The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-08-10

easy matter to send her off,"
"Of course it u.s." rejoined Smith,
frightening at the suggestion.
Just tell her she don't exactly
suit, and that we shan't need her
after to-day"
"But she does suit-me; and if
you are not suited, all you've got
to do is to tell her So"
"You hired her."
"And for that very reason |
! won't discharge her without some
good cause"
mo matter" returned Smith,
with an air of lofty Indifference.
"I can discharge her. Think l am
equal to that much"
Jenkins, who had left the room,
put his head back moment later.
s.Bet you hundred dollars you
don't do it,"
With tEis parting shot he disap-
peared.
Now Smith had nervous hor-
ror of women, as his partner we'll
knew-especially of young women
and never spoke to one if he
could help it..
Had it been a mau he would
know what to say, and experienced
no difficulty in saying it, but wo-
man was quite another thing.
But his partners last words had
touched his pride, and summoning
all his resolutions, he opened the
door and walked out.
But his courage failed him as lie
came opposite the desk where she
sat, and he passed by, glancing
sideways at the unconscious occu-
pant. who did not lift her head ut
his approach. :.
After speaking to clerk at the
fusther end of the room, he walked
slowly back to where the young lady
sat, and who as he paused by the
desk, raised a pair of soft blue eyes
shooting a swift bewildering glance
in Smith S that he felt to the toes
of his boots.
''Miss-A1iss''-he stammered.
"My name is Georgiana," sail
the young lady,. smiling. "Some
call me George, for short"
"Well, Miss Gcorge-Georgiana,
I'm afraid that you will find your
situation unpleasant.
"Not at all, sir. On the contra
rv, l find it very pleasant and COM
fortable."'
"Ahem, but I fear that you will
be hardly equal to the discharge
of its duties"
81 hope rot. If you will run
your eyes over the balance sheet,
you will find everything correct"
With desperate hore that there
would be something amrss, Smith |
did so, but was disappointed.
IL hope you have no fault to
ind?' said the clerk, rather anx-
iously, on perceiving that he hest
tated.
"You are woman"
There, whether abashcd by the !
sudden. display of dimplcs , in the
pink cheeks, that grew still more
pink at his rather: unnecessary u.s.
sertion, Smith came to an abrupt |
pause.
At this the smiling face settled |
into an expression OF demure gray
it's.
i must plead gnilty to the
charge Of being a woman. But
though it may be misfortune, it
can scarcely be called fault; at
any rate, it is one for which an
not answerabIe!"
"You understand me. ma'am.
What [ meant to say was, that
there are certain duties connected
with your office, such as opening
the store, going to post-ofice, etc,
which you cannot very we'll per-
form"
IL assure you, sir, that I shall
like nothing better than an occa-
sional walk in the open air. And
as to opening the store, and sweep.
ing and busting, I don't know that
it should be harder to perform that
office for a store than for u house
~ claim no consideration for my
sex," resumed the Young lady, cast
ing a slightly reproachful glance at
the perplexed counter ance of her
employer, "but l ask in common
justice, if I perform my duties sat
isfactorily, that you will not dis.
charge me simply because 1 am Il
woman
Muttering disclaimer Of some
kind, he hardly knew what. Smith,
beat sudden retreat to his own
room, assuming a bold !ookas he met
his partners inquiring eye, but
with an inward consciousness that
he had been totally routed by the
enemy.
"Going?" said Jenkins, with
provoking non chalancer.
"Well, no, not to-day. What
the ID are you grinning att"
90, nothing-nothing at ALL
responded jenkins, throwing him
self back in his chair, and regard