The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-04-01

WIN uoSlsiOh' 0iHutesJone hnu w.
are not an insurance office. The.
laborer is worthy OF his hire, but
when his work in this world is over,
his family must fall upon what has
been saved by his industry and thrift.
1t would be a dangerous precedent
for us to allow pensions to the wives
of these sailors for 1t would deprive
the others of all motive for laying
their money up, and would Indirectly
encourage vice and dissipation"
Ezra laughed, and continued to-
rattle his silver and keys.
"It is not upon this matter that 1
wanted to speak to you," Girdlestone
continued. 1T has, however, always
been my practice to prefer matters of
business to private affairs, however
pressing. John Harston is said to
be dying, and he has sent a message
to me saying that he wishes to see
me. 1t is inconvenient for me to
leave the Office just now, but l feel
that it is my Christian duty to obey
a summons. ! wish you, therefore, to
look after things until return"
Il can hardy believe that the news
is true" Ezra said, in astonishment.
There must be some mistake. Why,
l spoke to him on Change last Mon
day"
"It is very sudden" his father an
swered, taking his broad-brimmed hat
from peg. There is no doubt about
the fact, however. The doctor says
that there is very little hope that he
will survive until evening. 1t is a
case of malignant typhoid fever"
"You are very old friends7" Ezra re-
marked, looking thoughfuily at his
| father.
"I have known him since we were
boys together" the other replied, with
a slight dry cough, which was the
highest note of his limited emotionaI
| gaImut. Your mother, Ezra, died
upon the very day that Harston's
wife gave birth to this daughter of
his seventeen years ago. Mrs. Hars-
| ton only survived a few days. I
have heard him say that, perhaps, we
should also go together. We are in
the hands of higher Power, how
ever, and it seems that one shall be
taken and another left"
How will the money go If the doc
tors are right?" Ezra asked keenly.
Every penny to the girl" the mer-
chant answered. "She will be an
heiress. There are no other rela-
tions that know of, except the Dims-
dales, and they have a fair fortune
of their own. But l must CO."
"By the way, malignant typhoid
is very catching, is it not?"
80 they say" the merchant said
quietly, and strode off through the
counting house. Ezra Girdlestore re-
NAMED behind, stretching his legs in
front Of the Office fire. THE governor
is hard nail" he soliloquized, as he
stared down into the glow. 'DepenG
upon 1t, though, he feels this more
than he shows. Why, it's the only
friend he ever had in the world-or
ever will have, in all probability
However, it's no business of mine, u
with which comforting reflection he
began to whistle as he turned over
the pages of the private day book OF
the firm.
1t is possible that his sons surmist
was right, and that the gaunt, un-
emotional African merchant carried a
sore heart behind a composed exterior
as he hailed a hanson and drove out
to his friends house at Fulham. HIS
and Harston had been charity school
boys together, and had roughed 1t to.
getner, risen together, and prosper
ed together. When John Girdlestont
was a rawboned lad and Harston &
chubby faced urchin, the latter haC
come to look upon the other as hii
champion and guide. There are som'
minds which are parasitic in their ma
ture. Alone they have little vitality
but they love to settle upon some
stronger intellect, from which they
may borrow their emotions and con
clusions at second hand. A strong
vigorous brain collects around 1t IL
time many others whose mental pro
cesses are a feeble imitation of it
own. Thus, it came to pass that a!
the years rolled on, Harston learned
to lean more and more upon his oil
schoolfellow, grating many of hi
stern peculiarities upon his own sim
pie vacuous nature, until he becam,
strange parody of the original. T,
him Girdlestone was the ideal man
Giddlestone's ways the correct ways
and Girdlestone's opinions the weight
lest of all opinions. Forty years O
this undertaking fidelity must, how
ever he might conceal it, have made
an impression upon the feelings OF the
elder man.
Harston, by incessant attention Il
business and extreme parsimony, haC
succeeded in founding an export trad
ing concern. In this he had followeC
, the example Of his friend. There wa
no fear of their interests ever com
| ing into collision, as his operations
were confined to the Mediterranean
The flrm grew and prospered, unit
, Harston began TO be looked upon as {
warm man in the City circles. Hi
, only child was Kate, q girl of seven
teen. There were no other near rel
atives save DIR. Dimsdale, a proR