Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-01-22
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the Machine
81 7 We been ordered to report to

% We been ordered to report tC
| you, sir, for ORDERS" said a
boyish and somewhat difident voice
Head of Department Williams
looked up irritably. Things had been
going amiss on the wholesale crock
cry floor that morning. An invoice
of goods had been sent to the wrong
customer, and there had been a chol-
eric letter in consequence; and by
mistake another small invoice had
been charged to an out-of-town deal
er whose credit had been recently
blacklisted. Two errors like that in
one morning, especially in such a
methodical and clocklike-work de-
partment as the wholesale crOcIery,
was enough to upset the equanimity
of it's chief. True, he was head of
the department, and senior clerk in
service, but there were gray-haired
men under him who were in every
way competent to take his place at
the desk, and he could never quite
get over the incongruity of his posi-
ton over them.
You're no good" he said, brusque-
Iy, as he shot a quick comprehensive
look at the frail figure before him.;
1--WE want strong man who is able
to lift boxes and handle heavy crock
cry"
"I'n do the best can, sir"
"Oh, of course; that's understood.
Well, if they've sent you to me 1
must make the best of it. Here,
TQm," to a broad-shouldered man
who was wheeling a heavy truck
across the floor, take this"-he was
about to say young man, but in his
impatience substituted 'duffer" in
stead-"and show him about unpack-
ing and distributing that new lot of
Dresden. And, oh, say" as the new
man Redeemed and turned to follow
his guide, whats your name?"
civilians"
"H'm!" The chief turned to his
books again, and made the third en-
ror of that morning, charging a
dozen plates where he should have
credited them. He did not like so
many namesakes, and there were al
ready three or four Williamses in the
establishment. Well, thank good
ness! this was not a poor cousin
who would look to him for favor.
Presently the mail was brought in,
and several papers and letter were
tossed on his desk. He picked up the
letter and opened it carelessly; but
as he did so his Indifference became
amazement. and he glanced quickly
back at the address to assure himself
of its reality. Yes, there it was,
''Mr. John Williams, at Burton &
True's,' and the invitation was as
straightforward and direct as the
most skeptical could wish, a cordial
request for his company at en- in
formal Thanksgiving dinner on the
morrow, and signed by "Mrs. Thorn
dyke Ware"
He drew long breath. All the p
years of his life had been passed in
the city, but he had never received an
invitation like this before-nor, in
deed, many invitations of any kind.
He was entirely alone in the world,
and since he had entered the employ
of Burton & True, as sweeper in the
basement, IL years before, he had
given all the force of his strong, de-
termined nature to the mastery OF
the business. Society and social in
tercourse had been a closed-and, as
he thought, an undesired-book to
him; but this cordially worded in
vitation brought him thrill such as
had never come to him through any
of his promotions from one depart
ment to another. But still he could
not quite understand it. The other
clerks received invitations, but they
were something entirely different
from this. Mrs. Thorndyke Ware
was very wealthy and very exclusive,
md this invitation was one which he
knew even Mr.. Burton and Mr.. True
themselves might have been glad to
receive. The only solution he could
imagine was that, as he had been the
shipping clerk who had had charge
of the packing of many costly articles
for the Ware mansion, this might be
meant as a token of appreciation for
Lis services-but this explanation
was anything but satisfactory.
However, he presented himself at
the Ware mansion at the time APP
pointed, and was ushered into large
room that was already filled with
guests. Mrs. Thorndyke Ware re-
ceived him graciously, but, as he
thought, with slightly surprised ex-
preston on her face; then he drifted
away from one group to another.
At first he felt diffident and out Of
place, but as this wore off he found
himself talking with men whose
names he was familiar with as being
leaders in the financial world. And
little by little they began to listen to
him with interest, and then with def
erence. John Williams had not
passed much of his time in idleness,
and, besides thorouGblv ." "----:s;';ariHiDR