Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-02-26
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COmfOrterS
What's the Use of Worry
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BY EDWARD HOLLYWOOD

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In the kitchen beneath Jernigan's
bedroom the clock whirred and began
to sound the hour. At the first jan
Cling stroke Jernigan lifted his head
and became aware, with quick throb
Of gratitude. that he had been asleep
The question was. for how long?
There was no daylight at the curtained
window. but he was sure that 1t must
be nearly sunrise. and in alert anxiety
he counted the strokes oftthe clock.
Nine, ten. eleven-and silence. Jer-
nigan groaned YEARLY He had been
in bed only thirty minutes. after all.
Through the doorway Of the adjoin-
Ing room, where his wife slept with
the two children, he blinked at the
white. dim hummock of Lizzie's back
nnd listened to her placid breathing
Noiselessly he drew on some clothes.
found pair of slippers and glided
swiftly down the dark stairway.
With a hand on the knob of the
front door he turned and peered into
his narrow parlor. The blue glare
from an arc lamp in the street family
Illuminated the parlor table, revealing
the bank book on 1t and his private
account book and the sheets Of paper
covered with penciled figures. He has
tily secreted them before he went out
of doors.
Jernigan was the bOokkeeper for Mr..
Ellice at the Rudale mill, as his father
had been before him. He was skill
ed and honest accountant. The tor
mentlng figures had nothing to do with
his employers affairs. They repre-
scented his own endeavor to deal with
the terrible fact that during the past
two years he had diminished by nearly
$1,000 the modest capital which he
had inherited from his parents.
He looked morosely down the desert
ed street toward the huge mill. It's
windows glowed; its looms chanted
their endless. sonorous hymn Of pros
perity. On hill near by was the state
ly, old fashioned Ellice mansion. with
Its tall columns Of white stone. Mr..
Ellice was evidently entertaining an
evening party there. The lamps Of
motorcars shot their golden beams over
the lawn. and Jernigan heard a va
grant strain Of dance music.
His vague plan was to stroll as far
as the office of the mill before turning
back.
Behind the building he halted In be-
wilderment A light cleaned from
rear window. Somebody was in the
Office!
Now. II was impossible for Jernlgan
to believe that any one had rightful
business there by night without his
knowledge, 30 he crept close to the
window. He saw a man standing be-
side the Office table. On the table were
books Of account and sheets Of paper
covered with penciled figures. The
man bent over them. then paced the
room, then returned doggedly to the
table. then paced the room again. Jer-
uikuh Nuhkhl hio DhCutht hOA thg Ahdh
was John Elllce.
The boOkkeeper stared, as II In
theater. ut counterfeit presentment
Of himself pacing his own parlor. FL
Ices unbuttoned coat showed a loose
paJama jacket; he wore slippers. and
his hair was ruffied like that Of one
driven from his bed His face, as be
bent at the table under the light
was drawn and white.
Jernigan Interpreted the picture
swiftly. Indeed. there was only sin
gle possible meaning for him, and this
was meaning which swept every
thing else out OF his simple soul as
gigantic aud appalling torrent sweeps
u humble valley. The sight Of an ri.
lice Of Rudnle In the torment Of finan.
cial worry was to Jernigan what the
sight OF u collapse of the great pyra
mid would have been to an ancient
Egyptian. Other affairs Of life for Jer.
nlgan we're totally obliterated by awe
stricken CONSERVATION and a sympathy
almost reyerent
Ellice snapped or the electric lamp,
pushed the papers into drawer Of the
table and locked It, He decided that
his daughters dance would be over,
and he wondered II he could sleep.
Then he smiled grimly, knowing well
enough that 1t was not dance music
which had kept him awake. His neck