The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1906-08-30
FLAT JEWELLERS
lae Friendship Of Two
Vary Different Families

the Uptons were Tba>, .,,,,,.>s
possess TO an unusual d.,,ra, ~,
indeinable quality known nc ,na III
OF making friends Mr. ITn,or -.
cially, had such n bland WAY a, s,>.,,s.
ing to anyone In general ana m. i,nss
lord in particular. To the other ten.l
ants it even appeared like somewbnN
OF an outrage that the Unions werej
assessed any rent at All Rec.,.n
according to the natural orsa,. IA
things such n ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,
PAID liberal royalty for even con.i
descending to live in ANYTHING whtchl
was ut all short of being mansioni
Fhus the Uptons lived--in pesceI
with themselves and with all thei
world beside, They dincd We'll andi
INDUCED in expensive amusementIl
out OF course MIR. Upton WAS a yeryt
successful business man:
The odd circumstance with recardI
to these people was thar yhey tool,i
Tor their most intinute coniidants thel
Franklins across the hall. who had!
no interests in common with tbciJ
own. TO be sure, the Franlxlins yycrot
good people. but ii seemed that theI
uptons We're the only neighbors Who'll
appreciated this fact.
A rather unfortunate mnttcr was al.
ways presenting itself whanav,r Nc
Franklin happened TO he visiting In
the apartment of her friend---not that
she cared on her own account hmt
simply that the situation would bo M
embarrassing one to her hostess,
having been sympathetic, however,
evidently she never took any notice
AS was compatible with good breed
ing-or. maybe she did and didn't
Nt.,t
told.
This is what was continually ha>
pening: The two housewives would
be cozily chatting, when Mrs. linton
would answer the door to n collector
for the grocer, the la,mdryman. the
milkman. or possibly the dressmnker
or the dentist 1t meant only one of
those occurrences which are likely to
happen in any well-regulated house.
hold. but which seem SO suspicious to
Il wide-awake observer. Mrs. linton
though, was ever ready to handle
them with that ineffable grace for
which she was renowned. She sim.
ply would tell the intruder that he
might call Mt her husbands office. Civ.
ing the number, or perhaps she would
trouble" him to call next Tuesday"
AS she was entirely out of change
ana Ine neart or the COLLECTOR thar
would not melt before the winning
smile of such a woman and In the
face OF such convincing assurnnc,.
would be an iclcle indeed.
Not to enter into the nsvcho,or,,,,
workings of Mrs. Franklin's mind dur.
ing these dialogues ia a temptntIon
Certain 1t is that, II she regarded af.
fairs as being CROOKED" she still
found enough of congenial qualities
in the Uptons to warrant the con.
tinuance of their friendship, and. IL
she did not suspect, her generous tact
enabled her to ignore the situation
entirely. But. whatever her feelings
regarding these neighbors might have
been. she certainly experienced some
peculiar sensations when one morn
Ing the gas collector, new employe
OF the company. presented himself at
her own door, claiming the payment
OF a Dill or three-months' standing. It
WASH nice OF the gas collector to do
this' put ne seemed to want his money
such Is the way OF gas collectors.
NOW. III there was any one thing upon
winch MIR. Franklin prtded himself 1t
was MS promptness In liquidating his
deots. Every man has his own par
ticuiar vanity ana this happened to
MS. IN iact. win utter disregard
TOT tlme ana place. 1t frequently oc.
curreo tnat' upon the slightest de-