Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-03-21
MessingwelI's
Failure
He Kept His Promise
Faithfully
By cLARISSA MACKIE

The telephone bell rang sharply, and
the girl at the typewriter paused and
drew the receiver to her ear. She
frowned as she recognized the voice at
the other end of the wire.
perhaps you better talk to Mr.. Mes
singwel; 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 murmur Of his
voice as he talked with Rudolph Fear.
ing.
Suddenly she caught her breath as
Messingwells voice rang suddenly
sharp and distinct to her listening ears.
VERY well, Fearing; IL you don't hear
from me by noon you can do your
worst-and go 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
singwell's chief clerk for two years.
1t was losing game for Messingwell.
He had come at the bidding of a dying
father 90 carry on the long established
business of Messingwell & Co. which
old Messlngwell and n 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 totterlng business as
his means would permit, and 80 Alden
was left with his promise to fulfill to
the best OF his ability.
an do the best l can, father" he
promised. I'm not good business
man doctors seldom are, you know.
but as long as | have 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 chance to recover from
the depression"
ne utDltnSAOh was u NAlHB VI llt
past, and prosperity was abroad in the
land, and there still remained the de
caying business, perhaps 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cry in the long mill buildings was out
Of date.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 Messingwell's methods
were hopelessly 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 as he read 1t 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 80 she hesitated before she turned
the knob that opened the door between
her office and Messlngwell's. At last
she summoned courage and slipped In.
side. standing with her slender. erect
figure beside him
"Did you call me. Mr.. MesslngweIlr"
she inquired
respondent face toward her. mo.
didn't call, Miss Carmnn But" he
paused for an instant and looked In her
face for the fash OF sympathy he had
never failed to find there, and again no
was rewarded. did you know Fearing
had bought up every obligation we
over he asked bluntly.
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 mess OF II ALL" he ended with
sudden passion. ~ ought to have hired
a manager and kept out OF II myself"
She permitted little silence TO fol-
low In order that he might recover his
poise. Then she said: "Of course II
seems hard 10 let the business 20 to a
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 out all the obligations and
leave clean record for the firm of
Messingwell & Co"
His establishment was genuine. "You
have calcuntedf" he repeated. "You
have estimated the possibility OF my
giving up-you have seen what
BANKED failure amr' lie smiled bit
terly and turned his eyes away from
her.
ut isn't failure TO withdraw from
business because one cannot honorably
carry II on" she returned with spirit
III failure Is the ultimate end, why not
draw out before II actually happens
and thus Illustrate the endr
He shook his head hopeiessly. ~
promised father I'd hang on to the
business as long as I had a penny.
haven't got much now. but | think !
know how ! can stave Fearing OF for
awhile"
you cannot do II. Mr. Messingwell,"
said Emily sndly. III he holds all the
notes you can't force him TO arbitrste"
'I'll borrow the money from some.
body and pay him on" replied Alden,