Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-12-25

that am neither fool nor crazy. This
morning Mr.. Alden took me into part
nership; hasten to tell you the good
news, and you accuse me Of being in
sane; nice encouragement, is 1t not?"
"Oh, Josiah. I am SO gladr' said
sis it really and truly trueY'
Eyes, 1t Is true; and, moreover. Mr..
Alden is coming to live with /us. and
when he dies he will leave all his
wealth to me. Maria. we are rich! No
more pinching and contriving; we can
live like human beings, and the chill
dren can have q chance to be some
body"
"Oh, 10. siah, I am SO gladr' said
Maria, and again the foodgate of tears
was opened; but this time the tears
were those Of joy, and were soon dried
up under her sun of happiness.
Now, Maria, as soon as the chill
dren come we will have a little ex-
cursion and celebrate the birthday of
the junior member Of the firm Of Alden
& Reynolds"
In the bosom of his family, Josiah,
kind and benignant, celebrated the day
which opened to him and his such de-
nghtfuE prospects.
Next morning Josiah, went to his
work at the usual hour. The rest of
the help congratulated him-some hon
| estly, some enviously-but all sub
serviently. He Informed Mr.. Allen
that he could not receive him till a
| week had passed, for he was about to
move into new house.
"You know, Mr.. Alden" he said,
'ft would not do for the firm to live
in such neighborhood as that in
which formerly lived.'
mo, certainly not" assented Mr.. AL
den.
In a week everything was arranged.
! Mr.. Alden was installed with his new
| partner in a fine house, nicely fur
| nished. 1t was true Josiah was obliged
to run in debt for the furnishings, but
| then the firm was good for it. Mar
tha had her music teacher; Alfred was
| sent to college; Maria was not allowed
| to do much of any work, except to
| oversee the girl; the children were
! finely dressed and everything went as
naturally as If the family had never
Il.
Mr. Alden made his will. leaving his
entire wealth to Josiah: but despite
the kind care of Maria, he daily grew
weaker. He never went to the store,
but Josiah, now always neatly dressed
and with bud on his coat, kept the
business up to it's usual standard,
! though he had ceased to work as he
| was wont to do when a clerk.
Business was very satisfactory; the
life just suited Josiah; he felt himself
expand and broaden; it pleased him to
be called Mr.. Reynolds by those who
formerly called him Josiah or even
plain Reynolds. 1t gratifed him to
say to a good customer: 'My partner,
Mr.. Alden, Is not well; he is staying at
my house, or to say to a customer
from out of town: "We dine at six;
will you honor us?"
l. For three months all was rose-col-
ored-then the bills began to come in
the quarters rent, bills from the
house furnisher's, Alfred's college ex-
penses, tailors', grocers', butchers and
a thousand and one other bills poured
in like an avalanche, till the poor man
was nearly distracted, and found it
even harder to make both ends meet
than when working for fifteen dollars
week. Pride would not allow him
to recede from his position, and by
hook and by crook he managed to
make things come out nearly right;
but was obliged to borrow few hun
dreds from a friendly broker, who
| fhn oir 70 Of -
will, and who readily took Josiah's
note.
Months went on thus, outwardly
pleasant to all, but Josiah found him
self steadily getting into debt to the
friendly broker on whom he had to call
to keep up his credit and appearance.
ut is only for short time,' he ar
| gued. "Mr. Alden cannot live much
longer, then I will have the whole
store and all his money"
Thus Josiah went on, calculating on
the death of his benefactor, till from
calculating he grew to thinking.
"What is the good of his living? He
is of no use to himself or others, and
only stands in the way of my advance
ment. Well. he cannot last much
longer, for he grows weaker day by
day"
This was indeed true; Mr. Alden
was unable to leave his room; he had
no particular ailment, seeming to sue
cumb merely to old age.
A year had passed and Josiah owed
| the broker about one thousand dollars.
| When he borrowed his last installment
his friend said:
How long do you think old Alden
will last?'
81 do not know. He is now eighty
five years of age, and certainly should
not last very much longer"
81 do not know about that" said
the broker. "I was talking with life
insurance agent few days ago, and
he said that according to the mortality
tables Of the Insurance company a man
of eighty-five years could expect to
live for five years."
"Whatw groaned Josiah, "do you
think Mr.. Alden will live to be nine
U?"