The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-28

1t was after IL o'clock one night wher
the bell of the bachelor apartment ii
which Kenyon lived over the bank rang
The night caller was Parker senior.
Hes back said the father
'eTell him to come here" said Kenyon.
The following day. Jim appeared at the
store 1t was different Jim from the
one Grasmere knew. lie was haggard and
worn and there were streaks of gray in
his hair He was very quiet and sub
dued and had little of the air of the
buoyant Jim of old. His old friends asked
him many questions about his illness. The
subject distressed him so much that they
didn't press him. After time the town
accepting the fact that Jim had been
very i'll and that the Illness had made him
much older, ceased to talk about him.
Something else developed to engage the
attention Of the people and things moved
on In their old grooves.
Jim applied himself to business even
more earnestly than before. Kenyon was
more kindly than ever in his attitude
toward him. They didn't dine once a week
as formerly, but once a day. Kenyon
wandered into the store and chatted with
the young man. Jim was much embar-
rassed at first by these visits. but grad
ualy he became accustomed to them.
Once he suggested rather timidly that
ME-. Kenyon should have the books ex-
amined.
mo, Jim; that's all right" said the
big man.
n ever man worked to show his appre-
citation of another's consideration Jim did.
The only way he could make good his de-
falcation was by making the business pay
more. And the business did. The profits
Increased steadily With each increase
Kenyon increased Jims pay despite Jim's
protest. he did more When an electric
light and power company was organized
and trolley line was built, he put some
stock In Jim's name and made Jim di-
rector He made him an officer of a new
land company and one day astonished Jim
by telling him he was going to make him
a director of the bank.
There came another change In the ad-
ministration at Washington. A new party
came into power. Parker senior lost his
fob. He didn't live long after that
Kenyon showed more respect to Parker
dead than to Parker alive. He went to
the funeral. AS they were leaving the
cemetery he asked Jim TO dine with him
that night. as Jims own home would be
sad and cheerless. After the meal Ken
yon and Jim eat and smoked in silence
for long time. Kenyon was the first to
speak.
Jim" he said. your fathers death is
great sorrow to you. no doubt, but 1t is
better so.
There was something about Kenyon's $
manner that told more than his words.
Jim started to speak. but Kenyon checked
him.
81 know the whole story. he said. I
know how he specuated with the post
office funds and how to save him from
jail and disgrace you juggled things in
the store. You should have come TO me.
but / suppose you realized that I never
sympathized with your father. wish l
could have saved you from all the bitter
low for you while you were away. / may
be rather hard. but never could forgive
your father for letting you hear the bur-
den.
mo. don't interrupt me. II have held
} this thing in long enough What want
, you ia know is, that when you took that
money you took your own and not mine
t What have,is yours. I haven't chick or
| child. Everything l have accumulated is
for you. but / didn't want to let you know