Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-04-19
ONE OF THE
CITY'S OWN
How a Young Man Came to Go to
the south African War.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

aged the business since lne ueatn Oh
his father, gave him furtive look as
he entered and then turned hurriedly
to bundle Of correspondence by his
side and selected a letter with an air
of malicious satisfaction.
The ball was opened by Mr.. Dew
hurst unfolding a cantankerous COM
plant from an unimportant customer.
1t was the merest tritle and quite un-
worthy of the occasion. Nevertheless
Joe Redbolt was by no means surpris-
ed at the tone adopted. For some time
past the smallest opportunities had
been seized for fault finding, and he
knew by instinct that the climax had
been reached
"How do you account for this blum
der" asked Mr. Dewhurst suspicious
ly.
His clerk gave simple straightfor-
ward explanation, which, to reasona-
bic man, would have been sufficient.
But Mr.. Dewhurst was not in rea-
sonable humor.
at appears to me, then, that you are
not in any way to blame, Mr.. Redbolt,"
he said cynically.
Il think not"
"You never make mistake"
"Not very often
"Who is to blame, them
There was moments silence, and
the two men looked into one anothers
eyes.
You are sir" said Redbolt respect
fully. II acted under your instruc-
TONS"
This appeared to give the unworthy
little tyrant his opportunity.
"You are more than half imperti-
nent," he said roughly.
81 give you my word that l don't in
tend to be So" said Redbolt, with per-
feet good temper.
perhaps not, but I'm tired of it,
You forget your proper position and
have crossed my will in several ways"
Mr.. Redbolt colorcd rather painfully,
and his principal continued, with q
smile of spiteful triumph:
"You understand what allude TOT"
The clerk bowed slightly
'"Then l think you had better look
about for another situation"
"Shall we calculate the month from
last Monday" inquired Joe Redbolt in
perfectly even, matter of fact voice."
''Ell-yes," said Mr.. Dewhurst. But
l won't ask you to continue your work
here"
With that he pushed across the table
little pile of coins which had been
counted out already, clearly showing
that he intended from the first to make
use of the opportunity.
For the first time Joe Redbolt looked
angry. 1t was adding insult to injury
to send him away at moments no.
tice, as if he had disgraced himself.
1t was the more outrageous because
he was a distant relation of the Dew
bursts by blood. The two young men
had been for short time at school
together. They had entered the firm
together, and Redbolt had worked his
way up by sheer ability under old Mr..
Dewhurst's eye to responsible posi-
ton.
Naturally they knew the same people
and to some extent visited the same
houses, and 1t was in this way that
Dewhurst's inherent Jealousy had rip
ened into positive rancor for that
there was member Of the fair sex at
the bottom Of it is almost obvious.
The innocent cause of the trouble.
little dreaming Of the mischief she was
creating, had thoroughly enjoyed the
rivalry Of the two men, as every
daughter of Eve is bound to do, and
she had not made it quite clear which
Of them was to be favored, which is
certainly woman's privilege.
But Joe Redbolt was generally be-
lieved to be the lucky man, and Dew.
hurst had vented his unmanly spite by
thousand annoyances in the Office
However, in love, as in war, 1T is the
unexpected that often happens Joe
Redbolt proposed and was refused
point blank.
Now, most men, when they see a dan
gerous rival put out Of court, bury
their luminosity and even become gen.
erous.
But this was not the case with Fred
Dewhurst. Petty annoyances develop.
ed rapidly into daily insults until the
morning as we have seen, he had
found an excuse to cut his former
schoolfellow adrft.
Joe Redbolt picked up the pile Of
coins, counted them deliberately and
put them in his pocket.
"Now, Fred Dcwhurst," he said
husklly, eve are no longer master and
man, so that can say what | think"
Dewhurst looked rather alarmed
and drew a small silver bell near to his
side.
ooh, don't be frightened" said Joe,
with smile Of amusement. I'm not
going to thrash you 1t wouldn't be
fair to hit man of your sizc"
Mr.. Dcwhurst tried to sheer, but only
looked nightly relieved.
II want to tell you what think of
you" said Joe.
"Go on" said Dewhurst. with grin.
"Seeing that you've had the worst Of
1t all through, suppose ! mustn't
mind few spltcful words"
II want to tell you that you're the
meanest cad I've met, and IL that poor
girl marrips Won Pm sorry for hprr'