The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-03-03


The name was John Osborn.
The man stared at it and slowly
nodded
You may be slow and shy, John
Osborn" he murmured, but your
heart beats quick and warm. Bless
the boy"
He carefully placed the card in an
inside pocket and looked up. The
door of the inner room had just open
ed and stout young man was coming
out.
The persons who were waiting sud-
denly arose, but he waved them aside.
mo more time to spare" he told
them. If your business is of impor-
lance come again tomorrow"
He turned toward the outer door
and encountered the gray-haired man
who had suddenly arisen and now
barred the way.
Excuse me, sir, but are you MIR.
Treat?"
Yes"
May l have word with you?"
The assistant superintendent looked
the stranger over.
What Is 1t you want?"
81 want employment, sir"
The young man frowned.
That's what l supposed Well, we
have nothing for you. We want en-
ergy here-not the musty elaboration
of old age. You've passed your time
of usefulness, 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
patterns"
The young man shook his head
WELL" he said, you can't work
here again. You have outlived your
allotted span of industrial usefulness.
l am surprised to hear that you are
looking for work. Don't you know the
chances are strong that if You secured
err and much ADLER man from employ
ment?"
The stranger sighed.
But what am l to do?" he asked in
q helpless tone.
That's destined to be q very seri-
Gus problem" said the young man.
You know what DR.. Osler is reported
to have said Well, l don't go as far
as the chloroform theory, of course,
but do think that when man reach
ffa INT y,;c
and physical strength is waning, he
should bow to the inevitable and get
off the track That's what 1 expect to
do when | reach your age It's the
law of the inevitable"
But what am / to do, sir?" he re-
peated
go home" said the younger man
little sharply. Go 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 sat-
| isfy. If we tried to run a benevolent
home here for superannuated employ
es we would soon close our DOORS"
And does the fact that / once work
4
stranger asked.
That's all sentiment" said the
young man. land sentiment has no
place in a hustling factory. Perhaps
IL you had stuck to the works you
| wouldn't be in your present straits"
He bad turned toward the door,
leaving the stranger staring after him
"a stare. strange to say, that was
coupled with a queer cynical smile
| when a young woman suddenly en-
tered the room-a fiuttering and in
every way charming young woman,
who looked eagerly from one man to
the other.
How do you do, Mr. Treat?" she
said to the younger man. who sud-
denly removed his hat. Then she
turned to the stranger. Il couldn't
wait any longer, daddy" she said.
The young man paled. His jaunty
air of selfconfidence suddenly wilted.
He looked at the older man and NUT
tered an indistinct apology. Then he
turned and hurried away.
The girl looked around in wonder.
why, what in the world does that
mean, daddy?"
The gray-haired man laughed.
1T means that No. 1 is of the opin-
ion that your father is too old to be of
any service to the factory
Before the girl could comment on
| this remarkable statement the outer
door opened and John Osborn came
into the room.
why, Miss Harmon he stammered
with quick flush of pleasure.
This is my father, Mr. Osborn"
said the girl
The stranger extended his hand, but
the young man hung back.
IL hope you'll forgive my for
wardness, sir" he stammered. Il
Didn't dream that you were Miss Har-
mons father"
The girl looked from one man to
the other.
And what does this mean?' she de-
manded.
1T means, my DEAR" her father ex-
| planned, that No. p should say this
| young Osborn here--tried to be kind
to a fOrlOrn looking old man without
| dreaming that he was your father and
the owner of this factory. We must
shake hands, young man."
The girl looked on with shining
eyes.
That was fine" she softly said.
See here" cried the other man,
| you wanted to hear me talk about
those early days at the Acme plant
Jein us at dinner to-day, my boy"
! r.ha do1aa vr,,n~ man Iooked from