The day book., June 07, 1916, LAST EDITION, Image 19

About The day book. (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

I Sidney had settled down to a hum-
j drum routine, glad to be apart from
I the jar and bustle of the city. He
f figured out a growing business based
j Vupon light overhead expense. His
help was not overworked; he was
modest in his style of living. He
brought work and comfort to many
, a poor workman. His ambition was
A satisfied.
And now, suddenly, terrifically
alarming, 'came the advent of Biggs.
Many a time Sidney had realized that
he was straining his credit, but the
orders ahead were sure future in
come. The plant and equipment rep
resented solid values. He had not
been- business man enough to com
prehend that the ironclad rules of
business demanded quick assets that
could be, swiftly realized on in case
of exigency.
air. Biggs left for his hotel. Sid
ney sank" into a chair dejectedly. He
caught the echo of a sob in the next
room and went to its open doorway
and peered in. His office girl sat
leaning over her typewriter, a hand
kerchief applied to her eyes.
"Will you please let me go home,
Mr. Walters?" pleaded Arline Tracey.
"I I have a dreadful headache."
, "Surely," acquiesced Sidney.
"Something has come up where we
will suspend business for a day or
two."
He -watched her dainty form ,and
' colorless face sadly as Arline left the
office. It was of her and the work
v men he was thinking. If he had to
give up business what would they all
do. For the, girl he had always felt
a great interest. She was an orphan,
living with some relatives in the vil
lage and had come to him asking for
employment the day the plant had
opened.
He had told her kindly that there
was little bookkeeping to do, he
could run a typewriter himself and
had planned to start out on an eco
m nomical basis. Arline had told him
" that she required a very small salary,
as her father had left her an invest- ,
ment in the city which brought her
a cash, return each six months. She
would "grow up withithe business;"
she could surely be of some service
to him, and Sidney hirgd her.
Since then he had been glad of it.
Arline proved a treasure. She took
an interest in every detail of the bus
iness. She seemed happiest when
the work was hardest and most
pressing.
The man from whom Sidney had
purchased the plant was wealthy.
Sidney wondered if he could not get
him to help him out. He went late
that afternoon to his homei to find
that he had gone to visit a farm he
owned at some distance and would
not return until the following even
ing. ,Was it fate, or did a sense of re
gard for Arline, the longing of a lone
ly, troubled man influence Sidney to
lessen his pace as he neared the
house where Arline lived? She hap
pened to be at the gate. He was glad
to be invited into a cozy parlor. Ar
line was cheerful, anxious to enter
tain him A little elf of a fellow her
cousin prattled about Arline's pet
carrier pigeon.
"She sent it away today," he con
fided to Sidney, and Arline flushed
hotly and had to explain that it was
through this medium that she regu
larly corresponded with a very dear
girl friend in the distant city.
Sidney met with a severe disap
pointment the next evening when he
called on the man from whom he
hoped to secure a loan. The latter
had no ready funds. Sidney longed
to stop for another pleasant evening
at the home of Arline, but it was late
as he reached the house. He passed
restless' hours alone at home and
consequently overslept himself the
next morning.
"What is this?" he voluntarily ex
claimed, as entering .the office the
first thing that attracted his eye was
a signed receipt in full from the Biggs
firm.
"Mr. Biggs left it," explained Ar-