The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-02
The Man Who
Worried
And In One Case There
Was Something to
Worry About.
By JOHN I. LARNED

| began my business career at seven
| teen as office boy with an importing
house My father, who was friend
of the proprietor, Mr.. John EdSall Sc
cured me the position, and | was on
social terms with the EdSal family
| was interested in my work. whatever
it was, ana that is an important Gle
ment of success. / was connected with
different departments at different
times, and in this way | gained gen.
eral knowledge of the business.
Mr.. EdsallS only child was daugh
ter, who when | came of age was tif.
teen years old. Some girls of fifteen
are like six-weeks-old colt, all limbs
and very awkward. Lucia Edsall was
the reverse Of this. She was very
pretty and graceful as Il fawn. fan.
cied her from the first moment saw
her and had evidence that she fancied
me. But girl of that age will usually
cling TO any young fellow with whom
she associates.
Nevertheless, after she had been at
boarding school for year, on her re-
turn, although she was more careful
| in showing her feelings for me. | had
reason to believe that they had not
changed ! was not in receipt of an
income to marry my wealthy employ
ers daughter Nevertheless there was
| sparring between Lucia and me that
was dangerously near to love making
Another years separation occurred
a trip abroad Lucia made with her
mother-and on her return. while |
saw no change in my sweetheart, | had
become impressed with the risk to me
in appearing as Il sutton for the hand
of my employers daughter. Should he
have other plans for her he might as
sumo that | had clandestincly won her
and he proportionately indignant
was in high favor with him in bust
ness way, and my prospects were very
bright. 1t would he a terrible mSfor-
tune to me if such an accusation were
brought against me | would lose not
only the girl | loved, but my position
and would have to begin again at the
foot of the ladder.
Being IL year older ON LuCia'S return
than | was when she went abroad
this view of the ease seemed of great
er importance to me There is no one
more prone to worry, to take pessi-
mistic view of his affairs than Il lover.
| dreaded to have Lucia show Il parti.
atty for me, and when she did | re-
pressed its expression. This naturally
| caused her to treat me coolly, ana |
was more miserable than before
had been spending months in this
condition of uncertainty, making my
self and Lucia miserable when Mr. Ed
sal was taken i'll. He sent for me to
come to his house and told me that he
wished me to run the business, report
ing to him every day until he had re
covered. | was aStonishcd mt this, be
cause there were men much older than
who had been in his employ for
many years. OF course ! was much
hattered. | was also rcjoieed because
it indicated that some day | might be
promoted to Il position next to HE pro
prietor of the business.
But the higher was lifted in
business way the more anxious | be-
came lest something should bring
about Il more open love affair between
Lucia and me, and my prospects would
be brought to sudden collapse. | had
not definitely made love to her The
matter was drifting. If / told her that
| loved her | should be in position to
offer myself to her. That would neces-
state my going TO her father, and |
had not the faintest knowledge what
ground he would take. But feared
the worst.
When he recovered and resumed his
place as manager of his business he
made me his financial man, placing me
in charge of not only the moneys he
used in the business, but his securities.
This showed great confidence in my
integrity but | was all the more panic
stricken at the prospect of his coming
to d knowledge of what was going on
between me and his daughter.
| worried, too, about the affairs OF
my department. The cashier, Samuel
NItBbIyb was my
the only person besides myself and
Mr.. Edsall who had the key of the
safe. Gregory had been with the con
Germ twice as long as had, but wor-
ried lest he would involve me In some
misfortune. He was not as careful
with his personal expenditures as
thought man entrusted with funds
should be, but that was not sufficient
cause for my pessimism.
One afternoon after bank hours a Gus
toner from another city came into the
office and insisted on paying his ac
count, a very large amount, in bank
bills. l was obliged to receive 1t, and
1t was placed in the safe. That night
| lay awake, not only thinking of the
equivocal position / occupied with re-
spect to having a love affair with the
daughter Of a man who trusted me i'm
plicitly, but who could wreck my pros
poets If he considered that l had been
treating him dishonorably. Worry is
habit, and If man permits himself to
worry about one thing he will worry
about everything.
What made me worry about the
money In the safe was that when /
had reported the fact of the payment
to Mr.. Edsall he said that l should