The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1919-04-05
TOO Old"
~

D. VICTOR REpcinrH

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tcsSyrisht. iSis. wsstsra NsvsVapss usisa.
~You SEQ the big entrance to the
factory. Beyond. a great broad stair
way leading to the ofices. After that
tho drauRhtlnx rooms. Then building
after building. pattern lofts. machine
rooms. holding hoors. Well. thirty
years. boy and man. I've gone up those
stairs. kept going till mounted high
or and higher. and became superintend.
cnt, thcn-follow me bit, and I'll
show you the other side Of the pic
turc."
Thus Gabriel Purcell. sturdy old dis
ciplinarian Of nifty. He did not look
II, he did not feel It. His voice was
clear as a clarion note. his eye was
full Of fire and power. Just a wee
stoop OF the shoulders threw the stall
wart figure out Of direct plumb line.
and the silverinE hair was touched
with the first frost Of time and win
ter.
He carried magnificent Gold.head-
ed cane under his arm, disdaininE ita
use as support and only taking II
with him for company because II was
the cherished gift Of some cheap
shovel men In the factory, who loved
him md his Just. helpful way as II
he had been an own father to them.
Gabriel Purcell led his companion. an
old.timc friend, making brief visit
10 the town. around the great stone
wall inclosinE the plant. and then
swung his canc to where long steep
chute ran from the upper floor Of the
tin speciality shops to tho barren rear
yard. Down II was now pouring the
scraps, refuse. waste Of the factory.
1.-THE dump hcad-see II. Farieieh r
questioned the old man bitterly.
That's me--in at the front. rushed
through. worked out and thrown on
the dump hcad!"
At that same hour Thomas wynne.
head Of the great wynne company. sat
facing his attorney in his private Of.
nce.
1.-THE fact Ia. wynne, isn't II that
Purcell Is oslcriaed." submitted the
latter.
Don't use the word jauntily. Ran
DALI" returned the founder. "but that
about covers II. You don't know how
Il Jars on me to face the merest I'm
putation Of injustice regarding Fur.
cell. He has hcen my right hand since
I started In here with q little twenty
by forty shed Of shop, aud has help
ed build the business up to its pre-
ent up-to-date proportions. You know
how fifteen years ago my wife inherit
ed large estate and supplied one
hundred and Nifty thousand dollars
capital to expand the enterprise. Well.
recently younger brother at hers.
what you may call q mechanical the
orist and ultra.system man. got the
idea In his head that he could come
In here and double M profits In Q
year"
"But what interest has he In the
businessf'
"None. except through the courtesy
Of my wife and some relatives who are
also stockholders. OF course can't
gainsay her. Her estate owns con-
siderable of the company stock. She
helped build me up can't afford to
bubble with her. had to super
code Purcell My hrother.tn.law 10
now In charge Of the mechanical de-
partmcnts. Younger men. stricter
rules, more business. higher profits, his
aim. We shall see how 1t works out.
Mr.. wynne sighed.
.k.n =
lawyer cyutcalty.
YES that isn't all. Randall" ne
sumcd the manufacturer. y am ap-
preaching delicate subject. You
know that Purcell has a son who Ia
the pride Of his soul and the apple Of
his eye. Arnold Purcell"
Yes nodded the lawyer. and II was
palpshly apparent that the mention
aroused pleasant sentiments. "A hne
young man. an exceptional one. they
say. Capable. ambitious, high grade.
I hear that he has won quite solnc
eminencc as an advanced sanitary en-
ginecr.-
VERY well. by some strange freak
Of destiny he and my daughter, Eisi-
more. met at a social function in the
city. Plainly, they are In lore with
each other. am no aristocrst. I
sprusr from nothing. as did Gabriel
Purcell. My wife. however, as Won
know. draws the line at social dis
tinctions. or rather those Of wealth.
She has f,atly told young Purcell that
Elsinorc must never marry 4 man who
has not as large n fortune as her
own
And Arnold rurccnr~
Asks time to make god the ccndi-
ticn.-
'Ercat for him! He'll make IT.
declared the lawyer with confidence.
The young man has not advised his
father or others Of his love affairs
said wynne. HE and Elsinore seem
to have settled down to sensible. dig.
nlned patience and mutual fidelity. He
does not intrude himself upon her
company. He Ia pursuing the even