The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-09-22

l q
Twenty minutes later gray-hairee
man, plainly dressed; tired appearing
man with STOPPING shoulders, was usher.
| ed into the anteroom of the office of the
superintendent of the great Acme mill.
There's lot of 'em ahead of you this
morning." said the boy who guarded the
inner door. ''I'll call you when he.
ready to see you
The man nodded and took seat in 8
dusky corner. There were twenty OF
more persons awaiting, twenty persons
seemingly representing as many grades
in life, and the newcomer found himself
busy studying them. From time to time
the inner door opened and one of the
waiting group was admitted.
The man might have been there twenty
minutes when the outer door opened and
a slender young man entered. He was
bareheaded and carried package of
loose papers in his hand.
AS he passed along he CHANGED to notice
the man in the corner. He slackened his
pace and came little nearer And the
gray-haired man looked up at him and
smiled.
"You are waiting to see Mr.. Treat?'
Eyes"
''He is busy this morning-you may
have to wait some time. Come over here
by the window. This is an easier seat. -
The gray haired man took the proffered
seat with a word of thanks, and the
soung man passed into the other room.
| When he came back he was closely
studying one of the papers from his bun
die. But he looked down as he passed
the gray-haired man and stopped. His
| eyes took in the plain attire, the gray
| hair, the patient face.
Pardon me-" he softly said, "but
may presume that you are looking for
employment
The man nodded.
"Yes," he answered.
'You are stranger here?"
II am now, the gray-haired man re-
piled. when was quite young work
ed in the old factory building That is
why hoped to find employment here. :"
The young mans face looked grave.
eve have many applications for work,
he said. His face lightened "And you
were boy in the old factory? That's
fine. My father began here, too. I'd
like to hear about those old times. We
think we have made great advances since
the Acme's early days.
''No doubt of that" said the older
man. '1'm only afraid you have ad
vanced beyond me"
The young man moved toward the
door. Then he turned and, coming back,
bent over.
'Any immediate necessities?" he soft
ly asked.
The older man looked up at him with
sudden smile.
mot yet" he answered.
Here is my card" said the younger
man little hurriedly. Come at any
time. | will be glad to see YOU
He turned and passed through the out
er doorway.
The man looked at the card and ad-
dress.
The name was John Osborn.
The man stared at it and slowly nodded.
''You may be slow and shy, John Os-
BORN" he murmured, ''but your heart
beats quick and warm. Bless the boy"
He carefully placed the card in an in
side pocket and looked up. The door of
the inner room had just opened and a
stout young man was coming out
The persons who were waiting sudden
ly arose, but he waved them aside.
''No more time to spare, he told
them. ''lf your business is of import
ance come again tomorrow"
He turned aside at the outer door and
encountered the gray-haired man who
had suddenly arisen and now barred the
way:
Treat?'
Yes
MAY have word with you?''
The assistant superintendent looked
the stranger over.
"What is it you want?"
The man looked at him appealingly.
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've passed your time of useful
ness, my gray-haired friend
The strangers voice grew eager.
Il worked for the factory, sir, forty
years ago. You'll find my name on the
old books-and on some of the old pat
terms
The young man shook his head.
''Well," he said, 'you won't work
here again. You have outlived your al
lotted span of industrial usefulness. |
am surprised to hear that you are look
ing for work. Don't you know the
chances are strong that if you secured
place that you would crowd some young
err and much ADLER man from employ
ment.
The stranger sighed.
But what am to d." he asked in a
helpless tone.
"That's destined to be a very serious
problem" said the young man, "You
know what DIR. Osler is reported to have
said. Well, don't 60 as far as the
chloroform theory, of course, but do
think that when 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 l expect to do when l reach your
age. It's the law of the inevitable.
The older man shook his gray head,
"But what am to do sir?" he repeat
ed.
eco home," said the young man lit
tie sharply. eco home and tell your
friends to take care of you. The Acme
plant can't be bothered. We have divi-
| dends to earn and stockholders to satisfy.
! If we tried to run benevolent home
here for superannuated employees, we
| would close our doors.
"And does the fact that once worked
here count for nothing the stranger
asked
Chats all sentiment, sal the young
man, 'and sentiment has no place in a