The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-08-14

DuSlncSS ldlcul.
arrived at the dignity of clerk in due
time then was book keeper, and three
years ago, when Mr.. Storey retired from
the firm, l became the Junior partner
Eighteen months afterward tombstone died,
and l bought out his heirs, so I am now
head of the establishment.
People call me good-looking fellow, and
l don't pretend to dispute with them. 1t
is extremely impolite to contradict folks,
you know. I think myself that l am pas
sable, though have always wished my hair
had been black, instead of reddish-brown.
But l won't color it; have got little too
much pride for that.
Well, about year ago, found that bust
ness required my presence in Chicago An
hour or two before was ready to start, my
particular friend, Tom Jasher, came rush
ing into my counting room.
"Stanford,' cried he. Give a great ia
vor to ask of you
"Any thing, my dear fellow said l.
"Any thing I could do for you will be a
great pleasure
81 told Nettie you would" said he !;
''but she insisted you wouldn't! She
"Humph - said I. "Women are self
ish creatures, and judge every body by
themselves. I am sure, Tom, should be
delighted to oblige you! -
"Thank you. 1t will be such relief to
me. You see was going to Chicago my
| Ill fr,ff1
week"
Give them into my hands, Tom,' said
1; "I'll attend to them
| "Ohr' said Tom, coolly, 'John Mason
went last night, and he's going to see after
that business. l should have gone myself,
but you see the baby was taken sick, and
Nettie will not consent that I should leave
! it. And, indeed, do not wish to-"
| "Confound the babies - said mentally,
but not audibly for Tom Jasher, good fel-
low as he is, is a perfect spooney on babies.
So said, aloud:
"Well, trust your business to me, old
friend.''
81 shall always remember it in you,
Fred" said he, speaking little hesitat-
ingly, as if he feared, after all, that Nettie
might have judged me more correctly than
himself. "Iwant to get you to take charge
of woman-a lady-as far as Chicago"
'Good Gracious, Tom Jasherr' ex-
claimed l, "you know detest-''
sob now don't be foolish, Stanford ~
replied he. "This is none Of your giggling
young girls. She is my wife's earliest
friend-they love each other like sisters;
and she is a very nice, sober minded, cult
waited lady. She never faints away, nor
carries bandboxes and she will give you
no trouble at ALL She is going to her fam
lily in Chicago. should have gone with
her, but, as l was saying, the baby took
cold, and he's croupy, and there are symp-
toms of pneumonia and all the relief he
gets is in onion poultices and yellow snuff. !"
"Babies are nuisance said gruffly.-
.'Oh no, indeed!' calculated Tom
"Why, my dear fellow, we couldn't think
of living without our little Freddy! Named
him after yon, my boy. Named him last
night. Nettie decided on it. She said
there was no one in the world, after me,
of course, that she thought so highly of as
Frederick Stanford and she thought Fred
dy was such pretty namer'
"Indeed - said l, great deal Modified,
and not little pleased at having child
named after me-we all have our weak
nesses, you know indeed, Jasher, this
is unexpected, decidedly so.''
''It is nothing more than you deserve,
Stanford said Tom, enthusiastically,
grasping my hand and l thought there
were tears in his eyes, but it might have
been the effect of my cigar-smoke, for the
room was full of it. "You are good fel-
low, Standford-a deuced good fellow =
Your principal failing is your dislike of
women and babies but l live in the hope
that you will get over it in time. If you
could only see Freddy now The darling!
it would do you good to hear him try to
say Papa. 1t is perfectly charming!' And
Tom rubbed his hands, and got very read
in the face, and looked as happy as if he
had just heard that his grandfather was
dead, and had willed him half a million.
After moment he partially subsidized,
and went back to the old subject.
"What do you say to taking charge of
the lady?"
81 swallowed down the lump in my
throat, and answered bravely:
"I'll do it, Jasher. / suppose, if she's
the reasonable person you represent her to
be, that she'll not be expecting me to do
the agreeable to her? All l shall have to
see after will be her luggage, and getting
her something to eat ~
eyes" said Jasher, in such a peculiar
tone that could not tell whether the fell
low was ridiculing me or not. All wo-
man wants is to have her baggage seen af-
ter, and some victuals to eat now and then"
Jasher took his leave, promising to be at
the station in good season, with my travel
ing companion.
need not tell the reader how blue felt
over the arrangement to which had con-
scented. wanted to oblige my friend, but
had much rather he had asked me to in
dorse his note for ten thousand.
was at the depot early. If there is any
thing hate, it is being hurried on my way
to depot. Hurrying destroys mans
dignity, and it willis his collar, especially if
he wears paper; and it generally makes
him sweat, and then his hat produces red
streak on his forehead and he is apt to get
out of breath, and out of temper, also
| bought my tickets and paced the plat
form impatiently. felt some curiosity to
see the lady who was to be my travelling
companion. Nothing more than a natural
| feeling, you know.
Time wore on-the first bell struck, and
still he did not arrive. | was nearly deter
mined to go on board the cars; for | am
one of those men who have an aversion to
the rush for seats at the last minute. l
have no special ambition to get my name
into the newspapers, by falling between