The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-10

the county seat, with logged determine
ton in every lire Of his face. to turn the
law i'm"
When his annual law suit came off the
old man went 70 the county seat for a
week, accompanied by James and Henry
who. the old man said were great COM
fort TO him in his trouble. While IN the
court room and when the long tiresome
Testimony was being taken or the case
argued Henry invariably remained by the
CID mans side. while James walked over
town among the stores, where he was &C
quainted On their return home after these
trials there would follow long course OF
reading by Henry from THE Acts of the
Legislature OF rs" that was kept on the
naarble-top table in the parlor.
HENRY'S OPPORTUNITY.
One winter. when Henry was about sew
enteen years old, his father traded pair
of young draft horses 10 an agricultural
Implement house in Indianapolis for a
couple Of plows and buggy. a few weeks
after he received a letter from the con-
cern stating their dray. driver had left them
and the animals had now been in the
stable for a week and were so spirited
they could find no one to take them out.
The letter asked IL he knew of somebody
G. pable Of managing the animals. The old
N an read the letter TO his family and it was
tie subject Of much silent consideration.
the result Of which Henry said he would
s.. The parents. supposing the arrange
mcnt only temporary, readily gave their
consent. That night. there was taken down
out OF one OF the upper rooms a little trunk
covered with long Rocky mountain goat fur
Ghat always had an offensive Odor in damp
wcather) and ornamented outside with
brass-headed lacks. The next morning
Henry and his father drove 10 the station,
the Accommodation was tagged. the little
goat-covered trunk was thrown into the
baggage car and as the train pulled out
Henry. from the rear platform. waved his
and 10 his father and Mr.. Rawlins, and
tbs was the last that Waysville ever saw
OF Henry Mcclure and the little goat-fur
trunk.
re arrived at the agricultural implement
house ard ventured no further introduce
tion than that he was Henry Mcclure and
had come 20 drive the team. He was shown
the stable, made no reply to the caution to
be careful harnessed the horses, drove
them around the block at a runaway pace
and brought them up in front of the store
ready for further orders. and driving the
dray was Henry's principal duties for sew
eral months. Another was to watch the Of
fee during the noon hour while all the
other employees were out. After he had
eaten his lunch out of a newspaper, he
turned his attention to the literature of
the Office which consisted OF commercial
agents reports, bankers directories and
catalogues.
one noon a richly dressed woman came in
the store and asked to see a carriage she
had looked at few days before Henry
led her to the freight elevator and to the
show room on the second floor. where she
pointed out the carriage or which her mind
was concentrated. Henry opened its doors,
coiled her attention to receptacle for Wis
ting cards, clock in a leather case, a
Speaking tube which communicated with
the drivers box. and when she asked the
cost Henry went down stairs and figured
1t from discount sheet on the bookkeep-
er's desk. returned and told her it was $500.
TIE woman left a check for the amount and
instructions to have il ready in an hour,
for her coachman would come with the
horses. He went upstairs again, busted off
the carriage. oiled the wheels, put it on the
elevator. had it standing at the curb stone
with the tongue attached and was sitting in
the Office reading before any one returned
arrived and saw the carriage N the street
he asked about it. Henry made no reply,
but handed him the check. and the proprie-
tor told him if he could do that he would
give him a better job.
Every story is continued one There
are many boys who have come into a city
from, provincial surroundings and have sue
ceeded in professional and social life by in
f7,tanca of ffs and ft 10 nm
necessary to follow Henry McClure's move
ments for the last ten years. 1t can be
easily imagined. for on the top floor OF one
OF the newer downtown Office buildings is
suite consisting of three rooms, a large
library, the walls OF which are lined with
law books, and a Spanish leather top table
OF weathered oak, with chairs to match, in
the middle OF the room. Most conspicuous
in the outer office is a well-groomed
stenographer. near the door on a black
PEDESTAL rests a green bronze bust OF Sir
William Blackstone. at the end OF the room
stands a tall weathered oak clock with
gold-plated hands circulating around gold
plated figures on a wooden dial plate. Here
and there are weathered oak chairs up
holstered in Spanish leather, on the floors
of the rooms are Turkish rugs and on the
walls are hung pictures Of the chief Jus
tees OF the United States Supreme Court
fl session and expensive engravings of
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
Seated at a weathered oak desk in the
private Office IS man. the embodiment of
tie tailors art Every time he pulls out
his handkerchief the room IS permeated
with an odor like that emanating from an
III per bureau drawer. IL is Henry Mcclure
Once in two or three months man comes
81 the outer Office and seats himself in he
darkest corner. His very presence makes a
jarring note in the attuned surroundir gs
Ills clothes. a mixture of cotton and wool
hang on him in folds Under his split finger
nails is a sample of Waysville soil He has
a several days growth beard and the skin
on the back OF his neck is checked As he
sits with his hands clasped in his lap he
twirls his thumbs and stares open-mouthed
into vacancy. 1T IS James Mcclure.
MEETING WITH AN ANACONDA.