The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-11-02
Iaced interest in me-

tO uUOCtStdhu TO Ou. LII
 interested About the fish market?'
 "Oh. just happened to think of it as tt sample experience, and the last o1
 hat particular brand I got S9 a week md earned every cent of it inhaline
 he atmosphere. My board cost me ,6 and the other S3 afforded me a
 .hance to demonstrate myself a cap.
 ain of finance. paying laundry bills md clothing myself. besides buying unches and such like small matters.
 1, did the whole thing. you know, one
 ehooner of beer a day and made my pwn cigarettes. Never could make up
 ny mind which was the, worst. The
 lours were easy. too: didn't have to
 ret to work until in the morning.
 lasted five weeks at that job before
 was taken sick. Shows what great
 constitution I've got"
 "And them
 1 "Oh"- Duncan reused "Why,
 then l fell in with Kellogg again; he
 .ound me trying the open air cure on | bench in Washington square. Since 1 hen he's been finding me one berth ifter another. He's sure enough op- imist"
 Spaulding shifted uneasily in his chair. stirred by an impulse whose llnwisdom he could not doubt Dun .an had assuredly done his case no
 good by painting his shortcomings in
 .olors so vivid; yet somehow. strange y. Spaulding liked him the better for ais open hearted confession "well"- Spaulding stumbled awk-
 wardly.
 "Yes; of course" said Duncan
 promptly. rising. Sorry If I tired you"
 "what do you mean by Yes. of
 .ourseY"
 ''That you called me in to fire me: md so that's over with Only I'd be sorry to have you sore on Kellogg for saddling me on you. You see. he be heved I'd make good. and so l did D a way; at least hoped to-"
 "Oh. that's all right" said Spaulding uncomfortably. 'The trouble is. you see, we've nothing else open just now. but if you'd really like another chance on the road I-I'n be glad to speak to MT. Atwater about it."
 Don't you do itr' Duncan counsel ed him sharply, aghast. He might say yes. And I simply couldn't ac- cept; 1t wouldn't be fair to you. Kel- logg or myself. It'd be charity. for I've proved can't earn my wages. and I haven't come to that yet Nor' he concluded with determination and picked up his hat
 '.Just minute" Spaulding held him with a gesture. You're forgetting something-at least I am. There's a months pay coming to you. The cash Ter will hand you the check as you go out"
 "A months payY" Duncan said Flows that? I've drawn up to the end of this week already, if you didn't know 1t"
 ''Of course 1 knew it. But we never let our men go without a months no- dce or its equivalent. and"- "No," Duncan interrupted firmly mo: but thank you just the same. couldn't-I really couldn't It's good of you. but Now," he broke of abruptly. i've left my accounts. what there Is of them. with the bookkeep-, ing department, and the checks for my sample trunks There'n be a few dollars coming to me on my expense and I'll send you my address as soon as get one."
 'But. look here''- SpauIding got to his feet, drowning.
 "No," reiterated Duncan positively, there's no use. Pm grateful to you Tor your toleration of me and all that, but we can't do anything better now than call it all off. Goodby, Mir. SpauIding"
 Spaulding nodded. accepting defeat with the better grace because of an innate conviction that it was just as we'll after all And. furthermore be ldmired Duncan's stand, SO he offered lis hand-an unusual condescension. You'll make good somewhere yet" le asserted.
 'I wish 1 could believe it." Duncan's rasp was firm since he felt more as iured of some humanity latent in his ate employer. However. goodby."
 Good luck to you." rang in his ears IS the door put period to the inter- Iiew He stopped and took up the suit case and rusty oyercoat which he had left outside the junior ,artner's office. then went on. shaking lis head -Much obliged" be said ,uskily to himself. "but whats the ,ood of that There's no room any, where for professional failure. and hats what I am-just a ne'er-do-wen. never realized what that mean. ally before, end it's certainly taken e a damn long time to find out lt I know now. all right" Despondently he went down to the 1ewalk and merged himself with the owd, moving with it, though a thou nd miles apart from 1t, and. presently yerging. struck across town toward e Worth street subway station And the worst of it is he's too arp not to find it out-tf he hasn't this time-and too decent by far let me know if he has. It can't go this way with us. I can't let him. ot to break with him somehow-now today. I won't let him think me hat I've been all along to him. Bless s foolish heartp' l