The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891, February 01, 1890, Page 141, Image 13

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    WEST SIIORK.
Ill
WHALEN'S.
BY C. J. MESSES.
pVEKYBODY in the county knew Timothy Wha
r len, and, knowing him, it was only natural that
everybody should associate the man with the
huge fuctory which covered acres of ground and
reached half a dozen stories toward the sky. All day
long smoke belched from Whalen's towering chimneys,
and at night the machinery itill grumbled, the smoke
still belched and the thousands of tiny, dingy window
panes glared as though in savage watchfulness, while
the monster of which they were a part panted and
groaned in its frantic efforts to absorb all the wealth of
the world.
'' A hard-fisted money grabU'r," was the sobri
(juet Timothy Whalen received, not only from
his hundreds of employees, but aim) from the banker
and the merchant with whom business brought
him in contact. There were no servants at Timothy
Whalen's beck and call. His legs were the only means
of transjwrtation he owned, and a grim smile often
moved his tightly closed lips when the fine equipages
of his brother manufacturers whizzed past him, for, in
his factory fire-proof vault, Whalen held acknowledge
merits of money lent .to these wdf-same brother man
ufacturers.
It was early evening in January, IMS, when
Timothy Whalen was leaving his club up town. Al
though a man of simple habits, Whalen had his club.
It was olicy, and everything Whalen did was from
tilicy. In fact, at the very time we become acquainted
with him, he was arranging in his busy brain the de
tails of a dinner he was to give some visiting foreign
ers who were in the market for an enormous quantity
of the wares he manufactured. So engrossed was he
as he hurried down the steps that he did not hear the
salutation, nor did he sec the mite of a figure which
came out from the shadow of the great stntie lion
crouching on the stone baluster.
He was an aggrieved, disapinted mite who ap-
ared under the street light. He had a round, chubby
face or it might have looked so Ixrauw? of the string
f his doth ear-warmers U-ing tied so tightly under
his chin great, round ryes and a little snub now. A
bulky, home-made jacket gave to the small body a
keg like contour. For a minute he lingered, gaiing
after Whalen, then started on a run In the psiW
dimtion.
At the distance of a block he stopj.ed. j red about
and shouted: Marmel Marine I"
A lady walked rapidly toward the child and t"-k
Ml outstretched hands in hers. M Well, Dicky, hal
did he say?" she asked.
" Didn't say nothin'I He jr. krp' right agoin'."
The child's voice Ure evidence of repressed sol.
"There, there, Dicky; perhaps he didn't hear
you," the mother said, cheerily. " Uun down to the
otlice now, and come home with llohhy. Don't lip to
papa about the birthday, and we'll manage toaurprl
him, even if Mr. Whalen doesn't lend us hiaNt
ance;" and, kissing the child, she sent him running
down town.
Half an hour later Timothy Whalen, his rtly fig
ure erect and his hands clad In hind him, wa pac
ing up and down his factory oll'tce. In one side of the
ollii'c was a small window, through with h he could
his employees grubbing away for their scanty weekly
earnings. Whalen's large, mouth was tightly lomd,
his heavy clic ks were very ml, and hi small, rcslhsa
eyes had a llinty look. Altogether, it was a fo e and
figure not calculated to Invite confidence.
At the desk sat, or rather lurched. Dan Carr,
Whalen's clerk. Dan was a slim fellow, with a brown
U-ard. He had a large nose and honest brown evm
An isld figure he cut, astride the high chair ; hi coat
too small for him and well worn, his pantaloons so
short that there was quit a display of homespun
storking alove the patrhd shoe. Dan w a Just then
busily rngnged in a two fold duty. Hi right hand
figured and figured ; hi left dipd and dipd into
a tin pail, from which he wa rating hi supper.
All of Whalen's men liked Dan, He had a che. ring
word for every one as he wrnt th round of the factory.
(ue Dan was alwent a whole day, and when h re
turned he looked sad and thoughtful. After it l aum
known that hi little baby had dn-d, there wasn't mu h
noisy sympathy riprcssed, but a quiet canva found
every man a contrihulor l a neat little sum, whih
was offered to the lerk,
" I can't tale it, b-y," Dan had said, his v4
husky. " You work too hard (t it "
Ijrd know how much Dan needed It, and they
made him am 4 il
Inside Dan, a he worked and at, tl a f
wh chin lame just to the ryr of the d'k t'p
This boy's eye were Mowing Timothy Wt!-n
(pat ryes they were, and the re was an riprrsi..f( of
lively wonder in them Whennrr Whabn l.kd In
hi dirMion, hwevrr, tl hoy crept loafer to l4fi,
and clung Ui that worthy ' W At Ut WUUn ,
In a quick, J'fky y, sto'I rontinuif. hi walk-
" Inroiir all mad out?"
" Ye," Dfl SMWefd. hi liojlh fill
" KiniaUd lU y foil!"
Workin'on it"
rU Cpred!"
" I'artly "