Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1908-07-23
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MIR. SINNERS Skeleton.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES x
Ey PHILIP BEAUFOY.

dear SlI, Iuu IAS ACCIOA3
IN the fact that we are making con-
siderable reductions in our office
staff we regret to inform you that
We shall not require your services al
ter this day month, the 27th prox
We shall, of course, be pleased to
gye YOU any testimonials you may
desire in the future, and you have our
hest wishes for your subsequent ca
reer.''
Kimber read the note three times
before he was able to realize exactly
what it meant. At first he had be-
lieyed that it was sort of joke on
the part of the correspondence clerk,
the fellows were always having what
they called a game" with him, be-
cause he happened to be the Oldest
man in the Office. He had reached the
critical age of forty-five and the in
yerted values of the twentieth cen
tury demand that the last thing on
earth to be respected shall be the Dig
nifty of age.
.
had been inclined to regard the letter
as a Jest, further observation proved
that he was quite wrong. The note
bore the signature Of James Skin
ner," the head of the firm, and even
Dixon, the correspondence clerk,
would hardly have had the audacity
to forge that august gentleman 5
name.
so I'm to be kicked OUT he muir
INJURED, "and / can guess the reason.
I'm too old. That's it. Too old! I'm
punctual, I'm quick. I'm everything
tney want, but my hair is going gray
and people don't refer to me any lon
ger as that young fellow
A feeling Of violent resentm eni
seized his soul, shutting out the mild
ef sensation Of sorrow. That would
come later, of course, but just nov
ne could only feel enraged. 1t wa!
ssandalous, brutal, altogether unMs
unable, ne reflected. What right ha6
meg TO use the best years of a man.
NE and then fling him away on tt
ue DUST heap when the whim seized
them?
lie glanced around the deserted
ollce, whence the clerks had depart
su 10 their Saturday afternoon foot
vail OF music hall. Jove, how at
,acAeo ne had become to the place
aAe clock, the dingy desks, the rick
w stools-all these things were par
W MS life and had twined themselve
m'o tne routine of his days. Some
WV, ne could not imagine himsel
"oiklhg in any other room. 1t wa
'ue mat he had often disliked tn
monotony .n of his toll, but now tha
e'e was the prospect of something
~ aho strange he shrank back int
,ne m;s, memory of that happy monoton
".'n something like the gratified shiv
ra4. WIN which the disturbed sleepe
,u' =, LIS 10 the warmth of the sheets
~ was SINNERS doing, of course
wv: manager had always like hir
nioef), and would never have SUE
evau 'u MS removal. Skinner, heN
ros w. was prejudiced in favor c
Nsans men; doubtless that trip t
nros NV ork last year had developed hi
nos 'uoices. Often had he heard Ski1
tsa ts say that young blood was whs
w. modern business man wante,
fea1in !. was SINNERS doing, and
soai OF passionate resentme1
Of ,ls' th 'ne smooth faced, brutal hea
St;n ne urn rose in Kimber's soul.
mum nlnner had entered the office at th,
6 swau' ueht' he would not have been a.
snan ,%ple lor what happened.
yoin obiuuoenly he conceived the idea
honeo round to his chiefs priva
q, T ~ and demanding an interyie,
INV I'M Monday, at the office, it would
vap vp0sSlole, sole for the stream Of calle
bs 10 -, ,Lcessant, and at most he won
Of Of sole 4 to snatch a few minutes on
Went 'pe busy mans time. But if
Saw ~, 20 the house he could say b