The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-03-16
CHAPTER XIV.

The next morning I found a note
awaiting me which had arrived over
night in the mail. It was from Mrs.
Dace and said that she would DO very
happy to have me accompany her on
little shopping tour that forenoon.
provided / could arrange without IN
convenience to be away from my
place of business ] at once phoned
her that / would go with her had
| never felt a greater aversion for my
| daily, half-mechanieal work at the
Office than | did this bright morning,
and the invitation to spend day with
| the woman | loved so madly was an
opportunity not to be ignored. More-
over, as my wealth had rapidly in
| creased the fact that ] was stili the
| daily enlploye of soulless corpora
| ton at a nominal salary and must
| still give my attention to the petty de-
tails of journal and ledger had CALLED
me until several times had been upon
/ the point Of resigning. This | now de-
| cided to do at once, and sitting down
! at my secretary forthwith notified
them to that effect by means of let
ter, giving more important business
as my reason and enclosing them
check for my oyerdraWn salary. This
radical step having been taken, and
with my bridges now being burned be-
hind me, ! experienced some OF the
joyous sensations of an onward
marching invader OF new continent.
| With nothing to hamper me now eN-
cept the keeping OF an eye upon my
investments, | could give myself over
to the attractions that lay by the way
without the eyer-present and pleasure
marring thought Of early rising and
uncongenial work upon the morrow.
What my uncle would say regarding
this latest move of mine | did not
know nor did / greatly concern my
self. I was making my own fortune,
and reveled in the thought OF being
able in the not far distant future to
silence MS taunts By proof that man
of brains could make money IN ways
other than those of a miser. Never
theless | decided to say nothing to
him about it at this time. Any way,
| was SO deeply involved in my specu-
lations that the matter of my salary
was practically inconseGuenEial to me-
If / continued to win [ would soon
be IN a position where I would be in
d dependent Of everyone. financially
and If I lost, the fact OF still having
a job would be a matter of small con-
ISOLATION. I felt that / had risen above
the office of cashier and that a broad
er field Of endeaFor beckoned me to
its bosom. In the short time that had
elapsed since I had struck out boldly
for myself I had accumulated more
than | would have saved in a lifetime
at my salary, and my prospects had
never been brighter than they were
On this day of warmth and summer
sunshine. The high play OF the stock
exchange had untitled me Tor the
drudgery OF the pen.
The automobile was at the entrance
Of the Arcadia; Mrs. Dace awaited me
in her apartments, and together we
descended and entered the machine.
I gave it plenty Of speed and we went
whirring down the wide artery that
| led to the heart of the city. / told
her OF my resignation from drudgery
and after a moments reflection she
| voiced her aEfF.cyal OF it.
1.-THE position was ts,t stepping
stone, and 1t is hardly possible that
it would have ever brought you more
than hard-earned living. And that
is the very thing that | am anxious
that you should escape You are rap
idly becoming man Of affairs and
your future depends great deal more
on what you do with your head thar
with your hands. have confidence il
you and believe that you are able tt
hold your own among men who do big
things. Your Office position bound 80,
to a desk and hanfpered you. Nov
that you are freed from it, you car
get out among those who have hat
the opportunities that go with per
e sonal liberty, mingle with them ans
g avail yourself OF the knowledge tina
is bound to come from such associa
Il tons. | congratulate you upon you
determination to devote yourself Who'll
~ to the large things of the Worlt
6 rather than to the small. You are toe
z, big man to look graceful upon ,
: stool. You were built for a larg,
chair. Your self confidence strength
ems my faith In you, and We shall vii
6 out yet"
1t 1t was glorious thing to be hum
n ming along with her in that earl.
g forenoon hour, her commentator
ringing in my ears and the sweetness
a. of breezes blown across fresh water
g exhilarating. my physical senses. NJ
g enthusiasm leaped onward as light
X as q bounded rubber ball. and despit
her Injunction TO the contrary, / dc
. termined to make cast towards tn
subject of our marriage. But | Woul
d. make 1t judiciously and IL she car
l. toned me would Immediately tur
ID into some other channel. / let on
pit hand fall upon her gloved fingers.
T III you were my wife, sweethear