Ellsworth American., 1922-02-08
An Empty Headed
Boss
By CALVIN HENDRICKS


not quite understand what he was say
ing; and she did not dare to under
stand.
Ranger never liked me. Old
Bransforth took his side had to
support him :" The sentences were
meaningless to her.
Patiently Howard, taking both her
hands in his, repeated the story. He
had held a position in Bransforth's
company for six years, until Ranger
was made head of his department
Ranger was an empty-headed man
with the sole idea Of being a good dis
ciplinarian.
Bransforth had sent for both of
them, and Ranger had stated positively
that it was impossible for them to
continue to work together, At last
Bransforth had turned to Howard.
"Im sorry, Mr.. Gray" he said. But
of course you understand / must ap
prove Of Mr.. Rangers course"
Then III send you In my resigna
ton, ST." said Howard
Bransforth certainly treated him
very fairly. He gave him two months
salary and a cordial letter expressing
his keen regrets at their separation.
Only, positions such as Howard had
filed We're almost impossible to Sc
cure. And Howard and Luella We're
to have been married that May.
"Never mind, dear. You will get a
better position than before" Luella
said consolingly.
Her fance kissed her but he knew
the awful difficulty of the task before
him. He had been getting eighty dol
lars week, and the position had
lived fairly well instead of trying to
save money. He had only three hun
dred in the bank for their first sup
ply of furniture. The ceaseless tramp.
tramp through the hot Streets with
the constant rejection everywhere,
wore on the young fellows nerves. He
hardly dared to see Luella now.
They might have been married hap
PLY three months before. Howard
was becoming desperate.
He had always avoided those parts
of the city contiguous to Bransforth's.
And then-perhaps it was the heat,
which had been intense that week, or
the result of the nervous exhaustion
brought about by his despondency-
but curious lapse of memory over
came him.
LuelIa called it fate afterwards.
The events Of the past three months
slipped from his mind completely.
Once again he was salaried employee
of Bransforth and company.
The spell was still upon him as he
climbed the long flight of steps up to
the main office
The office was half empty.
"Any mail for me today, Rogers"
he asked the Office boy.
"I don't think so, Mr.. Baldwin," the
lad answered. Gee, Pm glad to see
you back, though"
A moment afterward TAFT came up
to him.
"We're mighty glad to see you back
again. Baldwin," he said. "Mr. Brans-
forth said you were to go into his
private office the moment you came
in"
Howard looked up at TAFT, and sud.
denly the absurdity Of his presence
there struck home to him.
TAFT, mistaking his embarrassment
for shyness, took him playfully by the
arm and led him across the room to
Mr.. Bransforth's office. Mr.. Brans-
forth looked up and, rising from his
chair, gripped the young man warmly
by the hand.
II can't tell you how glad l am that
letter found yOu," he said. II hope
you can come back to us, Mr.. Baldwin.
To think that after trying to locate
you all this time the name Of your
old address should suddenly have
come into my head!
"First Of ALL" he continued, II must
apologize frankly to you for my treat
ment of you The fact is, Ranger
came to us with the best of creden-
tials from his old place. l took the
trouble to look them up after he left,
and found that he had written them
himself and signed the name to them,
too.
"Well, 1t didn't take long after your
disappearance for me to find out that
he was absolutely incapable for the
work. Well, I want you to take his
position. The salary is one-hundred
dollars week. I hope ! can count
on you"
II can come" said Howard quietly,
ION September the fifteenth"
Mr.. Bransforth looked disappointed.
SWELL" he said. "of course, If that
is your ultimatum I must hold the
position open for you. But If 1t is the
matter Of holiday, perhaps a little
later would do"
"No, SIR" said Howard. "You see,
I-er-well, I'm going to be married
tomorrow"
And that was the best prophecy that
La al ~