Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-05-27
,SalIle's Little Lad |
Observation-Disclosures

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"No," decided old Zick Godfrey,
thrusting his powerful fingers through
his grlzzled locks and addressing any
one In the group, enjoying cheerful
midday meal by the warmth of the
engine house fire Of the Hawthorn
mills. who might have leisure from his
own bread and cheese to listen, i do
not hold with new-fangled notions and
new-fangled ways Not me! Why"
raising his large head, with the white
locks still curling about the open, hon
est brow, 81 am always hearing tell Of
folks running about from this place to
that. A change here, another to-mor-
row. 1t has always been good enough
for me to work for one master. came
to Hawthorne mills as boy, and 1
have been here ever since. And RUDE"
with smile that softened the rugged
features until they were as tender as
q woman's, twill do the same, I'll be
bound" He had felt measure of
proprietorship in the office and Its
concerns for the last month-that H.,
ever since Rube, his only child, the
benjamin Of his old age, had been in
stalled there as Office boy"
.Fine lad,' continued the old man,
speaking aloud to himself, as he walked
along toward his job. SHARP as they
make 'em, and that good at books and
figures"
Zick thrust his hands Into his pock-
cts, impelled by wave of usefulness,
Of exaltation. They sank down into
emptiness; the old man pulled them
out as though they had been bitten.
In one moment all the Joy, the conf
dence, left his face. 1t was overcast,
troubled. On Saturday night he had
placed what he called his 'lowance
money for the coming week in his
pocket-and 1t was not there now.
He turned out the pocket. There was
no hole In the lining. He had put the
money into his leftrhand pocket. He
remembered particularly. because once
before. about Ave weeks ago. 1t had
been missing, and he had not been able
to recollect (that time) the actual fact
of his placing 1t there.
The old mans eyes grew dim. He,
who was as punctual as the clock, for
got the hour. the place awaiting him.
He was visited by terrible suspicion,
which, though he would have given all
he possessed to dismiss 1t as absurd,
as impossible. would stay with him,
would clamor to be taken into account.
Standing there in the middle Of the
mill yard, with the roar Of the ma
chinery about him, with the great
chimney belching out clouds Of smoke,
with the sharp cry Of the foremen's
voices as they Issued orders, and the
Changing of the gate bell that heralded
team or a wagon demanding admit
lance, Kick carefully went over each
minute of the last twenty-four hours.
On Saturday no one but he and Rube
had been In the little house In the long
row of mill cottages, for Amelia Ann,
his wlfe's cousin, who did" for him
ever since he was q widower, had
taken night out to see EAST Lynne
at the Theater Royal. On Sunday, to
be sure, he had gone to church in the
morning, but the same lady had been
In possession Of the kitchen, cooking
the Sunday dinner. and If she had
meant to rob him, she would have
started long ago. All the rest of the
day he. Zick. had been at home. Rube
hnd been the only other person in the
His thoughts went back to his wife.
sallie had not been exactly young when
- married her. but she had for him .