Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1903-08-13

TIH NnS MS neart COntalneO, all the
& IL x idolizing worship of which
H. xk he was peculiarly capable.
%%XWMXX He would have declared
that he had never felt
very hopeful Of gaining her, knowing
her too we'll, but he had desired to do
so with an intensity which had often
burnt up his fears for the time, at any
rate. so that he had lived whole days
in blissful contemplation Of the i'm
probable, had gone whole months with
eyes shut to the inevitable, the fast
approaching. Thus the news of her
engagement to hei. employer found
him almost unprepared, after all, and
for time those who cared for him
watched him anxiously since it seemed
so likely that the blow was greater
than he could bear.
They were friends, Michael Richards
and the man for whom he worked, the
man she married, and they had been
much together in her company. There
We're those who said she had chosen
the employer rather than the employed
just because he was the richer man
just because an assured position, a
fine house, appealed to all that was
strongest in her-but that her heart,
what there was of it, would have led
her to different choice, if she had
allowed her heart and not her head
to dictate to her. She had the pretty,
childish ways that so often drape
nature inherently selfish, and it was
notable that those who knew her best,
as rule, judged her most severely.
Bur Michael was not among her dtes
tractors. He made his trust in heaven
conditional on his wholly trusting the
woman he loved to do no wrong, and,
by a sublime disregard of common
sense, he kept his faith in heaven, con-
Jointly with his faith in Mary, in spite
of all the bitterness Of spirit he passed
through. Some wondered how he did
it. and others why he thought it a
necessary thing to do, for men have
loved the faulty tenderly and well, and
heavens seal is set upon such toler-
ancc. Yet it helped him; undeniably
it Strengthened him. For, SO it was
sad again. in his nature was this one
streak OF idealism, needing an outlet
all The more, perhaps, because the rest
CT tie man was sternly set in an iron
mo!d; because, except that he turned
inyoluntarily aside, as it were, to love
Mary, love was hardly allowed for in
his plan of life.
w OK was his passion, the Idol to
Which he offered ever-willing sacri-
hce. and when he at last lost hope
Oh Mary it became his all. He worked
now unremittingly, to tire himself, to
woo 1orSetfulness, as we'll as for sheer
love Of hard labor. 1t was nothing to
hilh that his unceasing energy was ex-
pended on his rivals business, that his
hie was given to help man to further
ilcheS vino had already robbed him Of
Ills one ewe-lamb. He had to work,
lao' With any definite end in view, but
loT WORKS sake-and because there
WIS nothing else left to him to do.
AAa' quite in the ordinary course Of
'nAsS' MS alert, inventive brain hit
oi' Il means OF superseding the business
~ "hich he was devoting himself SO
entirely.
lie was always striving to do things,
vi 10 get them done, in the best pos
,.Die hanner. Incidentally, with the
,s"se expense, the smallest waste OF
,"'o[' IN the shortest time, but, before
oau nu 'eyond all things, he had set ex
.,iellce as his goat. Mary's husband
was manufacturer of the bands used
wi VII, machinery. Mary's old lover, while
enhns ~ Ills thoughts as undoubtedly as
an !! n'elhory of her would let him, and
hon,S .llhe' to the turning out Of these
nu,,s, luS ID the greatest perfection and
idna i'el, was suddenly arrested by ar
Necessary. ~
81 IVA was simple and clever invention
evnoa. lously better, cheaper and more
tbat 'nI =, than the old-fashioned bands
cove seemed wonderful to it's dis
bpfonei mat no one had thought of i
orahs. lie tested it in his usual thor
snsa solng fashion, making absolutely
estimnt ne was not mistaken in his owr
cbann.e OF the Importance Of thu
makinn Ae was about to bring in thu
as ana, Or machinery, and then he Sc
yentisetcally to work to turn hi
to Hin. W ~ 10 account It was nothin:
aside 'ilat in doing so he must sweel
eyjtsn,a prosperous business, must in
man hs rum Marys husband, the yer!
He wo nad been helping on to wealth
Of corns, vu'u be giving touch of finish
Which h4pn'e'eness. ~ to the method II
plishea oe worlds work is accom-
ne hoped to DO still NOR