Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1921-12-30
mirror was shivered to atoms.

--.s s ~ - 49, 4-r-- q !
mirror was shivered to atoms. s
Walter Lane had been In the emplo!
of Richland & Co. for over a year
He was held responsible for the dam
age, although personally he had n,
hand in the disaster. There wer'
some hot words. Walter felt the In
justice Of burdening his shoulder
with the entire responsibility but HI
was discharged, his accumulated wage.
held back and threats Of suit to re
cover the balance Of the damages
made.
"And about all l know Is the kind
Of business the house does and, Of
course, they will blacklist me every
where with the trade mourned Wal.
ter
He felt pretty forlorn as he walked
slowly homeward. .
There was a notable operate event
on the books for Friday evening, only
two days ahead. He had invited Leah
Moore and, although she had several
other invitations for that evening, she
accepted his own, SO pleased and
pleasant that II had made his heart
bound,
81 can't face her." reflected Walter.
"Tll phone her this evening, and that
will mean-goodby!"
1t was distressing to think Of It,
and Walters spirits sank lower as he
proceeded on his way. Then sharp
slap on the shoulder brought him to
a halt, and turning he faced bluff and
hearty grlzzled old Jerry Gowan.
Old Jerry had been veteran In
the mirror service, but for year
classed as superannuated, and lived
In an old home some relatives had
left him. Walter had been his appren-
tice, In fact, and Jerry was quite fond
Of him.
"Well, my hearty" he hailed, "how
goes 1T"
Bad" replied Walter, promptly and
truthfully. I'm discharged" and he
told how.
Good! Grandw cried old Jerry. ~
don't mean because you lost your Job,
but because l need hand and ! don't
know better one than you. Lad,
I've got big contract. I'll guarantee
at least 5000 for the year. What do
you say?"
"What do you expect me to dor
Walter asked.
BUY broken mirrors from factories.
You just broke one, you say. Go and
buy the Fragments "
what are you going to do with
themf'
"Cut and fit them to small medallion
mirrors. I've got an unlimited or
der"
Somehow the optimism of the old
man inspired Walter with new cheer.
Somehow his hopelessness was dissi-
pated, and he mustered up courage to
call upon Leah and tell her every
thing. She not only accepted no other
but asked him to spend the
evening at her home, and evinced the
liveliest interest In his new prospects.
Somewhere old Jerry had purchased
an enormous number Of medallion
frames. His business was to fill them
with little mirrors made from the frag-
ments Walter purchased at bargain.
Then there was some rush business.
The medallion mirrors were packed
in boxes. There was nearly carload
Of them. They were shipped across
the continent. When they arrived at
the little town on the coast, they were
removed to the Lame Duck.
The Lame Duck was worthy of her
old shore liner owned by
old Jerry's hacker and brother.
Then there was cruise of 800
miles south and then somewhere of
the Central American coast the Lame
Duck came to anchor In the port Of
the principal island Of vast archipel-
ago. .-. ..
There were natives, thousands Of
them, and one king over them all. II
was with this potentate that Captain
Gowan did business. II seemed that
on previous voyage the captain bad
presented the king with the first hand
mirror he had ever seen. II set his
wild with delight.
They had no money no postage
stamps, nothing but banana trees and
;hellfsh on the island, sheep and birds.
Every native had a mattress of the
'oftest down. As to wool, the islands
we're covered with thorny bushes that
we're just loaded with strands of pre-
,ious wool torn from the passing
nerds.
The Lame Duck came back loaded
With wool and down. The two part.
lers-old Jerry and walter--left San
Francisco with $4,000 between them.
So the broken mirror led to new,
bright fortune for Walter Lane-to