The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1918-05-31
TOO Old"
by VICTOR REDcLwFE


- - -
actory. Beyond. a great broad stair
way leading to the ohiccs. After that
the d~raughting rooms. Then building
after building. pattern lofts, machine
rooms, moldine floors. Wen. thirty
years. boy and man. I've gone up those
stairs. kept going an I mounted high
or and higher. and became superintend.
ent. then-follow me a bit, and IN
show you the other side Of the pie
ture."
Thus Gabriel Purcell, sturdy old dis
c~ipllnarinn OF fifty. He did not look
Il. he dld not feel n. His voice was
clear az n clarion note. his eye WINS
full OF hre and power. Just n wee
stoop OF the shoulders threw the stall
wnrt figure out OF direct plumb line,
and the rliyering hair was touched
with the hrst frost Of time and win
ter.
lie carried n magnificent gold.head-
cd cane under his arm. dlsdalnlng It's
use as a support and only taking II
with hln for company because II was
the cherished Gift Of acme cheap
shovel men In the factory, who loved
him and his Just, helpful way ~ "
he had been an father 10 them.
Gabriel Purcell led his companion, an
old.tlme friend. making n brief visit
TO the town. around the great stone
wall incloslnR the plant. and then
swung his cane 10 where n long steep
chute ran from the upper floor OF the
Tin speciality shops 10 the barren .
yard. Down Il was now pouring the
scrnps. refuse. waste Of the factory.
"The dump head-see II. Fnrleig"T "
questioned the old man bitterly
That's me-in at the front, rushed
through. worked put and thrown on
the dump hendi"
A. that same hour Thomas wynne,
head Of the great wynne company, sat
facing his attorney In his prvnte Of
Gee.
The fact n, wynne. Isn't II that
Purcell Is Osleriscd," submitted the
latter.
Don't use the word jauntily, Ran
dali" returned the founder. hut that
about covers II. You don't know how
Il jars on me 10 face the merest I'm
putntion Of injustice regarding Pur
cell. lie has been my right hand since
I started In here with n little twenty
by forty shed OF n shop. and has help
ed build the business up "a Its pres
ent up-to-date proportions. You know
how fifteen years ago my wife inherit
ed n large estate and supplied on
hundred and hfty thousand dollar
capital 10 expand the enterprise. Well
recently n younger brother of hers
what you may call a mechanical the
orist and ultra-system man. got IN
iden In his head that he could com
In here and double up profits In
year"
"But what Interest has he In IN.
b~usinessT'
"None. except through the courtes.
~ my wife and some relatives who mr.
also stockholders. or course ! can
gaInsny her. Her estate owns con
siderable of the compa.y stock. Sh
helped build me up. can't arord {
audible with her. | had 20 super
ccde Purcell. My brotherln-law I
now IN charge NJ the mechanical ID
pnrtments. Younger men, strictc
rules, more business, higher profits, hi
aim. We shall see how II works out.
Mr.. wynne sighed.
"We shall. indeed" muttered IN
lawyer cynlcnlly.
ayes. that isn't all. Randall" r.
sumed the manufacturer. ~ am NJ
preaching a delicate subject. 70
know that Purcell has n son who !
the pride Of his soul and the apple q
his eye, Arnold Purcell"
ayes" nodded the lawyer, and II wa
2nlpahly apparent that the mentio
aroused pleasant sentiments. "a Nm
young man. an exceptional one the
sny. Capable. ambitious, high grad
hear that he has won quite SON
eminence as an advanced sanitary q
gineer."
VERY well. by some strange frea
N destiny he and my daughter. Els
more. met nt a social function In III
rlty. Plainly. they are In love wit
each other. I am no a%ristocrat.
sprung from nothing, as did GabriI
Purcell. Ny wife, however, ms va
know, draws the line at social d.
hnctions. or rather those Of wealtl
She has fatty told young Purcell TN
Elsinore must never marry n man WI
has not as large u fortune as HI
own"
And Arnold Purcellf"
ASKS time TO make good the cond
ton"
Great Cor hlml He'll make II
declared the lawyer with conidenc
"The young man has 10 advised h
father or others OF his love affairs
said wynne. "He and Elslnore see
to have settled down to sensible. III
nlhed patience and mutual fidelity. L
does not lntrude himself upon h
company. lie Is pursuing the evs
tener OF his way, and she IL conteu
II IL the father ! worry about.
want you to 20 and see him. and he
il the memOrnndn OF what want