Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-06-15
BARBARA VISITS NEIL IN HIS
NEW ENVIRONMENT.
CHAPTER c.

w other at this time-he often
came home just in time to go to bed
i think Neil and | were closer to-
gether in spirit than we ever had been
since the first days of our marriage.
He talked freely to me of his bust
ness, what he hoped to accomplish
beyond what was expected of him. In
all that was personal he let me share
while never talking of things which
he thought belonged entirely to his
employer. He had developed nice
ty of discrimination and was not di-
verified from it in any particular.
One day visited his office. sell
dom went into town. 1t was not nee
essary, and so an extravaganza. was
really surprised at the difference in
the appearance of this and the old
office, so immaculate, There the desk
was clean, everything locked away.
Here the desk, d large table strewn
with papers, pigeon holes all bullying
work desk indeed. Neil and the Of
flee force all working together in
harmony.
Someway the difference impressed
me more than anything that had hap
pened with the stability of Neil's
, work as compared with.his promoting
projects. Here was real business,
work that had no need to be hid
den, because no false representations
were made. Office doors were not
locked, although they were so busy
one had to be announced. In every
slightest detail was the contrast i'm
pressed upon me. l wondered why I
had not suspected long before | did
that all was not right. Had l, might
have tried to persuade Neil to-here
my thoughts halted. / realized that
as Neil was then--nothing l could
have said would have made any diff
ference. AS he was now, he would
have seen the wrong and righted it
himself without any interference.
Neil had charge of the manufactu-
ring end of Mr.. Frederick's business.
1t had grown enormously since he
took charge, partly owing to the
war. His commissions amounted to
far more than his salary, far more
than either of us had dared hope. But
if his health should fail under the
strain what good would it do? At
times | thought l should have to APP
peal to Mr.. Frederick, so anxious did
feel. Then / could not bear to ask
anything more of him, and simply
pleaded with Neil to be caretui--to
no avail.
Meanwhile the days and weeks
were slipping by and Fate or what
ever we may call it, was quietly,
steadily, persistently working out her
own ends, and our salvation, as is
her wont. Then suddenly we, the
United States were in the war. 1t
had happened almost over night, at
least the realization had to those OF
US who had secuted the idea that we
could have by any possibility be
drawn into the frightful vortex con-
vulsing the Allied nations. T
Among the first to offer his re-
sources to our government was Mr..
Frederick. His vast manufacturing
plants were turned into munition
works. his immense fortune put to
work to save the world. And because
of his quick grasp of affairs Neil
was made chief of his many lieuten-
ants. Frederick had said to him:
"You have vison Forbes, and that
is what we need. You are execu-
4 tive. that also is what we need, and
you have patriotism, which we must
have. believe you are the man for
the place. Will you undertake it?"
The salary was very large, but Neil
earned every bit of it. He would have
liked to have Joined the army had his
obligations not prevented; also the
belief that he could do more for his
country by remaining at his post.
We talked it all over and both agreed
he was needed at home. He was too
old for the draft, so would not be
taken
IF he had worked and shaved be-
fore he worked and shaved hundred
hines as hard now He had no thought
Of self, no care save to make good.
His life was often endangered be-
cause of his business, and his out
spoken views. Robert and / lived in