The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1904-01-22


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 mary 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 filed 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 idleness,
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
with vast fund of miscellaneous in
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
terested.
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.
II am glad you have come" she
said. while the. guests were arriv-
ing / could only just bid you well
come Now, how is Agnes and how
are your sisters?"
ut is about them wish to speak,"
he said, bluntly. "Mr. Ware asked
me If my people were well, and one
of yo,@ daughters just asked me II
my sisters were coming to the city
soon. Now, | am alone in the world.
My mother has been dead ten years,
and / never had any sisters. There
has been a mistake"
aren't you John Williams, ct Bur-
ton & True's?"
Eyes"
She looked puzzled.
'Is there another clerk OF the same
name in the establishment"
mot that ! know of. There are sew
eral Williamses, but do not think any
of them are named John"
"It is curious. Agnes Williams
wrote me that her son was coming to
the city to engage with Burton &
True and that she hoped would look
after him little. She is an old school
friend of mine. thought that you ap-
peared rather older than her son
could be-"
"Well, my being here is mistake" !"
he said, gravely. "But you must allow
| me to thank you, Mrs Ware, for the
pleasantest evening of my life. will
| go now. / am sorry for the person
whose place have usurped, but can
not help being 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 narrow
minded man sometimes sees"
"But, really, you must not go until
the end of the evening" Mrs. Ware in
terposed, pleasantly. ut has been
mistake, certainly; but hope you will
not make that reason for leaving u.s."
lie shook his head
81 would better 60" he answered.
~ do not like to take advantage of mis-
| takes"
Wien ho saw the new man come in
tht cxtiorni'r he left his desk with
81 den pres nti;nent of the truth.
What did you say your name WASP"
williams, SIR"
"John?"
"Yes; John Williams"
| "H'm!"
lam Mr.. Burton's nephew" the new
man continued, blandly, "and am
learning the routine of each depart
ment, with a,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. l am not particu-
larly robust, and must content myself
with the lighter work.
"Very we'll"
Head of Department Williams creed
was to view the world as huge ma
| chine, of which he and his fellow
clerks were cogs. Emotion of any kind
was looked down upon by him as un-
businesslike; so now he turned stoical-
ly to his desk, and his copy clerk
thought he had merely been giving
| soms orders to the new man.
But all Though 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
lights of the great city, thinking.
In the main office afew weeks later
Mr.. Burton suddenly laid down his
pen. @4
"Do you know, True" he said, con-
iidentially, Il believe our machine
clerk. Williams, is becoming human
ized. | actually caught him lifting
beggar child out of the mud to-day
and saw him giving her pennies. 1
must ask him up to the house some
time. | wouldn't be surprised if there
| was considerable good material be-