The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-05
The Man Who
Worried
And In One Case There
Was Something to
Worry About.
BY JOHN T. LARNED

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo
/ 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 Edsall family
j was Interested in my work, whatever
Il was, and that is an important ele-
ment of success. was connected with
different departments at different
times, and In this way gained gen
erz1 knowledge of the business.
Mr. Edsalls only child was daugh-
ter. who when / came of age was ff-
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 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 a year, on her re-
turn, although she was more careful
ii 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
gparring between Lucia and me that
was dangerously near to love making.
Another years separation occurred
q trip abroad Lucia made with her
mother-and on her return, while l
saw no change in my sweetheart, had
Il become impressed with the risk to me
In appearing as a sutton for the hand
of nv employers daughter. Should he
have other plans for her he might as
sume that had clandestinely won her
and be proportionately indignant. /
was In high favor with him in bust
ness way, and my prospects were very
bright. 1t would be terrible misfor-
tune to me if such an accusation were
brought against me- ! would lose not
only the girl l loved, but my position,
and would have to begin again at the
foot of the ladder.
Being year older on Lucia's return
than l was when she went abroad,
this view of the case seemed Of great
er importance to me. There is no one
more prone to worry, to take pessi-
mistic view of his affairs than lover.
dreaded to have Lucia show a parti-
atty for me, and when she did ! re-
pressed its expression. This naturally
caused her to treat me coolly, and
was more miserable than before.
had been spending months In this
condition of uncertainty, making my
self and Lucia miserable, when Mr.. Ed.
sail was taken ILL., He sent for me te
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 astonished at this, be
cause there were men much older thar
/ who had been in his employ fol
many years. OF course ] was mucl
battered. was also rejoiced because
It indicated that some day might b.
promoted to a position next to the pro
prietor of the business.
But the higher l was lifted In
business way the more anxious be
came lest something should brinl
about a more open love affair between
Lucia and me, and my prospects woul'
be brought to sudden collapse. l hat
not definitely made love to her. Th'
matter was drifting. If told her tina
loved her should be in position t.
offer myself to her. That would neces
state my going to her father, and
had not the faintest knowledge wha
ground he would take. But feare
the worst.
When he recovered and resumed hi
place as manager of his business b
made me his financial man, placing m
in charge of not only the moneys b
used In the business, but his securities
This showed great confidence In IN
integrity, but was all the more PAM
stricken at the prospect of his comm
to knowledge of what was going 0
between me and his daughter.
/ worried, too, about the affairs
nv department. The cashier, Samu
Gregory, was under my orders, ar
the only person besides myself ar
Mr. Edsall who had the key of Il
safe. Gregory had been with the CO
Germ twice as long as l had, but VIC
ried lest he would involve me In son
misfortune. He was not as caref
with his personal expenditures as
thought a man entrusted with fun
should be, but that was not sufficie
cause for my pessimlsm.
One afternoon after bank hours a CT
toner from another city came into
once and insisted on paying his
count, very large amount, in ba
bills. l was obliged to receive 1t,
it was placed In the safe. That mig
Law awake, not only thinking OF
eouivocal position l occupied with
spect to having love affair with
daughter of man who trusted me
plicitly. but who could wreck my pr
pec,s If he considered that had b
treating him dishonorably. Worry L
habit, and IL a man permits himself
worry about one thing he will wo
about everything.
What made me worry about
money in the safe was that whei
had reported the fact Of the pawn
to Mr.. Edsall he said that ! she