Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-03-04
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RN the intervals of trade-and the
intervals came often and fingered

I
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 Bruce's called him Old
Adam-conversed socially with Greg
Dry Knox. They were the Oldest clerks
in the store and were getting gray in
the service.
"My! Hot, amt it? Stockin's amt
runnin' real spry today" Adam said,
with cheerful laugh. He leaned over
the counter and famed his round, red
face with n 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 1 look as peart's 1 feel"
Gregory Knox answered.
"You're played out, sonny. What
you needs week or two off. You
tackle the boss tonight an see what
you can do.'
I
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.
give been gettin' my courage
screwed. Oh, I'll tackle him. But
what's the use?'
| c1,r,,n ic CHI IN,
der the rusty seersucker coat.
"You goin' to try it, Adam?"
"Me? Oh, Pm all right. / get
aboard my wheel at close up an skite
out into the country ways. Nothin'
like it-not in this world. That's all
the country 1 need. Get wheel, man;
get a 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. He had one of his whim-
steal fancies that perhaps his chance
might come when he got to the streets
Of gold.
The slow afternoon crawled toward
SiOSSuI. Ut llle SllOhc VI "
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 Bruces dialect,
was out of temper. The heat and con-
/ cnaI hin,
"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 q
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
slender sapling, fresh cut. Would
this complicated bamboo affair catch
fuller string of fish than he used tC
catch with his sapling? What beauties
they had been! How the sun had sill
vered their wet backs! Queer how al
day long he had been thinking of trout
and little thread of shadowy watel
ripping under willow trees! He gazet
away out Of the window, and instead
of listless, moving crowds barefoo
boy with string of trout crossed his
retinas.
"There, sir; that's the SWEETEST trout
ing outfit there'll be in the Adirondack.
this summer. You can't beat it," thu
boss said in better spirits.
"No, sir; oh, no." Gregory Knox said
But, then, it's pretty surprisin' what {
string Of fish you can haul in with ,
saplin' fresh cut. You get one jest sap
py enough an jest the right bigness-
tell you'll"
When he turned away moment lat
er, the boss called him back.
ooh, say, Knox!" he called. II tax,
it we can let you off for day-say to
morrow. Well manage somehow. No
at all, not at all; no thanks, man. Wisl
you good luck"
But Gregory Knox had not thanked
him. There seemed no occasion. TIL,
thread of dark water ran under will
lows hundred and fifty miles away.
The boss had relented suddenly. Thu
blood of Izaak Walton, running in boil
their veins, had forged link of goot
fellowship between him and the it'll
old clerk. Such slender link! VIVA
would n day off, one day, avail over
hundred and fifty miles? But in tn,
morning Gregory Knox followed sud
den impulse and slipped down to TIL
sea to catch glimpse of ma and til,
girls. He had not meant to go unit
the last minute, and he went in hi.
shabby store suit and forgot to chang,
his shirt. On the train remorse MS
sailed him sharply. What would IN,
say? No; certainly not. Ma must no
see him in that dubious guise-ma
who was making her one month lont
struggle for gentility in great hote
by the sea. 1t was her one chance fol-
the year-hers and the girls. The,
dreamed of it, and pa worked for i
the year round.
| "I'd ought to have fixed up for mas
sake and the girls" thought Gregory
Knox guilty, and in minute the holi
days zest had vanished. He settled
back DULY on the hot velvet cushions
and made his plans YEARLY. lie
would keep out Of sight-that would be
easy enough in such crowds-and ma
and the girls need never know he had
been there at ALL 1t would be mice
Jest to see ZEN enjoyin' themselves"
he said.
"Ill keep on the outskirts, out of
their sight. My old clothes won't do
'em any harm that way"
Poor little stocking counter clerk! He
had always been on the outskirts, and
he was fifty years old.
But when he had settled himself on
the great, hot beach, hidden in the lee
of mighty bowlder, whom should he