THE ORDER OF THE SACK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3513, 12 July 1921, Page 58

THE ORDER OF THE SACK.

By

FLLIX CLAERI

TAll Rights Reserved.]

Charles Dobson was not exactly a celebrity. As clerks go, he was a very ordinary, commonplace, pick-them-up-anywhere kind of specimen. There are some men in certain offices in city who, after about two weeks in their. employment, overshadow the whole building, and make the boss of the show appear insignificant Dy comparison. They are of the brilliant, successful order, blessed with the “Gift of the Push,” which enables tnem to forge rapidly to the forefront. J Others there are who are apt to get the _ push as- a gift—slow, steady-going, methodical, established-last-century old plodders, who never by any chance leave their groove, until they are kicked out of it If the governor requires wide advertisement, small profits and quick returns, he will swear by file former type, and probably bestow the Ancient Order of the Sack upon the jog trotters. Hut if he has a fancy to build up a stable, reliable and enduring business that will be worth handing oil to his heirs and successors for ever, then he will stick to the plodders, and the pushful bounders will he allowed a moderate amount of rope, only not quite sufficient for the purpose of a successful hanging. Charlie Dobson was undoubtedly a plodder, and his steady efforts during the past fen years had helped to strengthen and consolidate the business of Messrs Plater and Co., silversmiths and jewellers. Old Mr Plater had always recognised his sturdy merit during his managership, but that good gentleman was dead now, and. n; of old, “Another Pharaoh arose who knew not Joseph,” even so the coming of the new manager. Nathan Smarter, had reduced Charles to the level of the others, and he was simple “one of the clerks.” Onriouslv enough, Dobson was not the least perturbed about the change of managership. He felt his own position to hr unite secure whatever happened, for ho had the consciousness that he always did his full duty, and that he did it thoroughly and well. Tie never cringed or fawned to anybody, hut relied on the merits of his work, and honestly believed that good work was the best foundation for success. From Uns it will bo gathered that Charlie Dobson had been detained about a quarter of a century, and had never mana"P to catch up. For a time Dobson was allowed to pursue his way undisturbed, but he could not help noticing the remarkable change which was taking place in the constitution of

the staff. New blood was being introduced, and that of a very different quality. First there came a smart young fellow who boasted the name of Foster Garvin. He was a very polished individual, spruce and well-groomed, and the shining of his collar and shirt-front added a lustre to the silver ware. There were no flies on Garvin, and he spoke and acted with a breezy self Assurance that silenced any opposition to his opinions. Following him came Bruce Waller, a tall, important-looking man, who carried through his work with the air of a successful financier. Other importations followed, and the office and sliow-roms of Plater and Company bagan to hum. And poor Charlie Dobson felt much like a man who has drifted gently down a flowing stream, and suddenly got caught in the swirl of a rushing whirlpool. But he plodded on, doing his work calmly and thoroughly, never leaving a 'letter till he had dotted the last “I,” and crossed the final “T”—until the blow fell. Mr Dobson was invited to- interview the boss, Mr Nathan Smarter. The interview was brief, and painful. “Ah 1 Good ‘morning, Mr Dobson. Take a seat. You have been with the firm a good few years, I believe?” “Yes, sir, ten years and a little over,” replied Dobson, while "a new warmth ran through his body at the thought that at length his services were about to be recognised and suitably rewarded. ‘ Just so. lam sure you must begin to find it very monotonous grinding away at the same kind of work year after year, Mr Dobson, and I have decided that a change will be good for you, and for the firm too. You see, vve do not want the style and methods of ten years ago, we want men who are up-to-date, to give a new tone to the business. I shall be pleased to give you an excellent reference, and no doubt you will be able to better vourself. Your duties here will finish on Saturday next.” Dobson was too dazed to replv. He stood for a moment looking at the manager, who bade him good-day, as an indication that the interview was at an end. Then the clerk staggered back to his desk, with his face almost as white as the note-paper he was" using. <® “What’s up. old chap? Anything wrong?” asked one of his fellow clerks, syromath eticallv. “Got the sack-—that’s all !” The news spread rapidly, and one after another came round to ask particulars, and to express their sympathy. But Charlie could tell them nothing, for he had no idea as, to the cau*e that lay behind his sudden dismissal. He could only repeat what had passed. But he was heartilv glad when closing time came, and he could get, away. It being Saturdav. the office closed atone. and Dobson was expected home to dinner. But- on this occasion he did not gq straight home. He walked about the city, then made his way' to a little enrden enclosure, not far from Moorcate street, and sat down on a seat to think. For a long whie he sat'there, heedless of the crowds of men and women flocking homewards. And the upshot of his meditation _ was that he decided not to mention his dismissal at home—at an>rate at the present. Let him postpone the evil hour as long as possible, so that his wife and little one might have a few more days without the worry that was coming. W hen he reached home he had an' exready for his late arrival, and tried bard to speak and act as if nothing was amiss. But Phvllis, his wife, noticed at once that something was wrong, and wondered. But she respected his silence, and f-sked no questions. “By the way, Charlie,” she said, as the afternoon passed on, “Mr Williams has been round to ask if we will go to a whist-drive this evening. I knew you would be willing, so I told him we would come.” Charlie started ! That meant an expenditure of three shillings for the two of them—and poverty staring them in the face! For an instant he hesitated. Then lie replied : “You go, my dear, if you wish to. I di not feel up to it to-night, so I will stay at home, if you don’t mind.” “I am sorry you are not well, old boy,” replied his wife. “But of course I shall not, go and leave you here, I’m not so keen on it as all that. Sit down and rest, and I’ll make you some hot gruel for your supper. Perhaps you’ve got a cold coming on.” And Dobson was thankful to encourage the idea, for it helped him to keep silence or. the real malady. Later on the truth must come out, but not yet. 11. On the Monday Dobson was at his work as usual, and his face had grown outwardly calm again. He was not the man to show the white feather before his fellows, though he well knew the struggle it might mean to obtain another berth. But his mind was busy during the day, and he found that he could not get on with his work as usual. Now and again his pen would remain still, while his thoughts were busy with the knotty problem that confronted him. When five o'clock came there were still a number of important letters waiting to be written. “I shall stay late to-night,” he said to his chief. “These letters must be finished before T go.” The chief clerk nodded, and thought to himself that not many men would care about their work to that extent if they were under notice to leave. As the clock struck, the quiet of the office gave place to a hum of conversation and laughter as the- fierks and assistants prepared to def»"t. Then this died out, and the great office and showrooms became deserted, save for Charlie Dobson sitting there alone, now writing at his utmost speed.

