River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-02-05

I'm delighted that you"
Il wanted to say" George began,
but his patron cut him off.
"Wait just q minute, my boy. I've
prepared a little speech of welcome,
and even though you're five hours
ahead Of time, mean TO deliver It.
| First Of all, your grandfather was my
old war coNrade and my best client !;
| for years ! prospered through my con-
nection with his business, and his
| grandson Is welcome in my Office and
| to my best efforts in his behalf. But I
want to confess, George, that during
| your earlier youth / may have had
some slight feeling of-well, prejudice
not altogether in your favor; but what,
ever slight feeling it was, it began to
vanish on that afternoon, a good while
ago, when you stood up to your Aunt
| Amelia ANDERSON as you did in the
Majors library, and talked to her as a
man and gentleman should. / saw
then what good stuff was in you-and
/ / always wanted to mention it. think
you'll find an honest pleasure now in
industry and frugality that wouldn't
| have come to you in a more frivolous
| career. The law is a jealous mistress
and Il stern mistress, but a."
George had stood before him in
great and increasing embarrassment;
and he was unable to allow the adj
dress to proceed to its conclusion.
81 can't do it," he burst out. II
can't take her for my mistress"
"What?"
'I've come to tell you, I've got to
find something that's quicker. I
can't"
Old Frank got little red "Let's sit
down." he said whats the troub,e"
George told him.
The old gentleman listened symra-
thetically. only murmuring: "Well,
well !" from time to time, and nodding
! acquiescence.
"You see she's set her mind on this
apartment" George explained. "She's
got some old cronies there, and guess
she's been looking forward to the
games of bridge and the kind of harm
less gossip that goes on in such places.
Really, it's life she'd like better than
anything else-better than that she's
lived at home, l really believe. 1t
struck me she's just about got to have
1t. and after all she could hardly have
anything less"
"This comes pretty heavily upon me,
| you know" said old Frank. II got her
into that headlight company, and she
fooled me about her resources as much
as she did your Uncle George. l was
never your fathers adviser, If you re-
member, and when the insurance was
turned over to her some other lawyer
arranged it-probably your fathers.
But it comes pretty heavily on me, and
| feel certain responsibility"
"Not at all. I'm taking the RESPONSE
bility." And George smiled with one
corner of his mouth. ''Ill tell you how
1t is. sir" He flushed, and, looking out
of the streaked and smoky window be-
side which hey was sitting, spoke with
difficulty. II feel as if-as if perhaps
| / had one or two pretty important
things in my life to make up for. Well,
| I can't. / can't make them up TOTO
whom I would. It's struck me that,
/ as / couldn't, might be little decent
| to somebody else, perhaps-if | could
| manage it! never have been particu-
| larry decent to poor old Aunt Fanny"
| "Oh, don't know: ! shouldn't say
that. A little youthful teasing---I
doubt if she's minded so much. 1t
seems to me she's had fairly COM
Portable life-up to now-if she was
| disposed to take it That way"
'But up to now is the important
| thing" George said. "Now is now
and you see l can't wait two years to
| be admitted to the bar and begin to
| practice. I've got to start in at some
thing else that pays from the start,
and that's what I've come to you
about. have an idea, you see."
"Well, Tn glad of that" said old
Frank, smiling. II can't think of any
thing just at this minute that pays
! from the start"
81 only know of one thing, myself"
"What is it?'
George nuSne0 again, Dut manager
| to laugh at his own embarrassment. II
suppose I'm about as ignorant of bust
ness as anybody in the world he said.
"But I've heard they pay very high
wages to people in dangerous trades;
I've always heard they did, and I'm
sure it must be true. mean people
| that handle touchy chemicals or high
| explosives-meni in dynamite factories,
| or who take things of that sort about
| the country in wagons, and shoot oil
wells. thought I'd see if you couldn't
tell me something more about 1t, or
else introduce me to some one who
could, and then / thought I'd see If /
couldn't get something of the kind to
| do as soon as possible. / wanted to
T: get started today if / could"
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