New-York tribune., 1903-01-07

BY WALTER e. GRoGAx.

his desk.
Andrews shufied his feet uneasiIy Ee
dried up old man IN a snufy brown suit with
snuffy brown wig that always scratched awry.
and down his waistcoat and the corners Of the
pockets were the stains of snuff with which he
cleared his brain the daily wrestles with col
urnns and battaIions of figures in the huge snuffy
| brown covered ledgers sacred TO the doings OF
Grandcotrt & Son. His dried up skin took a tfnge
| Of the snuffy brown ledger. and the wrinkles on
/ his forehead exactly like long. neatly ruled
| columns waiting hungrily for figures He was
/ shabbily dressed. shabbily than his master.
| and Mr. Grandcourt known In the City as
old Ragbag." For thirty-fve years he had served
Mr.. Grandcourt. for thirty-1ve years had added
/ UP thousands and thousands OF pounds IN wide
/ columns and scrupulousiy attended to the shings
and pence in ones, and for thirty-fve years
he had shufled and snufled his way in dull circle
/ of life. Mr.. Grandcourt paid him f3 d week. and
| deducted bank holidays. He had paid him this reg
ularly Saturday mornings for thtrty-fve years.
| and he had never been known to forget single
| bank holiday
! Andrews put his first finger and thumb into his
right waistcoat pocket, quite broken down at the
| corner. and nervously took pinch Of snuff. His
| features contracted in noiseless paroxysn- He
never sneezed-l1e was too much dried up for that
but he appeared to gain courage from the habit
It's Christmas Eve. sir he said
| We'll what of that? It's been Christmas Eve be-
| fore; it will be Christmas Eve again. Nothing
wonderful in II. Only excuse for bell ringing
| and overeating and overdrinkng and a lot of alb
| VIII you and understand, Andrews. but senti-
| mental rubbish that never swell your credit at
| the bank or be invested in consols''
Yes. sir. Quite so. sir Good will. eh? He-her'
Andrews laughed mirthess. dried up. snuffy
laugh at the joke Mr.. Grandcourt had perpetrated
severely for Christmas Ewes It was MI
| Grandcourt's only joke. NO news I suppose Of
Master George. sir?" he added, jerkily.
Mr. Grandcourt put down his glasses. and gIared
over the brass rail Of his desk at his wizeued old
| clerk
Andrews he said. sternIy. IT told you
every Christmas for ten years that my is dead
| to me won't have his mentioned. won't
| have it breathedi He de1ed me, Andrews, he
| chose to defy me and-theres an end to Il"
Yes, sir. very foolish Of him, but
fFooHshl 1t wicked Has duty
to his father, especially when his father is good
| to him I was? Didn't put his name to the
| firm? Grandcourt & Son-& Son. He re-
peated the last words rather sadly. 'I had great
| hopes of him should have made him partner
| in a year and then he de1ed me. 1t was wicked.
a great firm like nine-and carry it on!
| It's criminal
Yes, sir. but
well. Andrews?''
But it's Christmas Eve sir
What's tnat got to do with t?''
'Its time when--when we're all good hearted,
sir. some Of US sir. when forgive sir. and
and we're all jolly
Jolly! Are you Jolly. Andrews
4SNo. sir. not now sir But
We'll Andrews. don't stand snuf1tng there II
you have anything to say, out with IT.
But ny son comes home to-day. sir. comes home
for Christmas Only little house, and only two
rooms in that, sir-but Christmas only comes once
q year.
Good 5obr' growIed Mr. Grandcourt ''upsets
business
Yes. sir And my son and his wife and their
child Lord bless you sir they I'll that little house
with jollity SO cram-jam full that-that some OF
it's bound 10 GO out Of the chimney. Mrs. Sim
mons. the IandIady, lets US have an extra room,
sir. these occasions" He chuckled a little
dried up chuckle of supreme anticipation
Your son, Andrews?' said Mr.. Grandcourt In his
severest manner, and that the
griffin itself. Il did not know you were married.
How dare you have without letting
know?'
You never took any interest in my affairs, sir
"Of course not-of course not Grandcourt &
Sons affairs are enough for me. But a clerk has
no right TO marry-it's most unbusinesslike pro
ceeding. What's your sons name2''
George, sir" answered Andrews. looking st his
master very nervously.
''CeorgeI" Mr.. Grendcourt took up a ruler and
laid it down again with hang that startled the
little old clerk so much that shook quite
cloud of brown snuff out Of his clothes.
What's his age?" demanded Mr. Grandcourt-
"'Twenty-nine. SIR
'aTwenty-nine"' echoed Mr. Grandcourt MY
son would have been twenty-nine If he had
dehed me! Marrying girl without penny! Most
unbusinesslike. And after had given him the
best City educationI Pig-headed. ungratetul fsl-
Iow!'
Yes sir 4 rare at figures, too
NY son, Andrews. my SON
KNEW the money market irstde out str-inside
out
my son. Andrews. my son.
''If you could only have for
What dye say?''
Nothing. sir. nothing. The only thing he
did against your wish sir
What right had he to do anything against
wish? Tell me that Andrews
None sir: none at all It's showing very hard.
sir"
rs It? That'u mean delay IN the transit Of
goods
yes. sir. Very hard it is snowing-quite season
able Boys snowballing all down Creshan-st
Idle young Monkeys
= seen the evening paper sir?" asked the clerk.
producing the latest special
No What's the use? Exchange closed"
Yes But-snowing very hard down the country,
sir Lines blocked-your line blocked, sir
'~what?" Mr.. Grandcourt stared his clerk in
bewilderment-
Your line blocked sir. I am afraid you won't
be able to get to woking tonight sir
mot get home tonight? Oh, this Is too bad!
shall write TO the directors OF. the line I take
season ticket and expect them to carry out their
part of the contract Christmas Eve. too. with all
the hotels full OF drunken servants What am I to
DO Andrews? What am TO do?'
IF might be so bold. sir If you won't be offend
ed-nerely suggestion, str-you might come home
with me-nice supper, roast beef. plum pudding
Mrs Simmons will sleep in the front parlor and
give you her room, and my George, sir. will
be pleased TO you" Andrews commenced this
sentence In a confused way, and then rushed out
the last part like a small boy with the muItipHca-
ton table
your son. George, win be pleased to see mer''
Mr. Grandcourt said bitterly. ''Why?'
You've been my master 50 Iong-kept long.
Ne 1Ffa- oh nF FIyOTI