The train then came in, and off we went to the Convention, as Betty said, combining business with pleasure. Barlow met us at the other end, and turned Betty over to the Chairman of the Ladies' Entertainment Committee and took me over to Convention Hall. "You two will have to endure the hardship of being parted for an hour or two," he said with a laugh. "Look after him, Mr. Barlow," said Betty. "Remember he is down here for business, and he must not waste his time with nonsense." "I never called you such a name as that _yet_," I said, and then we parted. Barlow was an awfully interesting man to talk to! I never realized how human he was before. Certainly when I worked for him all the clerks at that time looked upon him as a creature outside of our world altogether. I don't think it ever dawned on any of us that he was a real human being, with likes and dislikes just the same as ourselves, and we never credited him with any thought or consideration for us other than how much work he could get out of us! I felt a little ashamed of myself, in talking with him, to see how really interested he was in the welfare of all his employees. The thought occurred to me, while he was talking, that, as he was interested in us, why in heaven's name hadn't he told us so? In thinking over the matter later on it seemed to me that it would be a good idea for the boss sometimes to ask a clerk how his wife was, or how the new baby was getting along. In fact, I didn't think it would hurt to take a clerk home to dinner occasionally--not often enough to make him one of the family, as it were, but it seemed to me that a proprietor could develop a great feeling of loyalty in his people over a round of beef, or a good cigar, out of business hours, than in any other way. I decided to try it some time, when things got better settled at the store. When we got to the Convention it seemed that Barlow knew everybody, and he appeared to be very popular. A fussy little man, named Minker, who seemed to have something to say to every one, introduced himself to me, and we had some conversation. He asked me where I came from, and I told him. "Oh," he said, "then you know Barlow?" "Very well, indeed," I replied. "In fact, I used to work for him." "If he was as fine a boss as he is a president, you were certainly fortunate," he returned. "President of what?" I asked, in surprise. He looked blank. "Why," he said, "president of the association!" "I didn't know he had ever been president of the association!" I exclaimed. "He never said anything about it to us!" "Hm!" he said, as he looked at me over his glasses. "Don't you ever read your trade papers?" I felt a little bit small when I replied: "N-no;" and then, feeling the need to excuse myself for it, I continued, "I've really been too busy."