The Washington herald., 1909-05-30
BY Edgar We1ton Cooley

reason lie had been content to remain at River
ton. He loved the town and its people 1t had
been his home since boyhood He had woven him
self into the very hbres OF the town. He never
had sought a higher office which would have made
him alien to Ryerton.
Many Of the present business of the city
he had held upon his knees when they were chill
dren. They had called him Uncle Billy then, and
they called him Uncle Billy now They always
had professed the greatest esteem for him, had
often to him for advice and assistance
Why ne wondered, had they not stood by him
in late years; why had they not ordered more OF
their goods shipped his line? Was friendship
OF long years standing worth nothing in the scales
of buslness2
As he gazed afar over the city a mist came
into his faded blue eyes. He loved Riverton, but
Rverton had forgotten him! His usefulness there
thing of the past. He must go away, must
spend his declining years among strangers.
Then his vision shifted 10 little hillside in
the distance. The afternoon sun glistened upon
white shafts. Maggie was buried there--Maggie
and little Dick Without him there, their graves
would seem more lonely than ever Something
like unto sob shook his frail frame. lie could
not, would not leave Riverton!
A MANS voice broke his reverie and he turned
and beheld Everett the mill owner. Everett
had always stood by the road. Everett and he had
been boyhood chums-had gone to school together
Hello Billy" Everett said, somewhat sharply,
Looked mp that rate yetY'
The agent came back to himself with start
lie had intended to attend to it, but had forgotten
"Why no." he stammered. "Pve been so busy,
| haven't
"Welll" Everett spoke a trne impatiently "Pve
got to know at once l can't wait The other
road"
There it was again--the other roadl
IN look it up at once Frank" he broke in any
iously, land phone you"
Everett went away and Uncle Billy looked after
him until the sound of his footsteps died away,
then he sighed.
After all he must indeed be getting too old for
important a station He forgetful. 1t
took him too long to accomplish his work.
lie turned over his tariffs feverishly, but he
pp1t1h not rnf ia hfo off tbp
agents letter. The rows of figures seemed to blur
and together.
But presently, after much effort, he found what
he wanted and telephoned to Everett. Then he
limped across the room and sank into a chair by
his desk For fully ten minutes he sat perfectly
stn Misunderstanding. Finally wstfulness
yearning, came into his eyes.
IF he would only give another chance!" he
muTmured and took block of letter paper and
pen and wrote with it long and laboriously
When he had finished he read it
slowly, then tore the sheets into long
row strips, crushed them in his fingers
and tossed them into the stove. He
not dog to whine when he kicked! /
So he wrote another letter. brief one, Ill
and not word betrayed the agony that III
gnawing at his breast vi
He thanked Markey for his kindness.
He had taken the letter in the spirit in
which IL written. lie realized he was A
not the right for Riverton If they IN
had another station to offer him--he knew A#V
other business and he was an old man. *yj&N
A SECRET however, carefully guarded, NEs
"A cannot long remain secret around "a 8g%
railroad Office and not more than day NRsk
two passed before IL known to the H.WM
freight handlers that the "old man" had M
been asked to resign-that he was not ME
getting enough business for the road. MS
They discussed the matter in low voices WN
so that the agent might not oyerheer ~
them for every one OF them loved the old
man almost father,
And presently a drayman heard of it
and carried the news into the business
section of the town, and many business tss5
man. when he learned of it, lost himsef uahssI