The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1864-03-10

esquire CIermont in ?" demanded a
shock-headed rustic, in aswallow-tailed
blue coat. decorated with platter like
brass buttons, who made his appear.
ance about noon. -
"Yes-what's wanting ?" -
| "Well, sir" answered the rustic,
rather awkwardly twirling his ha,
round and round we'd like to haveayou
come up to shineville next week and
deliver lecture for the Young Mems
| Association, and r
"Twenty five dollars and expenses
paid, remarked /, at venture, with
an air of such exquisite assurance that
the negotiator was completely at my
mercy. ,19 - f5 srtes
''Very well, sir. The Secretary oi
the Association will forward you reg
ular invitation, and as
"Good day, sir" said, briskly rub
bing my hands as another individual
came in and he edged out. "Jack
can't complain at this way of transac
ting business" was my internal refec.
ton, while my last visitor was having
and hemming preparatory to introduc
ing his business. o,o uec
"Yon are Mr.. Clermont, sir, s'pose
"What's your business with me my
friend ?" said l amiably.
"Well, Pm real glad I've catched
you at home for once," was the answer
with fiendish satisfaction "I'd be very
much obliged if you'd pay this 'ere lit,
tie bill" r.,l.l aie-ee
And he extended crumpled piece
of paper-a bill for something or other,
didn't know nor care what, except
that the sum total was twenty dollars,
which | paid, with my exultation con.
siderably toned town. Why couldn't
| have said that | wasn't Jack, and
didn't know when Jack would be at
home. e -, .-..T. .a
Ny most interesting adventure was
yet to happen, however. Just was
beginning to yawn, and contemplated
the prophet; Of shutting the little Office
for the day-just as the level bright
ness of glorious spring sunset was
streaming in long bars of gold though
the dusky panes Of glass beside me
the silence was broken by a tiny tap on
the office door. -ds
"Come in % l said, expecting TO see
little boy with a letter. or some pre-.
ternaturally bashful client, as / laid
down the poker and wheeled my chair
round. What was my astOnishmant,
on the contrary, to behold tall, slen-
der yonng lady, with fresh, brown com
plexion, just tlnged with healthy pink,
that somehow made me think of the
wild honey suckles in my favorite
woods, and hazel eyes, that appeared
perfectly ready to sparkle into brilliant
laughter, or melt into misty tears. ID
There she stood, and there | sat! |
never had heard of Jacks having any
female clients, and consequentlyittook
several seconds for me to recover, as
it were. my mental equilibrium. Then
sprang up and politely profered her
the only chair in the Office, while l en-
thronad myself on the wood box. g
"Mr. CIermont ?" she asked. softly
"a very sweet musical sort of voice, /
noticed, even through all my perturba-
ton. aa 5T s3a ~ I3q9I 81 zLes
81 shall be happyto to be of service to
you, ma'am." a IA
Who would have supposed il The
young wood nymph did not want di-
vorce from her husband, (that is, TAX,
ing it for granted she had happened to,
have such an appendage,) nor did she
desire to quarrel with her neighber's
boundary fence, or stay bovine animals
who had deprecated the paternal corn
fields. Not at all she merely wanted
certificate to teach district school,
asd, the other trustees had sent her to
Mr.. Clermont to be examined. -4.
Here was a pretty kettle of fish for
bashful young man wna was sailing
under, false colors? How was to
know whether she was qualified to be
school ma'am or not ? And how, in
the name of all that was deperate, was
l to get myself out of this highly en-
barrassing business, unless l confessed
my inequality to the emergency, by
running away and beating anignomini-
ousretreat, through the back office door
into the pine woods beyond''
"Never !" quoth l to myself. "I'll
die at my post sooner, even if forty
thousand school ma'ams come after
certificates -
"What is your name, ma'am ?"