The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-05-12

STANLEY went home sick yester-
day. he said land his folks have just
pent word thatbe's down with typhoid.
Don't know Whist in the world we are
going do without him. Worst time
fnsthc whole year he could have taken
10 be oil, and not another young fellow
worth. a %plcayune in this good-for-
nothing little town."
stThat all?" asked MIR. Sherman,
with q shrug OF his shoulders. "Busi-
ness is rather driving, / admit, but Il
hardly think the whole establish.
ineut will have to shut down because
one OF the junior clerks is of duty.
We shall manage somehow, Ashton
we always have. Ah--good-morn-
ing"
Some one else had appeared at the
twenty-five or three, though he might
easily have been taken to be ten or
eve fifteen years older, he looked so
utterly worn and helpless.
~ just steppedi In to inquire IL you
needed any bolp," he said.
Mr.. Sherman and Ashton involun-
tarily exchanged glances, her looked
ut the inquirer, who stood waiting a
reply, In an a%pathetic way, apparently
not expecting q favorable answer.
" Are you u good accountant and pen
W ~ IN teAi #
L write a plain hand, and / am said
TO be very quick at figures"
Some other questions were asked
and answered satisfactorily.
I'VE have q temporary vacancy
through the sickness Of the junior
clerk. You are probably looking for
e more lucrative position" said Mr..
Sherman, finally.
81 am looking for work." was the
r,nn1u tHalf a tnof 10 hnffaf, thon M
bread. IL you will try me, / will do
my best to satisfy YOU"
The result was that an hour later
he was busily at work in the sick
Stanley's place.
81 cannot imagine what we should
have done IL Henderson had not come
along" Ashton remarked to Mr.. Sher-
man q week or two later. "And he is
worth a dozen of Stanley. He's the
best worker we have, and you can de-
pond on him every time"
eve shall not be obliged to shut
down, then on o Of Stanley's
sickness? l believe 1 told you we
should probably manage in some way
replied Mr.. Sherman, with o smile.
".As you say, Henderson is doing well.
l am much pleased with him myself
Time passed. swiftly, and the weeks
grew into months.
SpuhiSy was pdCh W OILY ouU CuV
son had made a place for himself.
!" Worth more than all the rest put
together" Ashton often said. ''Neve,
had anybody take hold SO before and
be SO thoroughly reliable. But Tn
free to confess don't want anything
10 do with him out of business hours,
1t Is we'll / don't, for you can't get him
to stir from that little 1Ox12 room al
Mrs. Dole's on any pretext. Why or
earth doesn't he go round and have 8
good time 2"
Ashton fairly growled in his veXa
ton. Mr.. Sherman looked troubled
He, too, had tried to make it pleasant
for Henderson. He had taken q strong
liking to him, and his faithfulness ii
business had won his respect.
He invited him to his home, anC
. tried to have him become acquainted
with some young people Of his owr
replied politely, but firmly, in the
Five years passed, and, impossible
as it may seem, Henderson had not ar
acquaintance in town, except those
he had made at his boarding place apt
HmOng his business associates, an(
these found hiro utterly inaccessible
save with regard to business matters
Mr.. Sherman's only son, Roy, hat
taken an unaccountable foncJ to hi:
fathers grave clerk. Two people
could hardly be more unlike han they
Roy was a pleasure-loving youth, witt
neither taste nor inclination for bust
ness Of any sort. One would neve,
think OF his caring to consort will
one who seemed to have no other ain
in life than business but for once hi
did.
Bother 1t all, Henderson," he sale
impatiently one day, when for the hun
dredth time his invitation to join som
frolic was refused, you may be "a
nigh and mighty as you please, but
will have my way yet. | never per
sisted iTanything 80 before. The Pate
isquifS encouraged. He says / hav,
got S%he stamina. after all. Whethe
L h$Se or not, I've taken q fancy tt
!. NoI, aud | want you for my friend
Tin not going to give up until 20,
are"
ST am your friend now" replic,
Henderson, with more feeling than h,
had ever shown before.
Then como up to the house to
night, like q good fellow"
II can't, Sherman, truly | can't
now, but perhaps l will sometime
With that, which was MOI Q encourage
ment than he had ever had before
Roy was compelled to be content.
1t wac not long after this that's change
in Henderson was apparent to ever
the most casual observer. E,
q - aae grew ter years younger ia one
ht," Ashton affirmed. 81 should
20 24ly know that he was the same fel
..@, and l actually saw him at the con
cert last night. | hope he won't q
and lose his head, and be good fol
nothing at business ~
Ashton" said Mr. Sherman, laugh
ingly, was there ever a time wher
You weren't worried about something
Here you have been fretting because
Henderson was so gloomy and wouldn',
go anywhere, and now that he is
Frightening up. you are f~retting on
that. Do be satisfied for once, AMI not
progDosticato evil"
We'll, you know yourself, Mr.. Sher.
man, that folks are very apt to 60 from
one extreme to the other"
mo, | don't, not when one has q
good level head like Henderson. So
cheer np.Gur right hand isn't going
TO fail US, take my word for it,"
Soon after this Roy celebrated his
t@enty-first birthday, and Henderson
for the first time accepted an invita-
ton to Mr.. Sherman's house. Rows
delight was u~nbounded.
"You take to it as naturally as a
duck does TO water" he whispered
exultingly once during the evening.
I" What on earth has Possessed you to
make a hermit of yourself all these
n nnltaI NnNna .Nfsl nt N~r.