The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-21

know I'm SLOW, out i ID ooan6 NY ~oS% | :,
I'll make good. l."
He caught her by the hands. You
don't think" he began. You don't
think" The idea was preposterous.
did you think l wanted to make ,
harder for your" he asked.
His arms were about her. and she
was weeping upon his shoulder. Her
helplessness stirred him deeply. He
kept his arm tenderly around her ne
they walked to the elevator.
Il am going to Zee you to your
home, Lucy" he SAID. |,
That was the beginning Of their real
acquaintance. But in the factory they
continued to appear - strangers. This
love that had come to them was too
sweet. too intimate for public knowf
! edge.
II had been the simplest thing in
the world. There never was any TOR
| NAL declaration. That night, ~ they
parted, she raised her lips to HIS. more
| ike Z sister than . sweetheart. On
Sundays he took her ON trolley into /
the country. And they began to dream /
about the future.
The irony OF that bit into Toms
soul. Suppose he managed to get M {;
teen dollars a week ultimately! There
was no promotion out OF the pattern
department 1t was blind alley; the
only man who got more than fifteen
was the foreman, and his wage was
twenty-three Boys came into the fac
tory and drifted out to other jobs.
Girls entered. to marry, or
WELL they disappeared after a time,
a. the young men did. Tom had been
there longer than any other.
At last he told Lucy frankly OF his
, fears.
,, There's nothing to 1t at ALL ne
, said. And l don't know what TO DO.
/ guess I'm not fit for anything else,
, except a laborer's job maybe. l came
!, from a country town, and my folks
/, never amounted to much there. had
: a letter to Devoe. He put me where
am. I'm just one of the wastage,
. Lucy"
mol" she cried. you are worth
: all of them put together, dear. And
you are going to succeed. know you
are"
!. II Wilt" he said. with clenohed
] hands.
I But how? At twenty-five he was as
H helpless in the heart of this grinding
II civilization of commerce as q savage
ii might be. He saw rich men every
II where. men who rode in automobiles
II who stood. in evening dress. at thu
II theater entrances. How did they ge
II their chances? And why couldn't he?
! Say, Rogers, did you hear Brown Il
going to leave?" asked one Of the mel
at the factory one day. Got ter
thousand-dollar Job with the Women
Cloak and Skirt people. Devoe'
pretty mad at losing him, I guess, bu
4 everybody in his department 10 lool
= Ing for Browns Job"
Ten thousand dollars a, year! Tol
felt a surge Of disgust within him. II
could have done as well as Brow
And he knew the business from II
bottom up. He had not been tnel
four years for nothing! And Deve
had lied to him.
During the lunch hour he went IN
op Devoes office, passing the swing DO
that separated the factory from Il
,r sales department for the first time
A. his life. He was burning al 0v
IA with anger against the man.
nor He walked past the once DC
,ch straight into the room where Dew
he was seated alone, his feet on the tab
ION looking out of the window.
90, "You haven't told me the truth"
heard himself crying in fury. ~
49,, told me four years ago there Won
I'm be q chance for me. When's 1t comi
.ad of? Why don't you give me \
~. Browns placer"
~. Devoe took down his feet and
80. flush OF anger. which crept over
face, was succeeded by amusement
he looked at the despairing figure
"a, fore him.
,ur my dear boy, who are you! l do
"' know you from ADAM" he said.
Tom thought he was lying.
les brought you a letter four years q
10 and you said you wouldn't forget
luz and that you tried out new men
TUE the road" said Tom.
Devoe was interested. Want
men chance on the road. eh?" he ask
tier well, you might have had 1t SIEVE
aay' times. Why in thunder didn't you
ess' mind me? Think I've got time
Dc waste on every jake that brings
letter."
ince well, L want it" answered 7
De- holly.
nent Think you could sell patterns
, In the ladies' eh? Cot nice suit?
ever q smile? Know how to jolly
along? Say. If you've waited
day. years for tbs. and allowing
had you've got a forcefulness about
she don't know as | won't give 20
d 1t. chance. Not Browns job at pres
talk young man. But IL twenty per, an
time commission looks all right to you
with n starter. YOU can come back this
ernoon and I'll talk It over with y
rect. And Tom found himself back in
had empty pattern department. His D
It he was whirling. Twenty ard com
Their sion! What sales he would ma
aged Presently he saw Lucy at his side
tom! What is 1t, dear?" she CT
In of amazed at his look, and clingint
hook him.
man. 'It's-its-the end of this, Lu
he answered huskily. I'm going
-, | tba road ppt IN your hat and