The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-01-15

was very wealthy and very exclusive,
and 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
his 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 a 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 iCteness,
and, besides thoroughly familiarizing
himself with the various makes and
| trade marks and other intricate de-
tails of the goods in which his en-
| ployers dealt, he had stored his mind
| IL E
formation. And it so happened that
rare and unique makes of earthen-
ware was just now the subject in
which the fashionable world was in
| teres ted.
But as the evening wore away his
face began to look puzzled, then
questioning, then grave. At last he
made his way across the room to his
hostess.
81 am glad you have come" she
said. while the guests were arriv-
ing l could only just bid you wei
come. Now, how is Agnes and how
are your sisters?"
at is about them | wish to speak,"
he said, bluntly. Mr.. Ware asked
me if my people were well, and one
of your daughters just asked me il
my sisters were coming to the city
soon. Now, l am alone in the world.
My mother has been dead ten years,
and l never had any sisters. There
has been a mistake"
aren't you John Williams, at Bur-
ton d True's?"
"Yes."
She looked puzzled.
as there another clerk of the same
name in the establishment"
''Not that | know of. There are sew
eral Williamses, but | do not think any
of them are named John"
SIT is curious. Agnes Williams
wrote me that her son was coming to
| the city to engage with Burton &c
| True. and that she hoped | would look
after him a little. She is an old school
friend of mine. l thought that you APP
| peared rather older than her son
could be-"
''Well, my being here is a mistake"
he said, gravely. But you must allow
! NV w 'lldhh NOus WI .. W al & III INC
pleasantest evening of mX-.ife. l will
go now. | am sorry for the person
whose place have usurped but can
not help being a little glad on my own
account 1t has given me something
| to think about and has shown me there
are more sides to life than a narrow
| minded man sometimes sees"
! But, really, you must not go until
/ the end of the evening" Mrs. Ware in
| terposed, pleasantly. at has been
mistake, certainly; but I hope you will
not make that a reason for leaving u.s."
He shook his head.
81 would betteS 60" he answered.
81 do not like to take advantage of mis-
| takes'
When he saw the new man come in
the next morning he left his desk with
sudden presentiment of the truth.
what did you say your name WASP"
civilians, sir"
"John?"
eyes; John Williams"
Him"
81 am Mr.. Burton's nephew" the new
man continued, blandly, land am
learning the routine of each depart
ment, with view of entering the firm
in January. would have told you this
| yesterday if you had given me an OPP
portunity. But am afraid shall have
to ask you to excuse me from handling
the heavy boxes. I am not particu-
larly robust, and must content myself
with the lighter work."
every we'll"
Head of Department Williams creed
was to view the world as a huge ma
chine, of which he and his fellow
clerllA were cogs. Emotion of any kind
was looked down upon by him as I'M
businesslile; so now he turned stoical-
ly to his desk, and his copy clerk
thought he had merely been giving
some orders to the new man.
But all through the day there was a
peculiar light in the matter-of-fact
| eyes of the chief, and when he went to
| his boarding house that night he did
not turn to his books, as usual, but
sat gazing out across the twinkling
Z