The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-28
HOW EBEu STRUCK HIS GAIT.

TOW GBEN STRUCK Fio GAlf.
Roach s. Lufkin. Attorneys at Law.
That was the firm name. but everybody.
! including the Office boy and the book
/ keeper, knew that Lufkin, Eben Lufkin.
didn't amount TO much either in the az
fairs OF the office, as q lawyer or as an
individual RE was older than Judge
Roach, simmer. slower. more silent. al
cld-fashioned bachelor. AS a matter Of
fact his position in the firm was more
that OF chief Clerk than partner. He wrote
most Of the letters by hand" q small,
beautiful, legible hand. of which he was
very proud. Judge Roach made allow
ances' for Eben, as he called him.
! They had been classmates at college. and
the judge remembered that LUfkin had
| been his guide, counselor and friend at
school. IN business, though. things were
different. Roach was assertiVe, confident.
pushing. He had up-to-date methods and
wore up-to-date clothes. Lufkin had the
scholarship without any ability TO get
there" Roach was one OF those men
who would have succeeded from section
hand TO SUPPLEMENTARY. He got next
TO everything. After ten years Of profit
able law practice he began 10 regard
Eben more as one Of the office fixtures
than as friend and equal. Being wealthy
by inheritance. the division OF profits
with Lufkin didn't matter 10 Judge
Roach, but his partners cautious. hest
tating, methOdical ways began 70 seem
irksome. Lufkin imagined that he was
the safety Of the partnership. Roach
began to think he was hindrance. a dead
weight. He no longer felt the need of an
adviser. and he resented criticism. Eben
seldom ventured to interfere with af-
fairs, but Roach felt that his acts
were estimated. his words weighed. his
manners considered, his behavior criti-
cised by the silent, watchfCl. gentle old
fellow behind the desk. Even Lufkln's
rusty black alpaca coat looked ike a
tacit remonstrance against Roach's smart
blue serge military"
Hes too slow thought the judge.
Hes boy yet, said Lufkin 10 him
self.
Wonder if EbeuH stand it," thought
Roach, when he made up his mind 10
employ a young woman stenOgrapher.
A good wife would make a man OF
him" unused Lufizin, who didn't know
anything about the impending innova-
ton.
The new stenographer wac the daughter
Of one Of the firms deceased clients. She
was southern girl. with a bruno. serious
face, much wavy black hair. wistfuI gray
blue eyes and a distant manner. Mr.. Luf-
kin looked at her as he might have
looked at a strange. beautiful insect when
his partner stammered an introduction,
but he took the large, white hand she
held out to him and said:
Thank you. Miss Glldersleeve."
He was always polite like that. even to
clerks, servants and beggarS and Judge
Roach had an idea that it was one of the
qualities that helped TO keep Eben down.
When Miss Gildersleeve had been duly in
stalled in her little corner Lufkin seemed
to forget her presence altogether except
when he entered and left the office Then
1t was Good morning. Miss Gildersleeve,
or Good evening. Miss Gildersleeve," but
nc more She had been in the office
two months before he ventured TO die
tate letter. But he didn't keep il up.
he seemed to prefer writing his own let
tiers with a pen. Judge Roach. on the
contrary, never had written so many let
tiers. In fact. Eben. who naturally over
heard everything, had never known that
his partner belonged to so many clubs.
went to so many places, knew so many
fashionable ladies, was in correspond
ence with so many prominent men.
But when the judge bought a brand
new oak, drop-top typ$-writing desk for
Miss Gildersleeve and had It placed IN
his own private office. where neither the
pryins clerks nor the receptive Lufkin
could overhear him debating letters, old
Eben got out the little oilstone from his
bottom drawer and, as he sharpened his
penl1nife, whistled THE Campbells Are
Coming III a wierd and dreary discOrd
A few days afterward he noticed that
Judge Roach wore very brilliant rose
in his buttonhole as he strobe into the
office in the morning. And in the even
ing, after she had gone and the old
bachelor went into the private office 10
get the morning paper out of the waste
basket. he saw the same rose in a bottle
Of water on Miss Gildersleeves desk.
After that he began to notice a lot of
unusual things in Judge Roach's dress /
and demeanor, and he whistled THE
Campbells Are Coming all the time 10
all kind of measure, and never in tune. (
Roach was Enthusiastically irritated when (
Eben suddenly resumed the dictation Of
letters. To do this IL was necessary for I
the old fellow either to call Miss Glider /
sleeve into the main office or TO intrude Z
upon the privacy OF Roachs sanctum. /
The judge began TO conceive deep-root-
"a but unreasonable hatred for his old /
partner. Luflsin's correspondence began ;
20 surpass all reason. The amiable Miss 4
was forever taking notes. +
The judge tried coming down early. He /
arrived one morning AT : O'Clock. But 4
Lufkin was already at work. Then he (
red lettering in the evening, but Eben 4
insisted on locking up.
7 believe the old fool thinks Miss Gil
iersleeve has ensnared me- reflected +
Roach. gnawing his mustache. The med
'lescne FOSSIL
As matter Of fact, the judge had
'ound his steuOgrapher so quick-witted
90 modest. SO ainiabie and so comely that
re was beginning 10 consider the propri
,ty Of showing her a little more personal
itte2tion. You see, she was the daughter
II an old and respected client and she had
'ome 10 town an utter stranger Her
manners were those Of the nurtured
southern lady. She was young. oiflident,
discreet Why not show her
ZONE Of the consideration which is usu-
lily omitted between employee and en-
'loye? 60 thought Judge R0aen. u could
10 no harm. for instance. 10 take her
irving n the park after dark. Nobody
would see them. He could Keep away
rom the crowded drives and fashionable
escorts. So he asked her
''Oh. I thank you. Mr.. Roach. she had
answered. but I promised a friend 20 at
end the concert this evening. It's very
lind Of you. I'm sure"
The, next day. having asked Miss Gil
ersleeve 20 withdraw, Judge Roach look
ne quite solemn. his hand trembling a
flee and closed the door
it his face flushed. called Ebsn into his
flee and closed the door.
EDen, ne said. aWkNsrd-F COM Lsca- J
I've been thinking-of course it's Just
notion % mine. bur I-have you thought
nything Of Withdrawing from the part
crship-coing Ia Tor yourself. E1en1
Yes. I've thought q d. George. saif
.ufSiu. quietiv sad kind - ssr.ie how
ring about the corner q his gentle
aouth. II think I'd have done better
lone. perhaps. but lis nlt late 1oE.
n afraid You see, I've been fitting NY
eif to your necessities 50 long that-bu;
Z you wish r. George
"Oh. / don't zish e.. E5eu hlErted