Widnes Examiner. — 1914-05-30 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

FAIR, AVERAGE WAGE.  Mr. Fred Chadwick, manager of the Howley Paper Mills, said he had never received any complaint about the deceased. She did her work all right, and was a fair worker.. She earned a fair, average wage for a girl of sixteen. The firm had never complained about her or her work.  The Foreman: Has there been any reduction in her wages?—No; there has been a slight improvement. _  The Deputy-Coroner said the evidence left no alternative decision to the jury. It seemed a trifling matter, not a rebuke, which caused her to take her life. She seemed a very sensitive girl. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide while of unsound mind."  To ascertain to what extent there is a demand in the town for earlier closing and to promote the making of a closing order for the borough, a Home Office inquiry was held at Nelson on Monday in tesponse to an application by the Town Council.  ,Vlll2 1., 'USW Nollik VP lk, NOW NOW VZSA, Ng" wok Nook  asked gently. " About the rosition you have kindly offered me—the Junior Lordship—,, Johnny's heart fell from its elation, oddly heavy. It wasn't possible Sir Richard had forgotten ! "I think there has been some mistake. You have had a letter ?"  " Yes. Sir Richard." Was it possible someone had been playing a prank on him? Down went Johnny's heart from its elation to his boots. Why, what a fool he had been ! " I'm so sorry, sir," he went on, producing the letter. " I had this this morning. I took it to be genuine. Of course it was most unlikely." Sir Richard glanced at the letter, and his smile was a little grim. " Not at all, not at all. You go too fast for nto. There has been a mistake. but only in the office we are prepared to offer voa. Not the Junior Lordship. That goes to Merrick Lindsay. If you will accept a small office, the' —" he mentioned an office of no grea,, distinction, but one that carried a respectable salary— " we shall be very proud to have your services." Johnny was bowed out in a state of bewilderment. What on earth did it mean ? After all it was better for him, since this office carried endowment and the other did not. Why, that must be it. Tho Chief had discovered that the want of money stood between him and Molly, and had given him tht less-important but better-paid job. In Birdcage Walk he came face to face with Bobby Lovelace, who was accompaaied by another golden youth. They loarred his way with an air of manifest enjoyment, " Why, Despard," said Bobby Lovelace, his face so wrinkled up by laughter that his eyes had all but disappeared, you look as though you were among the lucky ones— where Ashley and I will never be." "So I am," said Johnny simply. " I've just seen Sir Richard. He's given me the—" and he mentioned the post. The two youths looked at each other with crestfallen and races. Then BobbyLovelace recovered his normal, cheerful impudence.  " A man of .vciur ability, Johnny !" he said. "You ought to have had something better than that." But Johnny Despard was very well satisfied. So was Molly Uniacke; so was Lord Urlingford, who was saved from climbing down from an untenable position. Lord Urlingford was very proud of Johnny. " He'll go far, you'll see. He'll go far. Johnny's one of the safe ones. Sir Richard takes a great interest in him. He's not one of your fireworks, but it is very creditatle to him that at his age he should have received such a distinction. Very creditable, too, I am bound to say to the Premier's gift of recognising the right man for his purpose." Lord Crlingford had a loud, tar-carrying voice, and the speech reached Bobby Lovelace where he sat in an obscure corner with a cliil of the house, to whom he was making frantic love. The occasion was one of the political parties given by Mrs. Lauderdale,