The Tupelo journal., 1909-12-31
Violets
By M. H.
1t was the day after the panic.

The turmoil and buster Of the
street." which had swept before It in
havoc the fortunes Of many substan-
tial firms, had also taken down with it
that of John Hambleton & Co. But the
street" itself, which the day before
had been one mad p-andemonium, had
again quoted downAto its usual seren-
ity, except the crowds around the
curbs who still talked over the flnan-
cial excitement. But so 1t always IL
in this district of New York Men
may go down at one fell stroke, specu-
lators may lose all they have In the
world-but the markets go on the
same-the persistent ticker marks on
more encouraging quotations. and the
anancier forgetting the ruin of those
around him, strives to recoup his own.
John Hambleton sat in his private
Office. On the morrow the firm would
go through the preliminaries of assign
ment. He could pay off a part OF the
indebtedness dollar for dollar, but
after this his slate would be wiped
clean Of a cent. At so he was worse
than when he had begun-a pauper,
though an honest and discouraged
man.
He touched an electric button.
A slight, dark-haired, ~gray-eyed girl
came in with pencil and pad. She was
more than beautiful, for there was
sympathy and intelligence in the
young face. She had been with the
firm but three weeks. but she had
given satisfaction from the start. Her
dignity and gentleness had given a
soothing effect to the strenuous brok-
erage office without John Hambleton
knowing why.
mo, Miss Jarrett, you need take
no more notes." he told her, when she
had sat down. 81 regret to say I am
discharging you" He held up his
hand when she started to speak.
Don't make it worse" he went on;
II am ruined and done"
but, Mr.. Hambleton-
He raised a silencing hand. Here
is two weeks salary in advance-til
you can secure another place. and
wish it could be more. You will find a
couple of firms on this slip to whom
have recommended you. ! am going
out on a business errand for an hour
You may leave now"
She wondered at his words, but
some silent warning in his handsome
face forbade her answer. She softly
.r--zl A. JoOr onJ uyant ont AC Chd
gathered up a few belongings she
heard the senior partner go on his er
rand. And when she left she passed
through his private office again, with
eyes filled with tears, and laid a little
note upon his desk.
An hour later John Hambleton came
in. Though he had sacrificed the las'
cent of his private fortune oil over .
million dollars, there were still somt
who called him a thief and a man with
out a friend left.
"a man without a friend" Worst
than a man without a country!
He opened a small drawer OF his
desk and took out something. TIT
polished steel glistened against thu
rich mahogany of his desk as his hanf
closed over 1t. Twas perhaps coward
Iy. But he was ti~red--alone and des
perate.
Once he looked out the window
Below, rising from the street, he coult
hear the shouts of the curb brokers
and. further away, the indistinct mum
BILE coming from the stock exchange
He smiled. He would never hear thai
again. and he gripped the steel thini
closely.
At that moment, almost brushed
aside, his eyes fell on Alice Jarretti
note.
Slowly he opened it. There were
lust a few words, but out fell two VIC
lets. the kind that grew in his mothers
DAYS on the farm, with the delicate
odor of spring. A food of emotion
overcame him.
His eyes fell to the note.
81 am leaving, but here is my ad
dress. My heart is with you in YOU
trouble. If you need me only sene
for me. Your friend. "A. .
His friend! OF all the friends ht
knew this gentle girl alone had lei
the gentler message just in time.
With the two violets pressed TO MI
Inns. John Hambleton's head went owe
on his desk, and he wept for the hrs
time in many years.
IL .-A
Slowly the little steel article wa
mt hack in its drawer.