Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-06-05
CHAPTER XIII.

coming here bullying mep' exclaimed
Lottie, with indignant tears And che
was still so angry about it when Chester
Sewall came In half an hour later that
she gave him detailed version Of the
interview, doubtless meant to be truth
full, but SO colored by her resentment
that he was no less astonished than she
at the model John Latham having had
such caller.
His interest in the matter, however,
was but slight and transitory. Necessity
had been steadily exercising q compress
i've force upon him, centering his
thoughts in himself, until he had be-
come morose and Indifferent to every.
thing outside his own concerns. Day
after day he tramped about the town
seeking employment and even went
hungry at times to pay postage upon
the handfuls Of letters with which he
replied to advertisements for "help
Wanted''-all without avail Every
where he was met, when making ap.
plication for work such as he deemed
suited to his culture and capacity, by
the question, "What experience have
you had in this liner" Of course he had
had none in that or any other sort OF
real bread winning. Then he would not
suit at all He had even condescended
to argue upon several occasions that the
particular work proposed was so simple
he could master its requirements within
an hour, but the result was the same.
He ''had no experience, p" and that set
tied it. But the cruelest thing as it
seemed to him, was that when he
sought employment at coarse manual
labor his decent clothing, gentlemanly
manners and educated speech, all caused
him to be viewed with suspicion and
rejected.
The title Of translated Russian novel
upon newsstand caught his eye, "The
Superfuous Man" 1t clung in his mind,
waking and sleeping. He recognized it
as himself. Yes, he was "the superfu-
ous man." and there was no place in the
world for him because he had never
had experience" in anything. The only
thing left for him apparently, he
thought, was death, for one needs no
experience to die. While he was main
tanning this seemingly hopeless struggle
for existence the hinkets in the little
box that had been his mothers were be-
coming fewer and fewer, and those now
left were of insignificant value. Parting
with each little object he drew from
the diminishing pile was a new pain,
for these, left until the last were the
ones his mother used to wear most But
he had to eat and have shelter They
were his only remaining resource, and
one by one they went to the pawnshop,
whence he did not hope ever to reclaim
them. So one evil day chased another IN
monotonous succession, each with its
weight Of care and gloom and woe.
Thinking over these and more things
that were all his own, Chester speedily
grew weary Of the chatter Of the sewing
girl, became monosyllabic in his replies
and finally seated himself by the window
in sullen silence, hearing her voice as he
would have heard the twitter Of canary
had one been in the room, but no more.
He was waiting for her to 60 away
The past "a hours had been very event.
full ones for him. Yielding at last to the
pressure of adversely, he had the morn
ing before put his pride in his empty
pocket and gone to ask from the "boss"
Che appointment that Irma had solicited
for him.
Mr.. Pratt received him with courtesy,
tinged, however, as he fancied, with Of
fensive condescension, remembered him
quite we'll and, more extraordinary yet
in politician, remembered his promise
Those who knew Mr.. Pratt best averred
that the bower anchors Of his boss-shlp
were his strange faculty for remember
ing his promises and his no less wonder
full talent in seeming to keep them with.
out doing so. Incidentally he stirred
Chester's bile, without any intent there
to, however, by inquiring:
"What experience have you had LII
practical politics, Mr.. Sewall?'
Controlling himself as well as ne
could, the young man replied politely
but with emphasis:
"None whatever, Mr.. Pratt. The
only experience of any kind that have
had has been in the attainment OF the
knowledge that I have had no expert