The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-03-04
A FIT OF
PESSIMISM
By WILLARD BLAKEMAN

Myra Coolidge was the daughter of
my employer and was my fancee. l
bad been with John Coolidge from boy
hood and at the time OF my engage
ment was expecting soon to become a
junior partner. Indeed, ! had done a
great deal to build up the business.
and since Mr.. Coolidge was getting old
| was gradually assuming more and
more responsibility in its management
AS the day of my nuptials with Miss
Coolidge approached ! began to dread
some misfortune that would mar our
happiness Expecting to step into q
partnership In a fine business and be
married at the same time to girl
loved deyotedly. naturally considered
myself on the pinnacle OF happiness
could go no higher and at any change
must go lower.
One afternoon when we closed the
Office we had quite large sum of mon
ey in the safe. / went to bed that
night thinking In this wise:
Suppose the safe should be robbed
and that money taken. Mr.. Coolidge
would be ruined, would be thrown
out of employment and my splendid
business prospects blighted. My we'd
ding would likely be deferred and pos
sibly never take place. | would lose
heart and commence a descent which
would probably land me in the poor
house.
This is the opposite of counting
ones chickens before they are hatch
ed Lying awake In dark room one
Is apt to be stricken with pessimism.
and wrought myself up to such q
pitch of foreboding that | became i'm
pressed with the feeling that the safe
would surely be robbed that night /
could not be satisfied till had got out
of bed dressed myself and started for
the office
When | arrived opened the door
with key ! always carried, entered
turned on light and saw that all
was the same as / had left it 10 the
afternoon ] had nothing to do with
the finances of the concern and did
not know the combination or | would
have opened ii to see that the money
was still there. 1t was rare piece OF
luck that did not. There was a
lounge In the office, and | felt so un-
easy that. disliking TO go back to bed,
| turned out the light. threw myself
down and soon fell asleep.
/ was awakened by familiar
turning of the combina-
ton knob to open the safe! Great
heavens. Ny forebodings had come 1
to pass | was not armed and dare
not confront the robber | lay per
fectly still. wondering what had !.
better do when the person manipulate
ing the safe lock flashed an electric |
hand lamp on the knob and began |
again 10 turn IT, Surely robber |
would not be opening the safe By the |
Some one who knew
il was there. Who could It be. and /
what could he be doing there at that I
time of night? His Identity was soon
established by his turning the light /.
upon his own face. He was Smith I
son. the cashier.
My first impulse was to say: Hello, I
Smithson. What are yon doingY
But | repressed It, would see for
myself what he was doing But I'M
at the moment was seiz
ID with a desire to sneeZe. and sneeze
| did. Smithson Immediately switch
"a ~ tba alaatpia liuhf
What are you doing here:" he ex
claimed on seeing me.
"What are you doing here?"
II got worried about the large
mount Of money we have here and
couldn't sleep, | had to get up and
'ome here to see that 1t was all
light"
Just my case | preferred not TO go
ome and laid down here TO sleep till
morning | haven't the combination,
O was obliged to content myself
With seeing that the safe hadn't been
lown open Singular. isn't 1t. that we
hould both have been affected the
anne way. and got up in the middle
f the night to satisfy feelingg'
VERY. Are you going to remain"
NO: we will walk along together"
He opened the safe. We satisfied
urselves that the money was there
nd left the Office together.
The next day | said nothing about