The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1902-11-14
How Eben
Struck His Gait
. JoHN =. RAFTERY.

n u
Law" That was the firm name.
but everybody, including the Office boy
and the bookkeeper, knew that Lufkin,
Eben LufSin, 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 a matter Of fact his posi-
tiOn in the firm was more that Of chief
clerk than partner. he wrote most OF
the letters "by hand" a small, beau
tiful, Iegible 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 Lufzin
had been his guide. counselor and
friend at school in business, though,
things were different Roach was as
serrfve, 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
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 a 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- LufEin
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 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. watchfuI, gentle old fell
low behind the desk. Even Lufkin's
rusty black alpaca coat looked like a
tacit remonstrance against ROach's
smart blue serge military"
Hes too slow" thought the judge.
Hes a boy yet said Lufkin 10 him
self
wonder if EbenTI stand it, - thought
Roach. when he made up his mind TO
employ a young woman stenOgraPher-
"a good wife would make a 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 a southern girl, with
a bruno. serious face. much wavy black
hair, wistful gray-blue eyes and dis
tant manner. Mr. Lufkin looked at her
as he might have looked at a 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 GfldersIeeve."
He was always polite like that, even
to clerks, servants, and beggars, and
Judge Roach had an idea that II was
one Of the qualities that helped to keep
Eben down. When Miss Gildersleeve
had been duly installed In her little
corner Lufl1in seemed to forget her
presence altogether except when he
entered and left the Office Then Il
was "GOOd morning. Miss Glider
sleeve. OF Good evening. Miss Glider
sleeve" but no more She had been In
the Office two months before he ven
tured to dictate a letter. But he didn't
keep II up ne SEEulCu 10 prefer v III
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 Ia
i dies, was in correspondence with 50
many prominent men.
Btu when the judge bought a brand
new oak, drOp-toP tyPewriting desk
I for Miss Gildersleeve, and had II
! 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: 'TThe CamPbells Are Com
ing IN a weird and dresry discord- A
few days afterward he noticed that