The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-04-17
ONE OF THE
CITY'S OWN
How q Young Man Came to Go to
the South African War.

aged the business since the death of
his father, gave him furtive look as
he entered and then turned hurriedly
to bundle of correspondence by his
side and selected 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 trifie and quite IN
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
derW asked Mr.. Dewhurst suspicious
ly.
His clerk gave a simple, straightfor-
ward explanation, which, to a reasona-
BILE man, would have been sufficient.
But Mr. Dewhurst was not in a rea-
sonable humor.
at appears to me, then, that you are
AOI III d1J way " OAd1uCt MIL ANCQOOAt1
he said cynically.
II think not"
"You never make mistaken"
"Not very often"
who is to blame, them"
There was a moments silence, and
the two men looked into one another's
eyes.
you are, SIR" said Redbolt respect
fully. II acted under your instruc-
tions."
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 don't in
tend to be So" said Redbolt, with per-
feet good temper.
Perhaps not, but Pm tired of it.
You forget your proper position and
have crossed my will in several ways"
Mr.. Redbolt colored rather painfully,
and his principal continued, with a
smile OF. spiteful triumph:
"You understand what 1 allude to?"
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
a perfectly even, matter Of fact voice."
"Eh-yes," said Mr.. Dewhurst But
/ won't ask you to continue your work
here"
With that he pushed across the table
a 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 a 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 a 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 a responsible posi-
ton.
Naturally they knew the same people
and to some extent visited the same
houses, and it was in this way that
Dewhurst's inherent jealousy had rip
ened into positive rancor, for that
there was a 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 a 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, it is the
unexpected that often happens. Joe
Redbolt proposed and was refused
point blank.
Now, most men, when they see dan
gerous rival put out of court, bury
their animosity 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 adrift.
Joe Redbolt picked up the pile Of
coins, counted them deliberately and
put them in his pocket
Now, Fred Dewhurst," he said
huskily, eve are no longer master and
IAN, so that can say what think"
Dewhurst looked rather alarmed
and drew 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'll 1t wouldn't be
fair to hit Il man of your sizer'
Mr.. Dewhurst tried to sheer, but only
looked nightly relieved.
81 want to tell you what l think Of
you," said Joe.
$50 on" said Dewhurst with a grin.
"Seeing that you've had the worst OF
it all through, l suppose mustn't
mind a few spiteful wordsg'
81 want to tell you that you're the
meanest cad I've met, and If that poor
girl marries you Pm sorry for herr
''In fact, you're so sorry" said Dew
hurst, chat you'd even marry her
yourself. Capital! And, now you've
said enough, III wish you good morn
ing"
With a mighty effort of self re-
straint Joe pulled himself together,
and, resisting the impulse to knock him
down, swung out Of the room.
He had lost everything girl he
loved and the means of earning his
living. He was alone in the world,
| with no prospect but that Of commence
| ing life again in some counting house,
and Then suddenly he remembered.
Only two nights before he had attend
ed drill at the headquarters OF his vol
unteer corps. The men had been ask
ed which Of them wished to join the q.
/. v. for the front. He thought OF the
glow that had burned through his
veins, how he had longed to offer him
SELF and had only been prevented by
his feeling of obligation to his old
friends business. Now he was freei
That settled it. Old England was In
need Of help from men such as he He
was as sound as a bell In wind and
limb. He had done his turn at. yolun-