Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-10-26

found fault with her conduct of bust
ness, for the whole board of trade. with
the possible exception of old Grimwood,
was avowedly in love with her. Some
of the older men said they liked her for
her fathers sake: but. popular as he had
undoubtedly been. this hardly account
ed for the universal admiration bestow.
ed upon his daughter. and the Stock Elk
change would have risen as one man to
protest against her removal had Mr..
Sandys proposed such thing. For the
first time in history an action Of the
Western Union received unstinted ap-
probation. But they all recognized that
Howard had the lead as far as the fair
telegraphist was concerned and that he
was the man to keep it. The reluctant
introduction which he had practically
forced from the manager had given him
an advantage at the beginning, and
many of his young rivals maligned
their luck that this advantage had not
been theirs. Howard sent many tele-
grams, and fingered over he.counter as
he handed them in. turning away often
to find the cold. critical eye Of old
Grimwood fastened upon him, which
made him rave inwardly and wish the
ancient broker would attend to his own
business-a complaint which few had
ever urged against the hardened specu-
lator
One evening as Elinor was walking
home young Howard met her at a
street corner and expressed great sur
prise at the coincidence. He told her he
was on his way to see sick friend
who lived on Sixteenth street. and was
quite taken aback when he learned that
she also lived on Sixteenth street He
made the brilliantly original remark
that this was small world after all.
and asked if he might walk with her.
as their paths lay in the same direction.
He was further amazed to hear that
she rarely took street car even when
it rained. for she was fond Of walking.
and it turned out that he, too. was
devoted pedestrian. She believed what
he said. as women will when they have
a liking for a man. and if his conscience
did not check him for his mendacity it
must be remembered that his was
conscience nurtured in the wheat pit
and perhaps somewhat out Of working
order because of the jars received there.
And before we. who are happily perfect,
blame him overmuch it is well to take
into account the fact that he was al
ready deeply in love with the girl. and
much may be forgiven young man in
that disturbing but delightful condi-
tion.
The illness Of Howard's friend proved
to be case that apparently baf1ed the
medical skill of Disopolis, for the young
man was compelled often to visit him.
and. of course, as the hours when he
was free to do 30 coincided with those
when Miss Elinor was on her way home
it is not surprising that the two often
met and walked toward Sixteenth street
together. At first the girl was seriously
alarmed about the illness of the i'll fated
friend. but her memory was better than
Howards 8, and she was astonished when
the Invalid developed several new mala-
dies each week, bidding fair to become
the most complicated instance Of hu-
man misfortunes that ever appealed to
harassed physicians in vain. But at last
the hapless patient became no longer
necessary and was allowed to depart to
the oblivion from which he had been
conjured. the pleasure of meeting and
walking together forming its own ex-
cuse for doing so. Once they encounter
ed old Grimwood taking his shuff1ing
constitutional stroll. ordered by his
medical advisers. and he leered at them.
lifting his hat as they passed with po-
lite ostentation. but nothing he could
do seemed acceptable to Stillson How
ard. who scowled at Grimwood's Per
petual wink and neglected to return his
salutation.
~ suppose it is wicked Of me. said
Elinor. "but / cannot help disliking
that man. Perhaps it is because / know
it was his opposition that caused the
bankruptcy of my father. although that
should be no excuse for me. "
Howard replied in rhapsody which
need not be here recorded, for he was
prejudiced against Grimwood and
made no real effort to do justice to the
distinguished talents Of the shrewd old
man. talking instead Of the impossi-
bility of angels having anything but
loathing for beings Of an exactly op-
posite nature whom it would not be
polite to specify.
One day there appeared to be little
furry in the wheat market, and Elinor
was kept more than usually busy in the
receiving and sending of kilograms.
Most Of them were in cipher, and the
others might as well have been so for
all the impression they made on the
mind of the fair operator But once.
when excitement on the board was at
its highest and the noise at its loudest,
two words caught her attention as an
obtruding nail arrests trailing gar
ment She found herself writing the
words "Stillson Howard" as the instru-
ment clicked off the letters Then she
read the finished dispatch. and for
moment her breathing stopped:
C. T. Grimwood, Board Trade, Disopolis:
Induce Stillson Howard to tuy wheat in
large quantities. Then we have him foul
The signature was that of Grim
woods agent in Chicago. from which
city the message came. Many times ev-
ery day since she had been there the
same signature had come over the wires
For one brief instant arose the temp
fot;on to sunn-ess the dispatch but