The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-30
2 THE ADVERTISERS
 DAILY SHORT STORY.

Six o'clock! and as the mill bell an nounced the fact the whir and clanf of machinery died away and was sue ceated by the. shouts of small boys wnt came trooping from the doors oi tn' great factory. Soon wide stream Q humanity was surging toward the en trance gates. Following the boys cam the young men with long strides. ant afte1 them the women and girls anf great mass of operatives. and. lastly hobbling along with the aid of canes. th' veterans of the mill-men and womer who had almost outlived their usefulness but who were still kept on the pay-rol of the company. ing over the red chimney lost itself il the clouds, the night watchman came ou with his lantern, the gates were closed and another days. work was finished.
 For all but the bookkeeper. In his of flee he still bent over long columns of fig ures. Up and down. up and down hi fingers moved until at last he raised hi: head wearily. It was too dark to see Taking his hat from it's nail in the cor ner he made a movement toward tho door. but instead of going out he sud denly raised his hand to his chest witt a low gasp of pain. For a moment he groped biindly for chair. then sank upon the floor. Half an hour later h'
 
 locking the door behind him. As he went down the steps he looked like an old man. his figure was so bent. But grad ually his walk grew firmer, and by the time he had reached the little house a, the end of the village he had regained his customary upright carriage.
 You are late, Felix" said a complain ing voice as he entered the small sitting room; tea has been waiting nearly an hour" , , :. ,o o..,., as he stopped and kissed her wrinkled forehead; "but I could not possibly get away sooner. There is press of work at the office, and
 But the thin hands were raised appeal
 "Spare me. Felix! Your father never used to speak about business. That was left to the agent. If he had lived we she glanced about the bare room pite-
 Poor little motherv' his voice was very tender as he rested his hand for a moment on her gray hair. Tt is hard. but perhaps it will be all right some
 Something in his voice causer her lips to tremble little.
 T do not mean to be cross. Felix" " she said wistfully. Out everything is so a man in charge of the property. You are not to blame. You were only boy and did what you thought was best"
 He had heard the complaint many
 Yes. mother, I have done what I thought was best" 1.
 At this moment, a tail. fair girl en- tered the room.
 Come, Felix" she said brightly. q shall not wait any longer. You must eat supper so I can wash the dishes. After that you and I will take a walk down by the canal l 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 man-he was not yet forty-the brown hair was beginning to turn.
 While he was eating the girl watched him anxiously. Suddenly she broke out with:
 T spent the afternoon with Dr. Breen's wife
 "Yesp"
 'And-and she said that her husband had been talking about you-that you ought to leave the office."
 'Yes. he told me something to that effect nearly year ago. and l believe has mentioned it several times since. He spoke lightly and helped himself to another biscuit.
 And you never told us?" reproach- fully.
 W n2t was LIle uSe. WdS nOt Teduy to leave the office" Then he added whim- sically: :""1 have arranged for a grand spree in August Harry and Bess will bo home from school and the four of us will go for months jollifcation anfong the Maine lakes. Aunt Betty will come and stay with mother"
 For moment she looked at him to see if he were In earnest, then, spite of her twenty-tvo years, promptly mounted a chair and whirled a napkin ah hav. aha inAiI1Oa1 in an energetic pantomime of a war-vhoop.
 Felix watched her appreciatingly.
 That's the way I feel.'' he said. "The mere thought of 9 vacation after fifteen suppose I help you with the dishes, and then we will go out and let you free yourself of the talk"
 Felix" she said little later. as they were walking along the canal pr Breen's cousin arrived from Denver to- day. He said he would call on you soon, and seemed very much surprised to learn that you were only bookkeeper. He said that you had been one of the bril- liant men at college and that great things had been expected from you"
 Felix laughed little.
 Bob was my classmate." he said ''and naturally over-sanguine about his friend. It is the brilliant man who usu- ally makes failures" He, spoke lightly. but something in his voice caused her to draw nearer.
 Felix" she said, after long pause, T want you to tell me all about papa s affairs. We were mere babies when he died and you came home from college to look after things. But Harry and Bess and are now old enough to take our share of the burden. It is our right to know.'
 She spoke earnestly and as they reach- ed a belt of moonlight looked up into his face.
 It was very grave.
 Father was careless" he said, "noth- ing more. We will not speak about him. The rest is very simple. I got a posi-
 Fridays story. "MATILDA's MUTINY,