The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-10


drfre for Dround.
* 10 you see that big. fat fellow |
Hn talking with Mr.. Joyce?" the
III cashier whispered to me one
% morning as passed her cage. |
Hes Grounds manager. His name
is Carmichael. When he shows up. |
there is trouble coming to some one"
Dround & Co. was the name Of the
pa cking firm that the Enterprise dealt
with tied up my bundles and made
up my cash account. thinking good
deal about the appearance Of the bur-
ly manager of the packing house. Pref
ty soon Mr. Carmichael came out into
the front store very red in the face.
followed by the elder Joyce, who had
been drinking. and they had some
words. The cashier winked ut me.
The Enterprise had been doing a
good business 1t was run on q new
principle for those days-strictly cash
and all cut prices. a cent Off here and
there, a great sale of some one thing
each day. which the house handled
speculatively. The brothers Joyce
kept branching out. but there wasn't
any money to speak of behind the firm.
The Grounds and a wholesale grocer
had backed it from the start. Never
theless we should have got on all right
If the elder Joyce had given up drink
ing and the younger one had not taken
to driving fast horses. Latterly. no
matter how big business we did, the
profits went the wrong way.
That evening as Hillary Cox and I
walked over to the Persons she said
to me abruptly. There's going to be a
new sign ut the Enterprise before
long,
The smart little cashier must have
OWNED the situation as had.
Cooks market?" I suggested joking
".
"Why not Harrington & Cox?" she
retorted, with a nervous little laugh.
We were on the steps then. aud Ed
Joined US. SO that l did not have to an
swer her invitation. But all through
the meal l kept thinking Of her sug-
gestion. 1t was nearly two years since
she had introduced me to the Enter
prise. and l had saved up several hum
dred dollars in the meantime, which
wanted to put into some business Of
my own. But 1t did not quite suit my
card to run a retail market. After sup
per the others left US in the dining
room. and when we were alone Hillary
said:
"Well. what do you think Of the firm
name? 1t wouldn't be SO impossible
I've got considerable money saved up.
and l guess you have some in the
bank too. 1t wouldn't be the first
time in this town that a clerks name
followed a busted owners over the
door,"
She spoke in a light kind OF way. but
a tone in her voice made me look up.
1t struck me suddenly that this thing
might mean a partnership for life as
we'll as partnership for meat and gro
ceries. Hillary Cox was an attractive
woman, and she would make q splen-
did wife for a poor man. doing her
! part to save his money. Between us.
no doubt, we could make a good bust
| ness out Of the old Enterprise and
more too.
THAT firm name sounds pretty well,
I answered slowly. somewhat embar.
raised.
Eyes. 1 thought it pretty good"
Suddenly she turned her face shyly
away from my eyes. She was a WON
an and a lovable, warm hearted one
! Perhaps she was dreaming Of q home
and q family-of just that plain, or
| binary happiness which our unambi
tious fathers and mothers took out Of
life. I liked her all the better for It
But when tried to say something ten
der, that would meet her wish,
couldn't find word from my heart
| there was nothing but hollow feeling
inside me. And the thought came ovel
me, hard and selfish. that a man like
me. who was bound on a long road
| travels best alone.
II don't know as want to sell coffee
and potatoes all my life," said at last
and my voice sounded colder than
meant to make it.
"Oh!" She gave little gasp. as II
some one had struck her. you're
very ambitious, Mr.. Harrington" she
said coldly. II hope you'll get all yor
think you deserve. I am sure"
| "Weil, that wouldn't be much. only
am going to try for more than l de
serve. Seer" I laughed As easily as
/ could.
We talked a little longer. and Their
| she made some kind Of excuse-we had
planned to go out that evening-and
left me, bidding me good night Al If
| were a stranger. felt small and
mean, yet glad. too. to speak the truth
/ that l hadn't made a false step just
there and pretended to more than
/ could carry through.
1 Some time later Slocum looked IN al
the door and. seeing me alone. came
into the room. He had q grim kind OF
smile on his face. as II he suspected
what had been happening.
where's Grace" I asked him.
"Just about where your Hillary IS
he answered dryly-"gone on with an
I other fellow"
laughed. We looked ut each othe,
for some time.
"Well?' said.
HE travels fastest who travel.
| alone" ba dra wled uafn0 fha vorv