The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1912-02-23
Two Violets
II was the day after the panic.
BY M. H. JUSTICE

1t was the day after the panic.
The turmoil and buster Of the
street" which had swept before 1t in
havoc the fortunes of many substan-
,ial firms. had also taken down with it
that of John Hambleton & Co But the
Street itself, which the day before
had been one mad pandemonium. had
again quoted down to it's usual seren-
ity, except the crowds around the
curbs who still talked over the inan.
cial excitement But so it always is
in this district Of New York. Men
may go down at one fell stroke specu-
lators may lose all they have in the
world-but the markets go on the
same-the persistent ticker marks of
more encouraging quotations, and the
financier forgetting the ruin of those
around him, strives to recoup his own.
John Hambleton sat in his private
ONCE. On the morrow the firm would
90 through the prelininaries of assign.
ment. He could pay off part OF the
Indebtedness dollar for dollar, but
after this his slate would be wiped
clean of cent At so he was worse
than when he had begun--a pauper,
though an honest and discouraged
man.
He touched an electric button.
A slight, dark-haired gray-eyed girl
came in with pencil and pad She was
more than beautiful, for there was
sympathy and intelligence. in the
young face. She had been with the
firm but three weeks, but she had
given satisfaction from the start. Her
dignity and gentleness had given a
soothing effect to the strenuous broI-
erage office without John Hambleton
knowing why.
mo, Miss Jarrett you need take
no more notes. he told her, when she
had sat down. 81 regret tc say am
discharging you" He held up his
hand when she started to speak
Don't make it worse" he went on;
Il am ruined and done"
but, Mr.. Hambleton--"
He raised sllencing hand Here
is two weeks salary in advance-till
you can secure another place, and
wish it could be more. You will find
couple of firms on this slip to whom
have recommended you. am going
out on a business errand for an hour.
You may leave now"
She wondered at his words, but
some silent warning in his handsome
face forbade her answer. She softly
closed the door and went out. AS she
gathered up a few belongings she
heard the senior partner go on his er.
rand And when she left she passed
through his private Office again, with
eyes filed with tears, and laid little
note upon his desk.
An hour later John Hambleton came
in. Though he had sacrificed the last
cent of his private fortune of over
million dollars, there were still some
who called him thief and man with.
out friend left.
"A man without a friend" Worse
than man without country!
He opened small drawer of his
desk and took out something. The
polished steel glisteneA against the
rich mahogany of his desk as his hand
closed over it. Twas perhaps coward.
~. But he was tired-alone and dea.
perate.
once he looked out the window.
Below, rising from the street, he could
hear the shouts of the curb brokers,
and, further away, the indistinct mum.
BILE coming from the stock exchange,
He smiled. He would never hear that
again, and he sripped the steel thing
closely.
At that moment, almost brushed
aside, his eyes fell on Alice Jarrett's
note.
Slowly he opened 1t. There were
just few words, but out fell two vic
lets, the kind that grew in his mothers
days on the farm, with the delicate
oaor Of spring A food of emotion
overcame him.
His eyes fell to the note.
81 am leaving, but here is my ad.
dress. My heart is with you in your
trouble. If you need me only send
for me- Your friend. A. J."
His friend! OF all the friends he
knew this gentle girl alone had left
the gentler message just in time.
With the two violets pressed to his
lips, John Hambleton's head went over
on his desk. and he wept for the first
time in many years.
Slowly the little steel article was
| s,,.t haoh IN DC drauar