The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1903-07-03
The Story Of
Shylock II. ~
By FRANK WALL


THE clerks in our office decided to-
day that the story of Shylock II.
must be given to the world. 1t was
also agreed that the literary part of
the work must be done by me, Jack
Slade, because last year I won a sill
YER watch in competition, by guess
ing almost exactly the number of
peas in a bottle.
Well, to begin with, four years ago
Harry Haywood was the best-liked
fellow in our office. Four months
ago he was the best-hated man in
the place.
This loss of popularity was entire
]y due to himself. From a bright,
cheerful kind of chap, up to no end
of larks and always impecunious be-
tween pay-days, he became quiet,
miserable looking beggar and reg
ular miser. Young Enthusiastically
clever youngster, by-the-bye--says
that a miser is the most unselfsh of
all men, because he denies himself
all his life for the sake of his heirs.
But, anyhow, you can understand
that Haywood gradually ceased to
be favorite with us. Some one chris
tened him Shylock H., and the name
stuck to him like a leech.
We knew for a fact that he lived
in lodgings and had not 4 relation
in the world, so that the venerab BILE
yarn about supporting poor old
mother and bundle of sisters
wouldn't answer in this case. It was
also known that he had been en-
gagged to be married, but no one had
seen him with the girl for long
time-several years. The most plaus-
IDLE explanation was that a broken
engagement had soured his heart
and turned him into misanthrope.
His clothes were worn to the very
last stage of shabbiness. It was five
years since he had had a new over
coat, and as for his gloves, they were
extinct altogether.
And yet, somehow, most of us
liked him, although we were
ashamed to admit it. There was
something so sad about his face
Not that I or anyone else ever heard
him complain; he'd too much grit
for that.
And as for his miserly habits, we
couldn't think they were adopted for
his own benefit, otherwise what be.
came of the money he saved, and
why did he spend so little on his
clothes and food?
OF course, I'm arguing these mat
tiers now in his favor, but at that
time the opinion of the fellows was
entirely hostile. think we were all
inclined to imagine the poor chap
could have justified himself, but he
never tried to do so, and perhaps
that turned us against him; and
after awhile we had drifted so far
apart that no one in the office spoke
to him except about business. How
he stood it I don't know: I expect
he felt bad sometimes, but he gave
no sign, except that he seemed to
grow thinner and shabbier every
day. But all this time he must have
been saving nearly a hundred pounds
year out of his princely income of
one hundred and fifty.
One evening had to meet a train
at Butcher street station. You know
what an old rabbit-warren of a place
it is, so you will understand how !
only found the platform at the last
minute. The porter told me it was
No. Z, and so I fixed myself there
with a cigar so as to impress the
girl favorably when she looked fer
. me as the train came in.
I struck a grand attitude and hun
on to it until the train stopped. The
guard skipped out of his van. ard
just to make certain I asked him If
he had come from Clapham.
Not exactly" he answered; "this
is the South Coast express -,
): "Oh!" I said, and looked round for
the porter who had accepted nv
>twopencs on false pretenses.
The next moment forgot all
about everything else in the shock OF