It was still winter, and so dark that he was obliged to keep the electric light burning till he had finished. Then he switched off the light and put on his great-coat. But at that instant the bitterness of his position came to him with fresh force, and he sank back into his chair, and, resting his head on his hands, tried hard to think. Like many thousands of clerks and other employees in the great city, he had lived for years within a week of the workhouse, but had never till now realised it. While his employment lasted he could '“enjoy life, comparatively free from worry and from thought of the future. But after his next week’s wage was spent there would be nothing coming in, and, unless he could find new work, he would go down and down, with a rapidity that he could hardly imagine, into the depths of poverty! And he knew only too well the difficulty which confronts a man who is thrown into the maelstrom of unemployment, and of the weeks and months of hopeless seeking which might ensue before he could again fin’d work. The horror of it at that moment seemed to crush the life out of the man, for lie. thought not of himself, but of the little home which -depended for its very existence on his earnings. I here was Phyllis—the woman who had been his helpmeet and companion through ali the minor difficulties of the past few years. She had not known real want as yet, for his two pounds a week kept them in what passed for comfort. Then there was little Wincre—their one child, frail and tender, nurtured with all the care they could bestow upon her, and till now knowing nothing of the pinch of want and poverty. What would this blow mean for her ? Sitting there alone in the darkness, the man clenches his fists in impotence and rage and deepest agony. He did not notice how the time was passing, and made no effort to go home. It was deadly quiet in there, and the traffic outside had now practically ceased, save for the occasional hoot of a motor or the swish of a passing taxi. Then a distant church clock chimed the hour of eight, and Charlie started. He had not thought it was so late. Phyllis would be wondering what had become of him. He was about to rise to his feet and go home when a sound caught his ear. A door was opening in the adjoining showroom. Who could be there at this hour, he wondered. Dobson sat still and listened intently. A glass door led from his office to the showroom, and a moment later he saw that an electric light had been switched on. Cautiously he crept to the doorway and peered through. At the further end of the show room two men were standing, and at first glance Charlie thought that the manager might have returned to show some of the goods to an important customer, unusual as such a proceeding might be. But this idea was soon disn-elled. The two men were well dressed, one being tall and the other short and inclined to stoutness, and each wore a small mask across his eyes. Dobson realised that he was in the presence of two gentlemen of the burglary profession ! 111. There are some circumstances in which a calm, steady-going disposition is an advantage, and when rash, precipitate action may lead to disaster. Dobson decided that this was one. He stood for a while and watched the two men without giving any sign of his presence. They did not look the least bit like the proverbial burglars ; but they produced a large sack, and with very little delay proceeded to fill it from the various show-cases. Charlie noticed that they showed no hesitation, but knew just where to go for the most expensive articles, and that the commoner goods were left untouched. But meanwhile his own plans were maturing. It happened that, although Dobson was not a smart man, either in appearamce or in action, under ordinal-}' conditions, he was a verv powerful one. Tall and broadshouldered, and with a considerable amount of muscular strength, he was also far from being a coward. His pluck had never been really tried, but it was there all the same. And he soon decided to take a hand in the game. Opening tho door no.selessly, he passed into the showroom and dropped quickly cut of sight behind a counto”. Then by slow degrees, without the slightest noise, he made his way to the spot where the two men were working rapidly and silently, and all unsuspicious. * Then with a shout he rushed at them, striking the shorter one of the two a fair Mow in the. face with his clenched fist. The man went down with a thud, and Dobson ran on, intending to repeat the dose on the other intruder. But the other was too quick for Charlie, and, flinging a chair at Charlie, he darted off and slammed the door behind him. But this time the first man had risen to his feet, and turning on him, Dobson found that the mask had slipped from his face. In an instant ha recognised the marauder, who was none other than Foster Garvin, one of the new importations at Plater’s. And the recognition roused a new and unexpected devil in Charlie Dobson. With a savage erv he flung himself at Garvin, belabouring him with all his might, and shouting volubly at him the while. “Oli! So it’s you, r s it? This is vour fine, up-to-date., smart, intelligent kind of man, is it? (Bang 1) You are the kind of roan thnv need nowadays. are vou? fThud !) You’re going to set the firm on it. feet, and heln it to keep pace with tho times, ate vou? (Smash !) And we old hands who have stuck To tho firm for rears have got to clear out for tho likes of you ! (Crash 11 You’re tho kind of man that makes the stock go like wildfire

