El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-07-28
Condensed Nooel Series One 4 Day
John Halifax, Gentleman
By MRS. UNLOCK.
Condensation by Basil Kng.)

THOUGH a boy OF Is, was too Il
1 and crippled to walk. Owing t
the rain my father pushed my hand
carriage under an archway. Taking
shelter there we found a handsome
boy OF 1s, well built. strong and look
ing more than his age.
Fearing to lose time from work in
his tannery my father engaged this
BOY to push me home when the rain
-eased- Arrival at our house I asked
aim in for q meal After his dinner
n the kitchen he Joined me in the
dining room, telling me something OF
lis history His name was John Hail
AK, an orphan, without home, rela-
lives, or money, and so obliged to
Dam the country looking for work.
bis one treasure was a Greek tesla
ment,- on the flyleaf OF which was
written the name Of Guy Halifax,
gentleman. TO Muriel Joyce, spinster
IN the year 1It9; of the birth of John
Halifax in 1850. and Of the death Of
Guy Halifax in ISL Being unable To
write the lad asked me to make the
additional entry, 'Muriel Halifax, died
January /, 1871"
Never having had a companion I
-ook to this boy as a friend. inducing
ny father, Abel Fletcher, to give him
work in the lanyard It was humble
work, at a pittance a week. and the
boy took such care Of himself as he
could, sleeping in or on a pile Of tan
bark, and eating no more than enough
70 Keep him alive. Faithful and indus
trious, however, he won his masters
confidence. being gradually promoted
10 better posts, though still earning
10 more than a bare maintenance
Those were the days OF hard times
Incidental to the Napoleonic wars.
with scarcity of both work and food.
As was helpless IL meant much TO
my father TO have growing Up under
his eye a lad to whom his masters
interests were his own In 2 meas
IRE John Halifax took ny place in
he tannery. and during the labor
riots from which my father suffered,
As did most employers Of the time,
ny friend was always on hand TO
Ioothe the Torkmen and protect my
tather's property
In proportion as Abel Fletcher
grew old and infirm a greater meas Z
IRE Of responsibility fell on the 4
Younger mans shoulders. By the /
TO take him into partnership. prOmot- 4
ing him thus from the standing Of a /
wsif, which was that which he held 4
IN the eyes OF our conservative fellow I
toWnsmen in Norton Bury. in Glou-
cestershire. TO that OF solid citizen
No young man ever deserved good
ortune more Developing. too. 4
force OF character which could not
but be progressive. he more than
once found himself at odds with the
cid Tory elements that had long held
cur townspeople in submission and
contempt.
Chief among the petty tyrants Of
the aristocratic class we're the Earl
Il Luxmore and his soninlaw, Richard
8rithwood. the important landowners
y our neiEhhorhood- Hard drinking
ard riding and profligate, they made
sc TO the full OF those privileges Of
firth and position which in those days !
,llowed the nobility to be overbear-
NJ to all whom they regarded as in
errors Toward this spirit John Hall ,
ak bore himself respectfully but
nanfully. exciting the hatred Of his
opponents BY defeating their ends A ,
combination OF circumstances brought
lin IN the long run into closer con-
lection with both than either he or
hey cared to recognize.
When I was % and Iohn Halifav !
,e we took oar first holiday together.
odging at farmhouse in the neigh
lorlng bills. where also some cousins
= Richard BTfthwood. Mr. March and ,
is daughter. Ursula were making a ]