The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-08-21
WINNING FRIENDS
GRATITUDE---THE SENTIMENT
 SHOWN
By the Practical Owner of a Large De-
 paEtment store.


 Here is a little story which never be- fore has been told in print. but which is surely as well worth the telling as the history of wars and crimes and sharp tricks in the money market with which our papers and minds are filled nowadays.
 A certain shrewd Hebrew merchant whom We shall call Lejee, built, few years ago, a huge department store In one of our large cities. It was planned to occupy a whole block. But the cor ner lot, forty feet square, was owned by an old German watchmaker named Weber, who refused to sell it.
 "No, I will not give up my house, he said. 'I bought it when property here was cheap, and I have lived ana worked here for fifty-two years. l will not sell it."
 "But," Lejee patiently reasoned, "you virtually gave up business years ago. You make or sell no watches now Your sons have other pursuits. You don't live in the house, only sit in this office all day long, looking out Of the wipdow."
 The office was a small corner room III the second story, with an open fireplace around which were set some old Dutch tiles. A battered walnut desk was fit ted into the wall, and before it stood an old chair and a sheepskin cover.
 The old mans face grew red. You are right" he said. "I don't work here. I have enough to live on without work. But I am an old man, and want to live in this room. It is home to me- When my wife and I first came here We were poor. worked in the shop below, but we lived here. Greta fried the cakes and wurst over that fire; the cradle stood in that corner. Little Jan was born here, his coffin was carried out of that door. Greta is dead for many a long year. But when sit here and look out of the windows, l think she is with me. For thirty years she and I looked out of that window and talked of the changes in the street be- low"
 Leiee was silenced for the time, but began his arguments again the next day, doubling his offer.
 "The lot is worth that to me-" he dso body else You are throwing away a large sum which would be great helr to your sons that you may indulge bit of sentiment. Have you the right to do that?"
 Weber was hard pushed. His boy: were struggling on with small means this money would set them on theil feet, would enable them to marry What right had he to spoil their live: that he might sit and dream of olt times? The next day he gave his con sent and the sale was made. The old man lived in the suburbs; ht never came to that part of the towr while the building was in progress When it was finished and the huge de partment store was thrown open to tht public Lejee one day asked him tt come in. He led him through the grea crowded sales rooms, piled one on tol of another for nine stories, and thel drew him into a narrow passage ant flung open door.
 ''There is your little office, just a you left it." he said. ''We have bull around it, and beside it, and over il but not brick in it has been touched There is your fire with the old tiles an your desk, and your chair was brough back to-day. It is your office, MI Weber, and if you will sit here as lon as you live and think of them that ar gone, and watch the changes in tn street below, shall feel there is blessing on the house. because I hay a friend in it."zFrom the Congrega tionalist.