The Democratic advocate., 1909-12-10

JuSG OpCnCd ctIlO q SCOuo y Olu10 IAes@A
was coming out.
The persons who were waiting
suddenly arose, but he waved them
aside.
No more time to spare, he told
them. If your business is OF i'm
portance come again tomorrow.
He turned toward the outer door
and encountered the grayhaired
man who had suddenly arisen and
now barred the way.
Excuse me, sir, but are you Mr..
Treat 20
Yes
MAY | have word with you q
The assistant superintendent
looked the stranger over.
What is it you. want
The old man looked at him ap-
pealingly.
Il want employment sir. "
The young man frowned.
THAT s what l supposed. Well,
we have nothing for you. We
want energy here-not the musty
deliberation Of old age You We
passed. your time of usefulness,
my grayhaired friend, =
The stranger voice grew eager
"I worked for the factory. sir.
forty years ago. You'll find my
name on the old books and on some
of the old patterns =
The young man shook his head.
"Well, +" he said. "You can I
work here again. You have out
lived your allotted span of indus.
trial usefulness. / am surprised
to hear that you are looking for
work. Dom t you know that the
chances are strong that if you Sc
cured place you would crowd
some younger and much ADLER man
from employment 20
The stranger sighed.
"But what am I to do - he
asked in a helpless tone
"That's destined to be very
serious problem. y said the young
man. "You know what DR.. Osle1
is reported to have said. Well, ]
don't 60 as far as the chlorofom
theory, Of course; but | do think
that when a man reaches the point
where both his mental and physical
strength is waning, he should bow
to the inevitable and get off the
track. That's what [ expect to dc
when | reach your age. It's the
law Of the inevitable. -
The older man shook his gray
head.
EBut what am to do, sir 90 he
repeated.
eco home,'' - said the young man
little sharply. eco home and
tell your friends to take care of
you. The Acme plant can t be
bothered. We have dividends to
earn and stockholders to satisfy
If we tried to run a benevolent
home here for superannuated EN-
ployes, we would soon close our
doors.
"And does the fact that [ once
worked here count for nothoing -
the stranger asked.
"That s all sentiment, " said the
young man, "and sentiment has no
place in a hustling factory. Per
haps if you had stuck to the works
you wouldn t be in your present
straits.
He had turned toward the door.
leaving the stranger staring after
him-a stare, strange to say, that
was coupled with queer cynical
smile-when a young woman sud
denly entered the room-a futter-
ing and in every way a charming
young woman, who loked eagerly
from one man to the other.
"How do you do Mr.. Treat -
she said to the younger man, who
suddenly removed his hat. Then
she turned to the stranger. 81
couldn't t wait any longer, daddy, .
she said.
The young man pailed. His
jaunty air of self-confdence sud
denly wilted. He looked at the older
man and muttered an indistinct
apology. Then turned and hur-
ried away.
The girl looked around in won
der.
"Why, what does that mean, dad
dy 2"
cit means that No. 1 is of the
opinion that your father is too old
to be Of any service to the factory.
Before the girl could comment
on this remarkable statement the
outer door opened and John Os-
borne came in to the room
"Why, Miss Harmon" he STAN
mered, with a quick flush of pleas
ure.
This is my father, Mr.. Osborn,
said the girl.
+ The stranger extended his hand,
the younger man hung back.
"II hope you IL forgive my
forwardness, sir, he stammered.
Il didn't dream that you were
Miss Harmon s father