Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1922-05-12
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q. 1871. ~ Mcclure Nswspapsr syndicate.
Mr.. Raymond regarded her young,
| est son with resignation. Yet she fell
she would never be resigned to his
impossible ways. IS &
Johnnie" she demonstrated for the
third time, II Wish you'd cit straight
= your chair and stop finger ombine
your hair. You look q fright
Vaguely. Ike sleep-walker, John.
ME smoothed his sandy locks, up
standing BY twisting fingers.
His mother sighed, thinking Of hia
two brothers. She never nagged
them. Trim and alert they were, both
employed in 4 Boston bank. Such 4
comfort. As for Johnnie hopeless
What he did down town where he
worked, she couldn't imagine. Even
Il he emptied waste baskets Or. swept
floors, someone probably had TO re.
mind him, as she was endlessly doing
at home. -.
These thoughts, audibly expressing
themselves, urged Johnnie finally to
60 out, the parting injunction to take
the key ringing in his ears.
Mrs. Raymond's taut nerves
waited for the slam Of the door, in
spite Of her caution to close it soft.
~, then she settled down to sewing,
habit that had grown through color.
less years Of widowhood.
Later, the evening was frightened
by q neighbours visit. These friendly
chats under the sewing-lamp, were
welcome. They meant an unburden
Ing Of the days grievances.
do you have to nag your boys
endlessly, Mrs. Harst?" She was
squirting toward the light in an effort
to thread a fine needle with q coarse
thread. my Elmer and Alfred never
bother, but Johnnie she paused
signing. The subject engulfed her.
your youngest?''' the neighbor In
Quired. bad company, maybe"
"Oh, no, Johnnie's good boy. It's
his habits. I'm always reminding
him-his rubbers, his handkerchief, to
wipe his feet-I don't know how he
gets on where he works. I don't see
him start for he goes early. It's
marvel he wakes up: He'll never
amount to shucks."
II haven't seen him lately" the
neighbor temporized. "Where does he
work.
EAT Jones, Allan & Company. Law
yers."
:What does he dor
"Onice-boy, I guess. It's all he's At
for. Untidy. Shiftless. Never talks
about his work. It's discouraging.' -
A day or so after, this same neigh
Dor had business in the building
where Jones, Allan & Company's
Offices were. No harm to peek at the
youngster for his mothers sake. She
didn't remember him, now that he
had grown up.
Impressed by the emblazoned door
that confronted her from the elevator,
she hesitated, looking around in hopes
Of seeing touseled-headed Johnnie
with waste-basket, or hiding in a
corner reading paper novel. ~
=. Seeing no one, she timidly touched
the call-bell on the outer door.
With startling. alacrity the door
swung open, causing her to retreat q
step or two, and tall, straight, keen
eyed young man popped out to de-
mand her business with said Jones,
Allan 4 Company.
So brisk and not-to-be-trifed-with
was he, that Mrs. Harst regretted the
errand which brought her.
She gasped, speeches., under tho
disconcerting scrutiny Of this young
guardian Of the law Offices.
IL beg pardon for disturbing you."
she apologized, at a loss how to begin,
t'but neighbor Of mine. has boy
working here. Being in the building
I thought I'd drop in and say 'Howdy-
do to him. He wouldn't remember Inc,
I guess, now he's grown big enough to
work."
AT her uncertain pause, the young
man stepped out, closing the door be-
hind him. He swung chair under
the astonished woman before she had
time to see from whence it came. Hav-
ing thus deposited her safely away
from the business entrance, he in
CURED:
"Can I help you? We have a great
many employed here and not everyone
is always available. If the boy isn't
too busy or isn't needed for the mo-
ement, I'm sure he'll be glad to see
you. II you'll tell me his name, I'll
look him up for you.'' ~, ." I
Having thus made the inquisitive
neighbor feel that business hours were
no time for social calls, the formidable
medium between Mrs. aHarst and her
desire. stood ready to receive informa-
tion.
Crushed and i'll at ease, she glanced
timidly up into the pleasing, although
unsmiling, eyes. - ...3 !
s'I'm sorry I bothered about 1t, but
now I'm here 1t can't be helped. II
he's busy, never mind. His name is
Johnnie Raymond. II it's any
trouble 49,
For the first time the serious face OF
the young man broke into a charming
smile and his hand went uncertainty
up to the sandy hair and came down
again without touching It. He bowed
rather splendidly. :.
''You see, it's no trouble at ALL" he
inRnr,nod ho, IN HE o,.3sr ,,1no son%