Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-10-10

this store!" he said, tiercely. Hes
here, fast enough, and he means to
have me. 1 had the worst time yet,
while you were gone. A customer Just
ignored me. While l was doing my
best to suit her, she ceased to pay me
the least attention, and deliberately
put on her gloves, while 1 stood there
like a fool"
The afternoon opened more pleas
antly with Mrs. Hennessey, large,
broad and richly robed in silks and
jewels.
'Have yez the makin's av driss?"
she asked.
"What color?" inquired Clark.
"Black it is" said Mrs. Hennessey.
She selected "tin yards" of elegant
drap d etc, and wanted it "sint to
Mrs. Hinnissey, Columbia Street"
''What are the initials, please?"
said Clark.
"The 'nishles?" doubtfully.
'To your name, you know"
"Oh, suppose" slowly, "Haitch-
e-n-"
81 beg your pardon" said Clark.
SIS is Patrick, or"
Patrick it isl said Mrs. Hennes-
sey, with genial smile. 81 suppose
Everybody understands he do be build
in the railway. Well, good day to
yez for polite young man," and Mrs.
Hennessey billowed away.
(Which of the two was the lady,
| Collamore?" asked Clark, as he fin
ished doing up the parcel for delivery.
Again the tide turned and brought
disaster. A customer examined piece
after piece of goods, and made dis
paraging remarks about every one of
them. At length she decided upon
pattern, but just as Clark began to cut
1t off she changed her mind and said
she would not take it.
''Is this all you have?" she said.
Madam" said Clark, ST have
shown you every piece of this goods
we have in the store"
The woman lifted her lorgnop, and
leaning over the counter, deliberately
peered among the shelves. "You have
notr' she said.
Madam" blazed Clark, "we tell
the truth here-on this side OF the
counter"
The woman slowly closed her eye
glasses. She really looked pleased. L
have sometimes suspected that she ac-
complished just what she intended to
accomplish, She went straight to the
office and reported that Clark had ac-
cused her of lying.
Young Mr.. Edwin Dale himself
came in and notified Clark of his dis
charge. L think that was unneces-
sary, but it was just after Mr.. Edwin
had taken the management of the
business. In old Mr.. Dale's time, or
now, there would be a more careful
inquiry into the circumstances.
At the time Clark left us trade was
very poor, and it was hard to get a
place. He got few transient jobs,
and during the Christmas rush he had
good position a Green's. After that
| did not see him for several months,
and without quite knowing why, I
began to grow uneasy when I thought
of him.
One chilly afternoon in April, at the
close of business, L took car for
Chelrose, determined to find out some-
thing about my old shopmate. His
wife met me at the door of the little
cottage. She was pale and worn, and
in her eyes was strange look of fear.
Entering the house, 1 found Clark,
wrapped up in a chair, q mere ghost
of his former self. He had suffered
from severe attack of the grippe. 1t
had left him with severe cough, and
what was far worse, profound
melancholy that was verging on in
sanity. He hardly gave me word of
welcome. 1 could not arouse his in
terest in anything about the store.
He soon made his wife leave the room,
and clinching his thin hands together
and looking tiercely at me, said:
"Collamore, the quicker I am dead,
the better, and it won't be long. Look
at my dear wife," and his voice
trembled so that he could hardly
speak, "She has nursed me day and
night till she is worn out. I haven't
worked for three months. I put all
of my savings iEto the furnishing of
this cottage when we were married. I
owe tho doctor fifty dollars that can't
pay. We haven't money enough to
live on week. And itall comes from
my wretched temper. 1t is in my
mind day and night. All 1 can do is
to die and set my wife free before
things, are any worse. Wouldn't it be
right" be whispered, "to--to-"
But 1 wouldn't let him finish. I
protested and tried to give him hope
fulness the best 1 knew how, which
wasn't very well, think, Judging by
the expression on my wife's face when
told her aboutit. But as she started
out the next morning for Chelrose
with basket that was quite too heavy
for her to carry, 1 imagine that she
atoned for my failure.
AS soon as 1 reached the store 1
passed the word, and before noon the
men in the store had contributed one
hundred and twenty-five dollars. Mr..
Edwin Dale was in the department
several times. did not think he could