The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1916-11-09
AQUITTER
By HENRY D. MOREHOUSE.


We'll, if you say you can't there
isn't any use of talking any more
about it. The shape the work is in
now. l don't suppose you would mind
If / left tonight, would you?"
why, no, Joe; if you wish to quit
tonight, it's all right. You can ar
range to go any time you like. But
I'm sorry. I'm sorry to lose you and
I'm sorry | can't pay you more money,
but I've told you how things stand"
|, The men shook hands and Joe left
sthe office.
|. He bought an evening paper and
bclimbed the stairs of the elevated.
| Seated in the train, he listlessly be-
gan to read a short story. 1t was the
story of a man of forty-five. tired OF
the city and broke, who had left town
one day, and after travelling many
miles had hired out as farmland, and
| in a short time rented a farm, mar
ried. made money and learned to de-
spise the city and all its works in the
happiness and contentment OF the
life he was living.
| The bell rang, and Marion ran to
the door, fastening a cuff button in a
fresh waist as she went. Marion was
a stenographer downtown, working for
a boss who suited his convenience
about debating his letters; 30 quite
often, as happened tonight, she was
late reaching home and had barely
time to finish a cold dinner after the
rest OF the family and hastily changed
her dress.
Joe had telephoned her few days
before that he wanted to see her
that evening.
Although he never had said so,
Marion thought she had pretty clear
idea of what his feelings were toward
her.
Instead OF Joe at the door, as she
expected, she met a messenger boy
who handed her a note. Opening II
in the hall she read:
Dear Marion: / decided few mo
; ments ago not to come to see you, but
, thought | would rather write. l an
going to chuck it-leaving town to
night at eleven. / haven't any clear
notion OF where / am going or what
am going to do. / only know for Ger
/ tain that | must get away. / have hac
hopes for many months-hopes o.
|, which / dare not tell-but 1t ism
any use. I've worked three years OF
this Job and I'm not getting anywhere
l hardly make enough to support my
A self. and when asked the boss for |
/ raise he wanted to know why b.
e should pay me more when he could &c
, any number Of men to work for wha
> / get. Besides, he said, the bushes
= wouldn't warrant it. l resigned m,
y position yesterday. and am taking
: train for some place In the woods u
> north. l wanted to say good-by t
you, but will let this be my good-by
JOE"
$ Marion sat a long time with the lei
r ter in her lap beneath her folded hands
n She had not known until now ho'
much she cared or what hopes an
v dreams had been hers for man
IS months. Joe evidently considered hin
5 self a failure-a Quitter-and wa
N willing to acknowledge it to her. Hi
&c good-by he seemed to mean should b
r fnal-expressing no wish to see
i, hear from her again.
n Joe pushed up the shade in h
p berth in the early morning light ar
nj n, looked out on a world of white. Dee
,y forests lined the track and the tree
" speeding by were covered with W
# snow that gave them the appearan'
a; of great white umbrellas: As he Ii
". in his berth watching the movir
e landscape, he heard the porter ss
ay through the curtain: Your station
100 next, sah."
A.; When Joe had purchased his tick
al the night before he had told the age
)r, he wished to go to some small pla
'A up in the woods, he did not ca
nd where.