The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1871-08-16


won't discharge her without some
good cause"
No matter" returned Smith
with an air of lofty indifference. -
81 can discharge her. think
am equal to that much."
jenkins, who had left the room
lput bis head back moment later
F" Bet you a hundred dollars you
don't doit.
With this parting shot he disap
peared.
] Now Smith had q nervous hor
ror of women, as his partner vel
knew-especially of young women
-and never spoke to one if he
could help it.
] Had it been a man he would
know what to say, and experienced
no difficulty in saying it, but a wo,
man was qnite another thing.
But his partners last words had
touched his pride, and summoning
all his resolutions, lie opened the
door and walk out.
But his courage failed him as he
came opposite tlse desk where she
SAT, and he passed by, glancing
sideways at tho unconscious occu-
pant, who did not lift her head at
his approach.
After speaking to a clerk at the
further end of the room, he walked
slowly back to where the young
lady sat, and who as lie paused by
the desk, raised a pair OF soft blue
eyes shooting swift bewildering
glance in Smith that he felt to the
toes of his boots.
" Miss-Miss" stammeyed.
" My name is Georgiana," said
the young lady, smiling. "Somo
call me George, for short"
4" Well, Miss George-Georgi-
ana, Fin afraid that you will find
your situation unpleasant"
Not at all, sir. On the con.
trary, l find it very pleasant and
comfortable"
Ahem, but l fear that you will
be hardly equal to the discharge
of its duties"
81 hope not. If yor will rnn
your eyes over The balance sheet,
you will find everything correct"
With desperate hope that there
would be something amiss, Smith
did 80, but was disappointed.
Z" l hope you have no fault to
find 2" said the clerk, rather anxi.
onsly, on perceiving that he hest.
tated. -
You are woman" .
There, whether a3ashed by the
sudden display of dimples in the
pink cheeks, that grew still more
pink at his rather unnecessary as
sertion, Smith came to an abrupt
pause.
At this the smiling face settled
into an expression of demure grav.
ity.
Il must plead guilty to the
charge of being a woman. But
though it may be misfortune, it can
scarcely be called fault; at any
rate, it is o. for which | am not
answerable ~
1ou understand me, ma'am.
What lineaut to Say was, that there
arc certain duties connected with
your office, such as opening the
store, going to the post.office, etc,
which you cannot very well per.
FORM"
assure you, sir, that / shall
like nothing better than an occa.
sional walk in the open air. And
as to opening the store, and sweep
ing and dnsting, / don't know
that it should be harder to per
form that Office for a store than
for house"
81 claim no consideration for
my sex," resumed the Young lady,
casting a slightly reproachinl
glance at the perplexed counter.
ance of her employer, "but ask
in common justice, if l perform
my duties satisfactorily, that you
will not discharge me simply be.
cause am q woman"
Mnttering disclaimer of some
kind. he hardly knew what, Smith
beat a sudden retreat to his own
room, assuming n bold look as he
met his partners inquiring eye,
but with an inward consciousness
that he had been totally routed by
the enemy.
"Goingw said jenkins, xitIi
provoking non chalancer.
Well, no, not to day. What
the d. are you grinning at 2"
20, nothing-nothing at all"
responded jenkins. throwing him.
self back in his air, and regard
ing intently a fly upon the cell.
ing.
"What was going to remark