The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1913-01-31

Fdii.re
He Kept Ills Promise
Faithfully
BY CLARiSSA MACkiE

the girl ut the Typewriter paused and
drew the receiver to her ear. She
frowned rs she recognized the voice at
the other end Of the wire.
perhaps you better talk to Mr.. Mes
singweIl: 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 &C.
cupation. From behind the closed glass
door of her employers private office
| came the deep bass murlnur of his
| voice as he talked with Rudolph Fear
ing.
Suddenly she caught her breath as
Messingwelrs voice rang suddenly
sharp and distinct to her listening ears.
Very we'll. Fearing: II you don't hear
from me by noon you a do your
worst-und go to the devil afterward!."
Then she heard the receiver slammed
on it's hook and the creak Of his chair
as he swung away from his desk.
Emily Carman had been Alden Mes
Singwell's chief. clerk for two years.
1t was a losing game for MessingwcIi.
He had come at the bidding of a dying
father to carry on the long established
| business of Messingwell & Co.. which
old Messingwell and a spendthrift
| younger son had managed to involve
almost to the point of failure when Il
death stroke laid the father low. The
younger son had taken himself as far
away from the lettering business rs
his means would permit. and so Alden
| was left with his promise to fulfill to
the best of his ability.
I'll do the best l can. father" he
promised. I'm not a good business
man-dOctors seldom are. you know
but as long us l have a penny to my
name the old sign shall swing above
the Office door"
His father had begged him to keep
up the appearance of prosperity. The
business will come back again. Alden.
Just give it a chance to recover from
the depression"
The depression was a thing Of the
past. and prosperity was abroad in the
land. and there still remained the de-
caying business. perhaps a little
strengthened here and there. but bound
to die in the near future. The machin-
cry in the long mill buildings was out
of date. and Messingwells methods
were hopeIcssly old fashioned.
The week before Alden had closed
down the mills and given the hands
! two weeks vacation. The notice tackled
on the door spoke of an inventory"
| being taken. but Rudolph Fearing had
laughed IL he read it and promptly
hired all of the Messingwell hands for
his own modern. up to the minute fac
tories He knew that Alden had not
the money to pay his workers another
weeks wages: that there were no or
ders on his books: that failure was
staring the unfortunate physician in
! the face.
Emily Carman knew all these things.
and so she hesitated before she turned
the knob that opened the door between
her office and Messingwell's. At last
she summoned courage and slipped in
side. standing with her slender. erect
figure beside him.
did you call me, Mr.. Messingwell?'
she inquired.
He swung about aud turned a pale.
respondent face toward her. mo. |
didn't call. Miss CarMan. But" lie
paused for an instant aud looked in her
face for the fash Of sympathy he had
eve failed TO tind there. and again he
a rewarded. did you know Fearing
had bought up every obligation We
owe:" he asked bluntIy.
II heard it yesterday" she said
steadily.
HE. gives me until noon to settle.
then he will close me up for good. I've
made a mess Of it all" he ended with
sudden passion. Il ought to have hired
q manager and kept out Of it myself
She permitted a little silence to fol-
low in order that he might recover his
poise. Then she said: LOT course it
seems hard to let the business 20 to u
man like Rudolph Fearing. but every
firm must come to an end some day.
timely or otherwise. II you sell all the
buildings. machinery and fixtures I
have calculated there would be enough
to wipe all the obligations and
leave a clean record for the firm Of
Messingwell 4 Co."
His establishment was genuine. "You
have c%alculated?" he repeated. You
have estimated the possibility of my
giving up-you have seen what a
BANKED failure l am?" He smiled bit
terly and turned his eyes away from
her.
1T isn't failure to Withdraw from
business because one cannot honorably
carry It on" she returned with spirit.
III failure is the ultimate end. why not
draw out before It actually happens
and thus Illustrate the end?"
He shook his head hOpelessiy. -
promised father I'd hang on to the
business as long ~ ! had Z penny. l
haven't got much now. but /. think !
know how ! ear stave Fearing on for
awhile"