Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-01-10

gagged III a business venture of his own
and had failed. 1t was ill-adyised, inn
possible of success from the very start
but he had done his best. He had
worked with superhuman energy.
while wiseacres suggested foolish ex'
pedients and ignorant critics carped
Failure had been gall and wormwood
to the proud-spirited young man, yet
he could not remember that anyone
had spoken of him then as Gaynor had
Perhaps he had not been quite the same
since that ill-advised attempt, and yet
if only she had not died.
At home there had been no trace
of constitutional crankiness" in the
chummy father and husband, no
were his relations with the print
ers in shop II so very disagreeabls
then. But when the relentless hand
of disease, and suffering, and death,
had robbed him of his treasure, tn.
heart of Richards nursed the bitterness
of a misanthrope and he hated the
world. which had ill-used him, and
mankind, who would not understand
him.
The words OF Gaynor's companion
alarmed him. Was there another
crushing blow in store for him thii
Thanksgiving? Steele was his friend
and it was true that Richards was fan
more efficient than his predecessors
but If a concerted demand for his re.
moval were made there could be but
one result. He might not get another
place, and there was the deficit from
that ill-starred journalistic ventur.
which must be paid if he hoped to hold
up his head among men again.
Richards, as usual, was the last to
stop work, and the others had passed
into the front room or the street when
Minus approached him.
Steele wants to see you, Mr.. Rich
ards"
The tense lines about Richards
mouth grew harder than they had at
Gaynors words. AS he entered the OF
fee the two or three who had beer
Longing in the street returned. They
were all there, waiting to witness his
humiliation. Steele turned away from
his desk as his foreman entered.
"You want to see me?" said Rich
ards, quietly.
Eyes. The fact Is, Richards, we have
been considering your case lately
Perhaps the boys lave mentioned il
to you"
NO, sir" said Richards, doggedly
He knew what was coming and was
determined to die game. mo, they
never mentioned 1t. The boys don't
get much chance to talk in there, MI
Steele"
well, they have been talking to me
and it has set me to thinking that
something must be done. We have all
thought a whole lot about you the past
wear, but it is easier TO let matters
slide along than it is 10 take action
and then you know most Of us have
troubles of our own. You're lonesome
here. Richards. You're not one OF us
at all. You're morose, and bitter, and
think we're all against you, when the
fact is we're only careless and don't
know very well how to approach you.
We've let you alone in your troubles.
and we're all heartily ashamed OF II
There. there, never mind what you
thought. We're only going to have
little family party for the printers
tomorrow, and you and your boys are
to be with us. 1t will make you feel
better to get out among people again.
and you'll find we were not as heartiess
as you thought"
"It's going to be lovely day." re.
sumed the editor, while Richards stood
like a bashful boy, unable to frame
reply. Perhaps we ought to go to
church. But there's Neck we
couldn't take him along, could wef
And want this TO be an outing for the
whole force" He arose and looked
around the little circle of faces, and
perceived that two awkward situations
were impending: Richards was in dan.
ger of utterly breaking down, and
Mrs. Jillson was about to break into
the conversation. He seized his hat and
started for the door.
"Of course you'll come, Richards.
That's all settled" Steele was an en-
terprising man who had begun life as
a section hand and afterward very
properly abjured that calling as too
humble for one of his talents. Among
other accomplishments pertaining u
his new station he had laboriously sc-
quired a fashionable accent, which he
was generally at great pains to ex-
plot in his conversation. In moments
of excitement, however, he was prone
to return to the idioms of the section
boss, and in his haste to get away from
Mrs. Jillson he voiced very excellent
sentiment in very bad English.
There's ways and ways of celebrat-
ing New Years. don't quarrel with
no other mans way, but right here In
this Office I don't see how we could do
a better job Of celebrating than by help
in Teller out of the blues"