Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-02-27
CHAPTER VII

Without waiting to hear Mr.. Drum
mond's reply, Walter re-entered the store.
He had no disposition to discuss the sub
ject in the presence of the boys who were
standing on the piazza.
Mr.. Drummond followed him into the
store, and Joshua accompanied him. He
was terribly angry with Walter. and de-
termned to get revenged upon him
through his father.
Are you going to let that beggar pitch
into me like that" he demanded. He
woudn't have got me down, only he took
NE at disadvantage"
Conrad" said Mr.. Drummond, II de-
mand an explanation of your conduct I
come from my house. and find you fighting
like a street rowdy, instead of attending
to your duties in the store"
Il have already given you an explana-
ton, Mr.. Drummond." said Walter, firm
~ Joshua chose to insult me before all
the boys, and l don't allow myself to be
insulted if 1 can help it. AS to being out
of the store, there was no customer to
wait upon, and l went to the door for a
breath of fresh air | have never been
accustomed to confinement before"
you say Joshua insulted you. How
did he insult you?'
Il was asked if 1 would go to the pic
mic on Saturday afternoon. He didn't
wait for me to answer, but said at once
| that l couldn't go"
WAS that all?"
when / objected to his answering for
me. he charged me with being a beggar,
and said that but for you / would have
been obliged to go to the poorhouse. If
| this had been the first time he had an
| noyed me, I might have passed it over,
| but it is far from being the first SO l
knocked him down."
Mr.. Drummond was by no means a
partisan of Walter, but in the month that
our hero had been in his employ he had
| found him a very efficient clerk. What
| ever Walter undertook to do he did we'll,
and he had mastered the details of the re-
tail dry goods trade in a remarkably short
time, so that his services were already
as valuable as those of young Nichols,
who received eight dollars week. There
| fore Mr.. Drummond was disposed to
smooth over matters, for the sake of re-
| tanning the services which he obtained so
cheap He resolved, therefore, to temper
| iZc.
you are both of you wrong" he said.
| Joshua. you should not have called Con-
rad beggar, for he earns his living. You,
| Conrad. should not have been SO violent.
You should have told me, and I would
have spoken to Joshua
Excuse me, Mr.. Drummond, but
don't like tale-bearing. | did the only
| thing l could"
"Ahem" said Mr.. Drummond you
| were too violent. l would suggest that
you should each beg the others pardon,
shake hands, and have done with it."
Catch me begging pardon of my faith
er's hired boyI' exclaimed Joshua, scorn-
fully. Il haven't got quite as low as
| that
"As for me-" said Walter. 'if I thought
| I had been in the wrong, l would beg
Joshua's pardon without any hesitation.
| am not too proud for that. but l think
and therefore ] cannot do it. As for
being hired boy. l admit that such is
nv position, and / don't see anything to
be ashamed of in it."
"You are right there" said Mr.. Drum
mond: for this assertion chimed in with
his own views and wishes. well, ii
seems to me you are about even, and you
may as we'll drop the quarrel here"
Walter felt satisfied. He felt that he
had won the victory and maintained his
self-respect. There was on thing more
he desired, and that was to go to the
picnic. He would not have urged the re-
quest, but that he was we'll aware that
Joshua would report that he was kept at
home by his desire.
1T won't be very convenient for you
to be away Saturday afternoon" said Mr.
Drummond. who was principled against
allowing clerks any privileges. You
know we have more trade than usual on
Saturday afternoon"
| 81 don't think we shall have next Sat
urday," said Walter; everybody will be
gone to the picnic
| Drummond, reluctantly, Il must try to
let you 60"
Walter felt no scruples about insisting
| He knew that he earned his limited pay
twice over, and that his absence would
| do his employer no harm. He answered
| therefore, Thank you, sir; l will be
home at six o'clock, so as to be in the
store all Saturday evening"
| Meanwhile Joshua went home in very
unhappy frame of mind. He had not sue
ceeded in humiliating Walter as he in
tended, but had an unpleasant feeling that
| Walter had got the better Of him. He