The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1904-01-28


Through the great dry. goods house
Of Chase, Remington, Bentley 81 Co.
ranged the usual throng of shoppers ..
eager faced women and bewildered
looking men. In. the rear of the store
Mr.. William L: Remington, the sole.
survivor of the original firm. sat at d
roll top desk in his private office. - Z.
Dignifed, gray haired and sedate
was Mr.. Remington. and he looked
.thoughtfdl alb he leaned back in his
revolving chair and tapped the edge
of his desk with a. square envelope of
rough blue paper a. The. envelope con-
tanned an inxitation ton, neception: to
be given by Mrs. Eleanor Chase, the
widow of one of, the former partners
of thu. house and a society woman ~.
Mr., Remington was, not a society,
man, and it; was Of his son Jack, aged
twenty two, that he thought as he fin
gered the envelope and Of Eleanor
Chase's daughter Nancy.
He rose, opened door which led in
to the f'llffiaa ihfi part 6fS the Store and;
Threading tie maze of 5afs1es, ma1e his,
way to TIE silk counter There stood
Jack. witt, was working his way /
through the various departments of the
BUSINESS; devotingt the CHARMS off his
personalityslto the, display; of 10: roll of
silk to one of a crowd. of well dressed
women. .,. H..
/; Mr.. Remington looked on approving
ly as his handsome son concluded ne
gotiations with the woman. took d bf1ff
from her and, incfosing 1t in a. little
nickel plated case, placed 1T in.the re-
ceptacle of the cash carrier, He pulled
a cord, and the box shot, up. till it
reached. the narrow, lines of metal.
whence it was Whisked With business
like precision to the eyrie or the CASH
ier.l4 iFsEF net> ut 81: .<Es,>~. = @c.| o..
b AS. jack turned to another customer
hiss father waited;s them. recognizing
the, purchaser of the, silk he. stepped
forward and engaged her In converse
ton.
+ Presently the nickel plated case shot
back over the carrier and Dropped
with an assertive clicksinto its recepta
Gle. Mfr. Remington released, it, reliev-
ed it Of it's contents and, with brief
'TH give Mrs. Waldron her change.
Jack" which received an answering
nod from the young man. handed the
money to the woman. =.
But Remington senior did mot give
her all that the case contained. He
withheld small piece Of folded white
paper. which he regarded idly for a :.
moment. then opened. Written across
1t In hastily formed Characters were
the words: : ''
at is an age till tomorrow night.
dearest!" ~ .@~@ - 50 - -
The old gentleman held the paper
nearer to his eyes and read the mes
sage again. Then be looked at his son,
who was talking animatedly. Then he
refolded the paper carefully, placed it
in his vest pocket and walked slowly
away. He went to another part OF the
store from which he could get "a view
of the cashiers post. and looked, up
There, among the converging wires !,
of the cash carrier was "a high desk.
and over it's top protruded,sa head Of 4
wayy brown hair. and occasionally as
it's owner reached for the metal cases
Mr.. Remington caught sight of the
pretty refined face Of Gertrude Terry.
his cashier.
The old gentleman watched the girl
for awhile, then went to his private
office and again seated himself at his
desk. He drew the piece of white
paper from his pocket and looked at
1t thohghtfully. Then he turned his
attention to the square. blue envelope
which contained Mrs. Chase's invita-
ton and glanced from oneoto, the other.
as though weighing in his mind the.
value of EACH. 49, ..'~-%:.,.
Perhaps the memory of his own mar
ried life. spent with a woman OF SO
ciety, whose tastes and temperament
were at variance with his own. passed
in mental review. The many nights
he, had sat atzhis lonely Preside while
his wife. was attending functions to
which he had little inclinat ton to follow
her may have .intrqded. themselves on
his reflections. Whatever his thoughts i
and they contained no bitterness for.
the woman who was gone1he Kept
them to himself.
He did not say anything to Jack
when they left the store together ex-
cept to tell him that be had sOnlel pri-
vate business to- attend to and might
be. late for their Z. O'CLOCK dinner. Then
he gave the dryer Of his coupe an ad-
dress and presently alighted at small
frame house. ,.,, .<
His ring was answered by gray
hatred old man who walked with diff
Guilty. He seemed greatly surprised to
see MIR. Remington. When the latter
was ssated in. the little parior he re-
garded the invalid with kindly interest.
well. Max. i, am sorry. that time has
not dealt better with YOU" he said at
last. ITS q long cry back: to our col:
lege days. isn't IT.. s,,.,s
Old Max Terry sank painfully into
chair. ''The last time you were iii this |
house. The answered slowly. ''was7 to |
attend my wife's funeral. No: time Has
not. been oyergood. to. meg but l'.don't
complain. az = -. =. -
~ want you to tell me of her." said |
Remington. and lie drew his cashiers
father ON to talk Of the mother and |
wife.
The rich old merchant listened |
thoughtfully while Max Terry fold of |
years spent in perfect companionship,
years during which his ambition to be-
come great musician had slowly suf- |
fered collapse. but which had been |
ughfened and beautihed by IL . sympa-
thy of devoted, loving woman whose
soul was attuned to his
When he had finished Mr.: Remington
was leaning forward In his chair. .And
now that she is gone you have your
daughter left" he said gently. ~
yes. Shes just IKE: her smotlier,
thauk hea VEN respeaded%Max Tesry.sE
sinking back. with sigh. :. !. rEetr.,f
e AT that moment the front door was i
opened brisky, steps sounded along the
hall, and Gertrude Terry entered the
- .f.1aHA e Il