The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-03-20
MeSSingWelPS
Failure
He Kept His Promise
Faithfully
By CLARlSSA MACKlE
BY cLARlssA MACKlE

The telephone bell rang sharply, an'
the girl at the typewriter paused an(
drew the receiver TO her ear. Sh'
frowned as she recognized the voice a
the other end Of the wire.
perhaps you better talk to Mr.. Mes
slngwell; wait a moment, please, she
said, pressing a button at the side OF
her desk. She hung up the receiver
but did not resume her interrupted oc'
cupation From behind the closed glass
door Of her employers private office
came the deep bass murmur of his
voice as he talked with Rudolph Fear
ing.
Suddenly she caught her breath as
Messlngwell's voice rang suddenly
sharp and distinct to her listening ears.
every well, Fearing; If you don't hear
from me by noon you can do your
worst-and 20 to the devil afterward|
Then she heard the receiver slammed
on its hook and the creak Of his chair
as he swung away from his desk.
Emily Carman had been Alden Mes
slngwell's chief clerk for two years.
1t was a losing game for Messingwell.
He had come at the'bidding Of a dying
father to carry on the long established
business OF Messingwen g. Co, which
old Messingwel and a spendthrift
younger son had managed to involve
almost to the point of failure when a
death stroke laid the father low The
younger son had taken himself as far
away from the tottering business as
his means would permit, and so Alden
was left with his promise to fulhll to
the best Of his ability.
"I'n do the best can, father" he
promised. "pm not good business
man doctors seldom are, you know
but as long as | have penny to my
name the old sign shah swing aboy,
the office door"
His father had begged him to keel
up the appearance Of prosperity. 9TH
business win come back again, Alder
Just give 1t a chance to recover froI
the depression"
The depression was a thing OF I'll
past, and prosperity was abroad In IL
land, and there still remained the q
caying business, perhaps a lit
strengthened here ana there, but bouI
to die in the near future. The machi
cry in the long mill buildings was o
OF date, and Messingwels metho
were hopelessly old fashioned.
The week before Alden had clos
down the mills and given the han
two weeks vacation The notice tack
ON the door spoke Of an Inventor
being taken, but Rudolph Fearing h
laughed as he read It ana promp
hired all OF the MessiIgwel hands
his own modern, up to the minute {
tories He knew that Alden had
the money to pay his workers anot
weeks wages that there were no
ders ON his books; that failure '
staring the unfortunate physician
the face.
Emily Carmau knew all these thll
and so she hestated before she tur
the knob that opened the door betw
her office and MessingwolrS. at
she summoned courage and slipped
side, standing with her slender, @
figure beside him
did you call me, Mr.. Messingwe
she inquired,
He swung about and turned I
respondent face toward her. IN
didn't call, Miss Carman, But
paused for an instant and looked In
face for the flash OF sympathy he
never failed TO lind there, and agai
was rewarded. did you know Fea
had bought up every obligation
over he asked buntly.
81 heard 1t yesterday" she
steadily.
He gives me until noon to Sc
then he will close me up for good.
made a mess OF II all" he ended
sudden passion 81 ought TO have b
manager aud kept out Of it mysel
She permitted a little silence to
low in order that he might recover
polse. Then she said: "Of cours
seems hard TO let the business so
man like Rudolph Fearing, but e
frm must come to an end some
timely or otherwise. II you sell all
buildings, machinery and fixture
have calculated there would be enc
70 wipe out all the obligations
leave clean record for the firm
Messingwel & Co"
His astonishment was genuine.
have calculated| he repeated. 9
have estimated the possibility on
giving up-you have seen wha
blanked failure amp He smiled
terly and turned his eyes away
her
at isn't failure to withdraw