy's house;
found that Mr.. Helfy had gone to the
,Jera; had no money to go in; scrubbed
note, and, by some urging, got an
usher to hunt up Mr.. Helfy among the
audience and deliver it. This note
read:
"MR. HELFY. Your note to Mr..
Martin Gillespie could not be delivered.
Mr. Gillespie has gone to Toledo to
spend the holiday with his sister, Mrs.
Barton Brown. | looked up her adj
dress in Toledo directory. 1t is I'll
Maumee Ave. Mr.. Thorn got his note.
He said all right. He asked me if Mr..
Gillespie was notified, and seemed to
think it important business. l am
waiting at the door, if you have any
orders. GORDON MILLS"
This note brought Mr.. Helfy out,
looking worried. He questioned Mills
closely; and finding that the note
brought by the usher contained all that
the boy could report, he said:
you've done me good turn, Mills.
If you had not brought me this rews
might have been III bad fix. Now l
shall have to telephone to Gillespie,
and | may be engaged all the evening.
| wish you to take care of Mrs. Helfy
and my daughter. Here is my ticket
Tell them not TO worry if am out late,
and explain how Pm called away on
business You'll enjoy this opera-it's
good one"
Mills flushed at the idea of attending
the opera, in reserved seat, in such
distinguished company.
"Thank you, sir" he began eagerly;
then he hesitated; "but-"
"Well, sir? Don't you care for opera?
Or perhaps Mrs. Helfy and my daugh-
ter are not to your taste?" Mr.. Helfy
chuckled.
80 yes, sir. \ should so like to 60
inl But l haven't been home. Mother
expected me more'n an hour ago; she'll
worry. Then Pm not dressed fit to
join Mrs. Helfy,. you see. Pm in my
office suit; it's the best I've got, but
'tisn't fit for opera with your family.
Besides-' He hesitated again.
"Never mind your clothes. Mrs.
Helfy and Mary will welcome you, not
suit of clothes. I'll send messen-
ger-boy with a note to your mother.
Is that alp"
No, sir; only"
Well? I'm in hurry"
eft you'll lend me quarter, sir; and
if Mrs. Heliy can wait five minutes.
You know we were busy to-day; so l
didn't 60 to lunch at noon, and with
this Grand, haven't had any supper,
and Pm just faint"
What No dinner! No supper!
Here, take this dollar and run across
the street to that restaurant. Take
your time to eat good hot meal.
You'll have plenty of time; the curtain
won't rise for ten minutes yet. And
tell Mrs. Helfy to have John drive you
home, if she doesn't think of it herself.
Nothing to eat all day Now look here,
boy; don't let me ever catch you again
going without your regular meals even
to look after businessmen unless it is
something very extraordinary. Great
Scott! What was Peters thinking of, to
allow such thing? There, run along,
and enjoy yourself"
Never did boy enjoy an opera more.
Mr.. Helfy and her daught r received
him with gentle courtesy, just as if he
were their chosen escort. Mrs. Helfy
herself thought to order John to drive
him home, and John performed that
duty with all the decorum due to an
honored guest of the family The next
morning Gordon gave his mother rap
turous account OF his evenings pleasure.
On Monday both the boys enjoyed
their holiday greatly, though offer
emily. Porter went on a steamboat ex-
cursion in the afternoon with COM
pany of young people of good society,
and had good time. Mills, whose
mother needed all his earnings for
necessarits, could not afford such an
expense; but he took part in an excit-
|
and another,
1t happened that, about noon, the
boys met at the office, where they went
to view procession from the office
windows, the janilor admitting them.
When they were going out gentleman
stopped them, and inquired of Porter:
AREN'T you Helfy's boy?"
"Yes, sir.''
"Know where he is?"
mo, sir. Office closed to-day. Do
you wish to see him?"
81 hoped to catch him here"
Anything important, sir, worth
hunting him up?"
Don't know; dare say it'll do as we'll
tomorrow. l just meant to give him a
friendly pointer; but it's likely he
knows more about it than l do. In
case he doesn't though"
HE took from his pocket card,
bearing upon its face the words: "Asd
Deming, Real Estate" and wrote upon
its back with pencil: