Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1922-04-20
Old Man
Benson
iIIIlIIIIIlIIIIliIIIIIIIIIl,IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Copyright 1922. Western Newspaper Union.

BY CHARLES E. BAXTER

OLD Benson put On his hat.
Think I'll just go for little stroll,
mother" he said, pattiHG his wife on
the shoulder Looks like clearing"
Like our troubles" smiled Ada Ben
son. John, dear, you do think you'll
get that position with the Sanders
firm, don't yOu"
while there's life there's hope,
mother" he answered gayly.
But once in the street, unbearable
depression took hold of him, and he
viewed his life in dismal retrospect.
He had left Crawford with prophecies
OF success from all the professors.
Benson was an analytical genius, and
he should 20 far in the chemical field.
He had secured a good position imme-
diately.
How had it all come about? Per-
Sonality! An athlete at college, he
still had been too shy to make friends.
He had remained II years with the
Spivers people, had risen to $1,000 II
year, had made their fortune with his
discovery of substitute for man
ganese. He realized they were pluck
ing his brains, and left to work for
u rival concern at $4,000.
Ten years later they went bankrupt;
and Benson's daughter had died after
a lingering illness. They were child
less, now, Ada and he, their savings
gone. He had been wrapped up in his
home, he had gone with his wife and
child to Florida, where 1t was hoped
she might recover.
Vain hope! He returned to take
position at $1,000 with new company.
The best of his work was done. At
fifty Benson was on the shelf. He
could not work except in an at
mosphere Of sympathy. And people
were impatient of slow research nova
days. They would not wait while he
elaborated his methods.
Yet he knew that, given the Oppor-
tunity, he could still teach something
to the younger men. If he had a
chance! But who would give chance
W d Aldu VI MY
He had drifted from one job to an
other, he had even been a druggist; at
last, u desperation, he had applied
to the Sanders people, who wanted a
$4,000 man to head their laboratory.
No answer had come.
Old Benson looked up as the sound
Of laughter and cheering came from
big room on the ground floor of an
uptown building. He had wandered
long way.
whats that placer" he asked a po-
liceman.
"The Crawfurd club" the man an
swered annual meeting for old
Crawfurd men,"
Benson started. Never, since he had
left college, had he come into touch
with any of his old associates. Why
shouldn't he? Well, why shouldn't he
forget for the while that he was Il
broken man of fifty?"
Ten minutes later he found himself
cnSconced in a rear seat of the room
His heart beat as he heard the old,
remembered songs. He began TO rec
ogniZe the faces. Why, that stout,
bald man was Johnson, whose luXuri-
ant locks had been one of the jokes
Of the college. There was Hartigan-
Kid Hartigan, a genial giant of six
feet four.
What was that? Each man was sing
ing, reciting, telling a story. They
were standing up in turn. my expe-
riences :" And it was coming
nearer and nearer to him.
"Say, what's your name?" asked the
man next to him. Benson? Not Bill
Benson? Good Lord, who'd have
thought? You don't remember me-?
Aren't you the discOverer of that sub
stitute for manganese? Good Lord,
Bill Benson"
"What'll l tell ''em?" Benson whis-
pered
"Oh, tell 'em what you've been do
ing, or" he glanced at Benson's
shabby clothes. "Sing old Craw-
furd,'" he suggested.
When Benson's turn came there was
a shout Of demand for his name. He
heard whispering. Every glance seemed
hostile. He stood up and sang desper-
ately. He found his ground. He for
got. He recalled only the old days.
When he sat down the room rocked
with applause.
The next man. Benson had been
forgotten. He must go home. He had
had his hour, his unexpected hour
Quietly he prepared to slip away.
"You going?' 1t was his neighbor
"Say, wait minute! I'll walk with
you. You don't remember me? Well,
well, tell me what life's brought you,
old man."
Benson faced him. "Not much" he
stammered. He choked.
Guess I'll have to say goodnight,
old man." he said. "Glad to have met
you"
The other laid his hand on his shoul-
der.
"Wait a moment, Benson" he said,
"can you drop in at my office for
chat In tho mOrninC9 Won GOO IL Won