The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-05

Copyright, 1902, by Daily Story Pub. Co
Six o'clock! and as the mill bell an
nounced the fact the Whir and clang Of
machinery died away and was succeed
ed by the shouts of small boys who came
trooping from the doors of the great fac
tory. Soon a wide stream of humanity
was surging toward the entrance gates.
Following the boys came the young men
with long strides, and after them the
women and girls and great mass of oper-
atives, and, lastly, hobbling along with
the aid Of canes, the veterans of the
mill-men and women who had almost
outlived their usefulness, but who We're
still kept on the pay roll Of the COM
pany.
A few minutes, and the smoke hover
ing over the red chimney lost itself in
the clouds, the night Waterman came
out with his lantern, the gates were clos
ed and another days work was finished.
For all but the bOOkkeeper. In his
Office he still bent over long columns of
figures. Up and down. up and down his
fingers moved until at last he raised his
head YEARLY. 1t was too dark to see.
Taking his hat from it's nail in the cor
ner he made a movement toward the
door, but instead of going out he sudden
low gasp of pain. For a moment he
CROPPED blindly for a chair, then sank
the floor. Half an hour later he rose
slowly and went out, carefully locking
the door behind him. AS he went down
the steps he looked like an old man. his
figure was so bent. But gradually his
walk grew firmer, and by the time he
had reached the little house at the end
of the village he had regained his GUS
tomary upright carriage.
You are late, Felix" said COM
planning voice as he entered the small
sitting room; tea has been waiting near
ly an hour"
Eyes, mother, I know, he answered,
as he stopped and kissed her wrinkled
forehead but 1 could not possibly get
away sooner. There is a press of work
at the Office, and
But the thin hands were raised appeal
ingly.
spare me, Felix! Your father never
used to speak about business. That was
left to the agent. If he had lived we
would never have come to this and she
glanced about the bare room piteously.
Poor little mother, his voice was very
tender as he rested his hand for mo-
ment on her gray hair. 1T is hard, but
perhaps it will be all right sometime"
Something in his voice caused her lips
to tremble little.
It do not mean to be cross, Felix
she said, wistfully, "but everything is
SO different. Your father should have
left a man in charge of the property.
You are not to blame. You were only
a boy, and did what you thought was
best"
He had heard the complaint many times
before, but he answered simply:
Yes, mother, l have done what l
thought was best"
At this moment tall. fair girl entered
the room.
Come, Felix" she said brightly. Il
shall not wait any longer. You must
eat supper so l can wash the dishes
After that you and / can take a walk
down by the canal. want to talk
"a reasonable want he laughed, as
he followed her into the dining room.
Except in age they were very much
alike, this brother and sister; tall and
fair, with warm eyes and quick, sunny
smiles. Only about the temples Of the
young mamie was not yet forty-the
brown hair was beginning tor turn.
While he was eating the girl watched
him anxiously. Suddenly she broke out
with:
81 spent the afternoon with DR.. Breen's
wife,
"Yes?'
ssAnd-and she said that her husband
had been talking about you-that you
ought to leave the office.''
Eyes, he told me something to that
effect nearly year ago, and believe
has mentioned it several times since.