The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-12-04

IN the intervals or trade-anQ the
intervals came often and fingered
u when the thermometer registered
90 degrees-the clerks at Bruce's
drifted together in sparse groups to
talk. The notion counter elbowed the
stocking counter, and Old Adam-ev-
erybody at Bruces called him Old
Adam-conversed sociably with Greg
ory Knox. They were the oldest clerks
in the store and We're getting gray in
the service.
"My! Hot, amt it? Stockin's amt
runnin' real spry today" Adam said,
with a cheerful laugh. He leaned over
the counter and famed his round, red
face with motion" palm leaf.
'Well, guess not! All the swells
are out of town, and poor folks can go
barefoot this weather. What's the
matter with you, old man? You don't
look peart."
81 guess l look as peart's feel"
Gregory Knox answered.
you're played out, sonny. What
you needs a week or two off. You
tackle the boss tonight an see what
you can do.'' n ii
A smile curved the other mans lips
1t would have been bitter smile if
there had been time enough before the
patient lines settled back into place.
The whole pallid, weary face was pa
, tient.
'1've been gettin' my courage
screwed. Oh, I'll tackle him. But
what's the use?" 81.
He shrugged his spare shoulders un-
der the rusty seersucker coat.
"You goin' to try it. Adam?"
"Me? Oh, I'm all right. l get
aboard my wheel at close up an skite
out into the country a ways. Nothin'
like it-not in this world. That's all
the country 1 need. Get wheel, man;
get wheel"
Again the bitter smile that lost it.
self in patience. Gregory Knox was
thinking of the wheel he was trying to
get for Peggy. Both the other girls
had them. lie had one of his whim-
steal fancies that perhaps his chance
might come when he got to the streets
of gold.
uC oAON ultSIlOOI CIdWlcu tOWdIu
closeup. Instantly, at the stroke Of 6,
the clerks hurried toward the great
doors that swung between them and
freedom, but Gregory Knox took an
other way.
"Wish you luck, old man." called Old
Adam after him. But good luck looked
doubtful. The boss, in Bruce's dialect,
was out of temper. The heat and con-
finement rasped him.
"Eh? A week off? Man alive, are
you daft?" he cried sharply Don't
you know we're short handed now?
The young cubs have to go-can't hold
'em in-but you old chaps are our
standbys. You've had your fling"
eyes, yes," murmured Gregory Knox
absently. When had he had his fling?
He was watching the boss fold up
trout pole, joint on joint Then his
pale blue eyes roamed to the litter Of
flies and lines and sinkers on the desk.
He had been thinking of trout pole
all day long. Queer! But his had been
a slender sapling, fresh cut. Would
this complicated bamboo affair catch
fuller string of fish than he used to
catch with his sapling? What beauties
they had been! How the sun had sill
vered their wet backs! Queer how all
day long he had been thinking of trout
and little thread of shadowy water
ripping under willow trees! He gazed
away out of the window. and instead
of listless, moving crowds barefoot
boy with string of trout crossed his
retinas.
''There SIR; that's the swellest trout
ing outfit there'll be in the Adirondacks
this summer. You can't beat it," the
boss said in better spirits.
mo, sir; OH no." Gregory Knox said.
'But, then, it's pretty surprisin' what
string of fish you can haul in with a
saplin' fresh cut. You get one jest sap
py enough an jest the right bigness-
tell your
When he turned away moment lat
er, the boss called him back.
"Oh, l say. Knox" he called. 'I take
it we can let you off for day-say to-
morrow. Well manage somehow. Not
at all, not at all; no thanks. man. Wish
you good luck"
But Gregory Knox had not thanked
him. There seemed no occasion. The
thread of dark water ran under will
lows hundred and fifty miles away.
The boss had relented suddenly. The
blood of Izaak Walton. running in both
their veins, had forged link of good
fellowship between him and the little
old clerk. Such slender link! What
would a day off, one day, avail over a
hundred and fifty miles? But in the
morning Gregory Knox followed sud-
den impulse and slipped down to the
sea to catch a glimpse of ma and the
girls. He had not meant to go until
the last minute, and he went in his
shabby store suit and forgot to change
his shirt. On the train remorse as
sailed him sharply. What would ma
say? No; certainly not Ma must not
see him in that dubious guise-ma,
who was making her one month long
struggle for gentility in great hotel
by the sea. 1t was her one chance for
the year-hers and the girls. They
dreamed of it, and pa worked for it
the year round.
I'D ought to have fixed up for mas
sake and the girls" thought Gregory