—and this is how you do it! (Swish 1) Come on, my lad, I’m . eady for you, even if I am a Pit old fashioned.” And Dobson punctuated his remarks wiili well-aimed blows which kept his opponent from securing or maintaining a perpendicular -position for many seconds at a time. But with ail his smartness Garvin was no match for Dobson at a game of this kind, and though he fought pluckilv, and made frantic endeavours, he could not get a blow in at all. Moreover, he began to faint and dizzy, and with the blood streaming from his nose, and his eyes almost closed, ho presently collapsed and •ay helpless on the floor. Just then Dobson caught sight of the half-filled sack, and it gave him an idea. He picked it up, and emptied the contents as gently as he could on to the counter. It s your doing that I’ve got the sack, you bounder! Now I’ll give you a taste of it, and see how you like it. In you go!” Garvin made a feeble attempt at resistance, but Dobson’s blood was up, and he would brook no opposition. Seizing his enemy by the throat, he threatened to choke him if he struggled,»and then he managed to force him into the big sack. It was a tight squeeze, but he crammed him down, and drew the mouth of the sack together, tying it with a piece of stout string that lay handy. Then Dobson slung the sack across his shoulder and bore it out iuto the street. It is surprising how anger will lend strength to a man. Dobson was strong and well-built, but those who have tried to carry a man about in a sack know that it is no light task. Charlie's rage gave him the muscles of a giant for the time. Out into the street he staggered with his burden, and turned in the direction of the police station. But he had not gone very far when a buriy constable stepped in his path. “Now, then, my man, what are you up to? What have you got there?” Dobson was not in the mood for stopping to explain, and he made as though to pass on. “It’s all right, constable, don’t you bother about me. I know what I'm doing.” “Perhaps you do and perhaps you don’t. Anyhow, I want to know what you’ve got in that bag. Put it down and let me see.” ‘Very well, since you must know, I’ve got a smart, intelligent, up-to-date, dandified skunk who calls himself a clerk! Bah! I wouldn’t own I was a clerk alongside the like of him ! Watch him—■ I’ll turn him out.” And without further apology he shot the half-conscious man out on to the pa vement! Then he seized hitn by the collar, crumpling out what little starch was left, and offered his prisoner to the constable. “Here you are, constable. I give him in charge for burglary. He had gotrthis -sack filled with silverware from Plater and Co.’s, and would have got clean away with it if I had not caught him. I’ll come with you to the station and explain.” * * * * The excitement had sinjasered down on the following morning, and once more Charlie Dobson found himself standing in the presence of Mr Nathan Smarter. That gentleman looked at him a moment an then spoke. “Mr Dobson, on behalf of the firm, I wish to thank you for your action last evening.” “Thank you, sir. lam very pleased to have been of service.” “Just so. But I see no Teason to alter the oninion I expressed a few davs ago, Mr Dobson. lam still of opinion that a chancre will he good for vou.” .Charlie nnled. He had secretly honed that his dismissal would be cancelled in view of his action in the canture of the thief. But, he controlled his feelings, and answered coollv: “Very well, sir.” ‘ You wi ! l aceordinsrlv vacate your piesent position on Saturday. and as there is now a vaeanev in the Foreign Order Department, Air finkon. I shall be tiad if '-nu w ; ll undertake the duties of the chief c-levk of that department as from Mond av next. Your salarv. to commence with, will be one hundred pounds a year in excess of that which you are now receiving. Good morning. Air Dobson.”