Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-11-06
How Eben
Struck His Gait
BY JOHN H. RAFTERY.
an OACH & LuflSin, Attorneys at
m 4 !, no

Eben Lufkin, didn't amount to much
either in the affairs of the office, as
LAWYER or as an individual. He was
older than Judge Roach, simmer,
slower, more silent, an old-fashioned
bachelor. AS matter of fact his posi-
ton in the firm was more that of chief
clerk than partner. He wrote most OF
the letters s'by hand" a small, beau
tfful, legible hand, of which he was
proud. Judge Roach "made allow
ances" for "Eben," as he called him.
They had been classmates at college,
and the judge remembered that Lutkln
had been his guide, counselor and
friend at school. In business, though,
things were different. Roach was as
sertive, confident, pushing. He had up
to-date methods and wore up-to-date
clothes. Lufdn had the scholarship
without any ability to "get there"
Roach was one of those men who would
have succeeded from section hand to
superintendency. He got "next" to
everything. After ten years of profit
able law practice he began to 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 to Judge Roach, but his part
ner's cautious, hesitating, methodical
WAYS began to seem irksome. Lufkin
imagined that he was the safety" of
the partnership. Roach began to think
he was hindrance, dead weight. He
no longer felt the need of an adviser,
and he resented criticism. Eben sell
dom ventured to interfere with affairs,
but Roach "felt" that his acts were es-
timated. his words weighed His man.
ners considered, his behavior criticised
by the silent, watchful gentle old fell
low behind the desk. Even Lufkin's
rusty black alpaca coat looked like
tacit remonstrance against Roach's
smart blue serge military"
"He's too slow" thought the judge.
"He's boy yet" said Lufkin to him
self.
"Wonder if Eben'll stand it," thought
Roach, when he made up his mind to
employ young woman stenographer.
"a good wife would make man of
him." unused Lufkin, who didn't know
anything about the impending innova-
ton.
The new stenographer was the
daughter of one of the firms deceased
clients. She was southern girl, with
a bruno, serious face, much wavy black
hair, wistful gray-blue eyes and dis
tant manner. Mr.. Lifkin looked at her
as he might have looked at strange,
beautiful insect when his partner STAN
mered an introduction, but he took the
large, white hand she held out to him,
and said:
"Thank you, Miss Gfldersleeve."
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 Gildersleeye
had been duly installed in her little
corner Lufkin seemed to forget her
presence altogether except when he
entered and left the office. Then it
was "Good morning, Miss Glider
sleeve" or "Good evening, Miss Glider
sleeve" but no more. She had been in
the Office two months before he ven
tured to dictate letter. But he didn't
keep it up. He seemed to prefer writ
ing his own letters with pen. Judge
Roach, on the contrary, never had writ
ten so many letters. In fact, Eben, who
naturally overheard everything, had
never known that his partner belonged
to so many clubs, went to so many
places, knew so many fashionable la
dies, was in correspondence with so
many prominent men.
Btu when the judge bought brand
new oak, drop-top typewriting desk
for Miss Gildersleeve, and had il
placed in his own private Office. where
neither the prying clerks nor the re-
ceptive Lufkin could overhear him die
tating letters, old Eben got out the lit
tie oilstone from his bottom drawer
and, as he sharpened his penknife,
whistled: "The Campbells Are Com
ing'' in weird and dreary discord. A
few days afterward he noticed that
Judge Roach wore a 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
to get the morning paper out Of the
waste basket, he saw the same rose in
a bottle of water on Miss Gildersleeve's
desk.
After that he began to notice lot
of unusual things in Judge Roach's
dress and demeanor, and he whistled:
''The Campbell's Are Coming" all the
time, to all kinds of measure, and
never in tune. Roach was unmistak-
ably irritated when Eben suddenly re-
sumed the dictation of letters. To do
this it was necessary for the old fell
low either to call Miss Gildersleeve into
the main Office or to intrude upon the
privacy of Roach's sanctum. The judge
began to conceive a deeprooted but
unreasonable hatred for his old part
ner Lufkin's correspondence began
to surpass all. reason. The amiable
Miss Gildersleeve was forever taking
notes. But now it was Eben who
monopolized her time.
The Judge tried coming down early
He arrived oneS morning at seven
o'clock. But LufISin, was already at
work Then he trie1l lettering in the
evening, but 1Hben insisted on locking
sa.n