Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-02-24
HE FOUND 4 FRIEND.


80. 1t is not to be inferred that he had
absolutely no social instincts, orthat he
was so unprepossessing as to repel peo-
| pie who might otherwise have cultiyat-
ed his society TO the sprouting Of friend
| ship. Quite the contrary. He was
/ good-looking boy, with likable manners,
| and he wanted friends. But he was shy.
He was a country boy-or from
country town, which amounts to about
the same thing-and he had sort of
morbid consciousness Of his rusticity,
SO that while he simply ached for Com
| partnership he was a little afraid of the
small advances made by the other fel
| lows in the office. When the days work
was ended he did not linger with the
| groups around the lockers who laughed
and INDUCED in mild horseplay and
| planned amusement for the evening He
| put on his coat-that skimp and some
| what threadbare garment of Higginvillc
cut-and went home to his lonely back
bedroom, where, after the unappetizing
supper of the boarding house, he read
Thomas Kempis and often wrote home
sick letters to the dear woman who had
given him the book. These he gener-
ally destroyed after reading them over
and then he would burn the oil In the lit
tie kerosene lamp writing others that
were exuberantly cheerful in their tone.
He didn't want mother to worry.
But he was homesick all the same
Somehow Chicago people struck him as
being intensely interested in themselves
and their own affairs and not at all in
terested in Stegler. And no wonder, he
| thought, considering the way he looked,
He had started from Higginsville with
new suit, but nobody seemed to wear
clothes of that fashion In the city. And
the difference was most marked in the
overcoat. The overcoat was not even
new.
Perhaps, thought Stegler, it would not
be such great extravaganza to buy q
new overcoat. He had not much money,
and he had determined to husband 1t
carefully. But, after all, a new coat
| seemed almost necessary. Wasn't Is
| quite necessary? He debated that point
in his mind for some days and began to
L ''OA ihNO thN NiOiitbS 5tOlt NlHuONS Oh
his way to and from work.
There was one coat that particularly
attracted him. 1t looked perfectly in
style and had, moreover, a very substan-
tial appearance. Fifteen dollars was
the price. A pretty good sum of money,
but style and quality are not to be had
for nothing. Stegler knew that. He
looked 1t all over again and again un-
I'll he had every button and seam of
it by heart He could close his eyes
| and see il at any time. He hesitated
day or two and then plucked up
courage and entered the store.
The clerk who came forward to wait
| upon him did not impress Stegler IA
| vorably. He seemed to be a very SUI
percilious sort of young man and he
| looked disparagingly at the old coat
| and hurt Stegler's feelings Then it
| seemed the coat in the window was
| several sizes too big and there were no
more like it, But here was coat that
was just as good or even a little bet
| ter.
Still, it didn't strike Stegler that
way. None of them seemed as good,
or ii 1t did II was more expensive. Two
or three times he tried to get away
from that salesman. He was desper-
| ately determined not TO buy what he
did not want. Still, the salesman held
him and hauled out garment after gar
| ment until Stegler fairly broke away.
Just one moment said the sales
| man. Then to a stout elderly person.
| who approached, 'Mr. Engenstein, will
you show this gentleman an over
coat?"
Stegler said, Il don't believe I'll
buy" But the stout man raised a
chubby hand and beamed upon him so
radiantly that he faltered.
you come with me-" said the stout
man, laying the chubby hand affection
ately on Stegler's shoulder. 81 can fix
you out with just exactly what you
want. I'm Engenstein, and own this
store. If | haven't got something TO
suit you in il l want to know it, ell
How much, now, do you want to pay"
He patted Steglers shoulder.
Fifteen dollars" said Stegler, blush
ingly
Would you 20 eighteen?" asked
Engenstein, anXiously. "Now don't
say anything. Just look. l want to
make a friend of YOU. A young man
like you wants stylish coat, and
well-made coat, and good goods, amt
it? Here is an elegant coat. Try it
on"
He smoothed it lovingly down the
back, patted the lapels, and-well, you
know the process. But it was the
friendliness of this man that was so
amazing He eXuded it. His good
fellowship was irresistible; his smile
was like the sun in its MONDAY SPLEEN
dor. His laugh was jollity and benev-
! olence set to music II was a $40 over
, coat that he had fitted on Stegler, and
he actually let him have it--not for
the eighteen but for the fiftean dol