The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-12-26

was very wealthy and very exclusive,
and this invitation was one which he
lpew even Mr.. Burton and Mr.. True
themselves might have been glad to
receive. The only solution he could
/ imagine was that, as he had been the
shipping clerk who had had charge
of the packing of many costly articles
for the Ware mansion, this might bc
meant as token of appreciation for.
his services-but this explanation
was anything but satisfactory.
However, he presented himself at
the Ware mansion at the time APP
pointed, and was ushered into large
room that was already filed with
guests. Mrs. Thorndykc Ware re-
ceived him graciously, but, as he
thought, with slightly surprised ex-
preston on her face; then he drifted
u'vay from one group to another.
At first he felt difIident and out of
place, but as this wore off he found
himself talking with men whose
names he was familiar with as being
leaders In the financial world. And
little by little they began to listen to
him with interest, and then with def
erence. John Williams had not
passed much of his time in idleness,
and, besides thoroughly familiarizing
himself with the various makes and
trade marks and other intricate de-
tails of the goods in which his em-
ployers dealt, he had stored his mind
| Sxit 80 Iiop a. In
formation. And it SO happened that
rare and unique makes of earthen-
ware was just now the subject in
which the fashionable world was in
terested.
But as the evening wore away his
face began to look puzzled, then
questioning, then grave. At last he
made his way across the room to his
hostess.
81 am glad you have come" she
said. "While the guests were arriv-
ing I could only just bid you well
come. Now, how is Agnes and how
are your sisters?"
at is about them 1 wish to speak,"
he said, bluntly. "Mr. Ware asked
me IL my people were well, and one
of your daughters just asked me il
my sisters were coming to the city
soon. Now, l am alone in the world.
My mother has been dead ten years.
and l never had any sisters. There
has been q mistake"
"Aren't you John Williams. at Bur-
ton g. True's?"
"Yes."
She looked puzzled.
"Is there another clerk Of the same
name i'm the establishments"
"Not that know of. There are sew
eral Williamses, but do not think any
of them are named John"
at is curious. Agnes Williams
wrote me that her son was coming to
the city to engage with Burton &
True, and that she hoped 1 would look
after him a little. She is an old school
friend of mine. thought that you ap-
peared rather older than her son
could be-"
"Well, my being here is a mistake"
he said, gravely. But you must allow
me to thank you, Mrs. Ware, for the
pleasantest evening of my life. will
go now. / am sorry for the person
whose place have usurped, but 1 can
not help being little glad on my own
account. 1t has given me something
to think about and has shown me there
are more sides to life than narrow
minded man sometimes sees"
"But, really, " must not go until
the end of the evening"" Mrs. Ware in
terposed, pleasantly. "It has been a
mistake, certainly; but hope you will
not make that a reason for leaving US"
He shook his head.
81 do not like to take advantage of mis-
takes"
When he saw the new man come in
the next morning he left his desk with
a sudden presentiment of the truth.
"What did you say your name was2"
"Williams, SIR"
"yes; John Williams ,s.r-'
"H'm!"
"Iam Mr.. Burton's nephew" the new
man continued, blandly. "and am
learning the routine of each depart
ment. with view of entering the firm
in January. Iwould have told you this
yesterday il you had given me an op-
portunity. But / am afraid shall have
to ask you to excuse me from handling
the heavy boxes. l am not particu-
larly robust, and must content myself
with the lighter work."
every WELL"
Head of Department Williams creed
was to view the world as huge ma
chine, of which he and his fellow
clerks were cogs. Emotion of any kind
was looked down upon by him as un-
businesslike; so now he turned stoical-
ly to his desk, and his copy clerk
thought he had merely been giving
some orders to the new man.
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