Oxford Democrat., 1921-05-31

innecuous enough but involving thu
spending Of q few paltry dollars. Neve'
| had he blown them to Q meal or start
Cd q collection for q basket of fruit fol
the boss wife when she went abroad
No. Hsnry was q sure enough tight
wad
But then. what was be getting opt ol
lifsf That was q remark they liked Il
make to each other as. rolling along
home In Blake's mostly-paid-for car
they passed Henry. patiently waiting
on the corner for his trolley car.
Small wonder, then. that his recent
contribution TO Fiossie had caused
comment. Flossis was the oldest In
stitution In the ONCE. antedating even
the present members Of the firm them
selves, who had inherited her from
thsir predecessors a. young thing
fresh from high school and CORE
spendsnce course in typswriting. She
was most cordially hated BY Blake
and Jones, whom she treated ~ less
than the dust beneath her fest, and
presumably. By Henry On whom she
prscticsd her caustic Wit
II must be confessed that she never
seemed to bother Henry. Apparently
he was to al intents and purposes un-
aware Of her existence. giving out his
dictation, receiving the results, approx.
ing them and handing them back with
never an unnecessary word or glance
All business was Henry.
But to Blake and Jones her meth
DDS were CALLING In the extreme. and
her accusing eyes, bent on them az
they suspended work In the interests
Of conversation or some diversion like
the hoisting Of q safe to q window OF
the building opposite. irritated them
exceedingly. They would have liked a
fluffy rufiies In the ONCE. easier 70
look upon than the. sharp-featured
Flossie and more susceptible to their
charms.
Now II might be supposed that q
business as old N Ballou & Ballou
would continue indefinitely. II Ger.
tainly never occurred to Blake, who
had Just drawn bis entire savings to
meet large garage bin, to expect 9TH
srwise, nor to Jones. who had no saw
lngs account at all.
Even Flossie, when the blow fell and
she heard that ths last pay check
would be made out at the end Of the
week. turned quits white. thus ex.
hibiting the first inkling Of emotion
she had ever shown. Henry. the Inn
psrturbabie, merely lifted his eyes to
the announcement. then bent them to
his columns Poor Hsnryi He didn't
have any sort Of personality. This.
combined with disappearing hair and
the stamp Of forty-odd years on his
eontenance would NOT recommend him
to another position.
"What you going TO do. Hsnf' Blake
asked later. curicusly. "We're all IN
q light box. ] guess, except Flossie
here. I'll bet shs's been saving her
shskels and has Q nice tidy 1.-The sum
In the bank"
Tidy little sum yoursekr T. retorted
Flossie. She was perfectly aware Of
the poor showing shs would make In
competition with the hordes Of busi,
ness college graduates flooding the
mail boxes with applications for Jobs.
We've got q week In which to de-
eide" gave forth Henry in q tone Of
encouragement but which failed com
plstely In its effort 70 cheer.
One weak from that day. Blake and
Jones arrived 20 nnd the once empty.
No Henry. No Tlossta. But on their
desks were their pay envelopes and q
statement OF regret that their services
were no longer required hy Ballou q
Ballou who had ceased to exist.
where DO you suppose Han isY'
asked Blake morossly.
-Aiso R1cssi" said Joue2
At that moment Ike 3 response -
, cue. the deor opened h Was not
Flossi& Nor at hrse did Il appear
10 b Henry And Il wasn't the old
Henry. II was . man with hiS head
held hiyher. With . ns1 Light In his
sysS q lift to hia shoulder such ~
The old Henry had nsxer known.
Boys" hs began ~Sit down. FL