New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-11-26
A BILL CLERK ) STORY.

|. is now about fifteen Years since | wa
tiil clerk for Hich>un. Brock n Co.. whole
sale grucciS and provision dealers. | r.
member how iubilant | was over the pos.
ton. which paid me juSt an even fifty dolar
"A rnon.h. As had nobody but nvsef :,
look after | could manage 70 scrape through
the year and leave my washerwOman ant
landlaGv in "A state of perfect confidence il.
top rv financial condition. Indeed. j. Wa,
nv Chief delight 70 pay III tu!l the clever
Old soul who lathered my scan.v linen. ant
to listen with genuine sympathy 10 her fire
Iuent stories OF The sad Gelinquencies o.
acquain;arces of mine who were far bette
Of than ! was pecuuiarilv As for NV land
lady. she treated Inc as ii l were worth d
million. Such are of the dehg ht.al
results OF paving as vou 90.
! SAID nobody but myself 70 look after.
| was in reality looking after somebody
else. | had read in my youth the RI vlne OF
"Somewhere she waited thee. and had
given myself prodigIous amount of trouble
to find out who she" was and where she
was.
NY desk stood IN the front part of the
sture-I must tell YOU succnctiy how i al
unprecedented when my pen was no. ga
Looping along the blue lines. or tash!Hg up
formidable columns of figures which told
the story of profits for klchson. Brock 4
Co.. had a very fine view of that portion
of the street and sidewalk directly in front
of the store One morning | had scrbbled
my name fifty times on scraps of paper,
and nv desk cleaned with John J.
Lowry u. Lowry" Lowry" John"
John Joseph Lowry" executed in every
style Of penmapship. l had Just plunged
my pen in the ink 70 write John" with a
scientific flourish. when ny eye lighted
upon one OF the pre:tiest girls | had ever
seen n my life.
She was rather small n stature. outlined
bpy 1I NJ nj well
curves: face which was beautiful only
from is intense expression. full of strength
and earnestness and common sense, ana
eyes which were .he windows OF as sweet a
soul as ever drew breath. / took this i'll
with an intutive glance. Most people
would not have described her as above.
Seeing l,"r dressed in a calico dress. they
would lave turned their eyes elsewhere and
looked for velvet cloak. exaggerated skirts
and the stamp OF society.
My mind pronounced her the pretties-
girl had ever laid eyes on.
Size had stopped right in front of tie
store. and was asking man Tor some aG
dress she had written on piece OF paper.
Her face was turned full toward Inc, and |
basked satisfactorily III is sunlight for
second or two, when she followed the direc
tons given to her. and was soon picking
her way across the street. She entered
doorway, and saw her stepping lightly up
the stairway which led 10 a cloakmaher's
looms in the third story.
"Snowden, Simons 4 Co. Three cases
desiccated Goldfish" was suddenly pawled ,
relncrselessly in my ears. and NY brain !
jerked itself back TO business.
AT intervals, however. all through that I
day. was conscious of disturbed coudl- |
ton Of my local atmosphere Something !
had fallen into il like star dus. within our
photosphere. and felt that ! had got on. |
az ~ I bod t.c Gov In.
better part Of two years.
Toward closing time the scene Of the |
morning flashed wildly upon NE. and
traced the disturbance 70 this girl IN ii
calico dress.
What is the reason thar she las raised
such disturbance I've seen plenty OF
girls before said 20 myself | put on nv
hat and went out on the sidewalk, looking
cautiously over toward tie doorway through
which my young lady had disappeared.
A half dozen OF her sex came out. with
baskets in hand, and walked rapidly away.
She was not among them. ! still waited.
and in few moments | recognized the
calico dress, the outline. the person.
| don't know how il was. but found NY
self walking rapidly after her. without
thinking Of the question OF propriety. |
could not help it. She made very rapid pro
gress and led me far ont of my beaten
track to Mrs. Wemble's hospitable door,
Her pace sackened little after walking
about two miles and | came within ten
yards of her. Before a small plain boLse.
tn an obscure street. she stopped and IN
fastened the gate, II did not seem 70 yield
to her efforts and stepped up and assisted
her 70 such an extent that she stepped INTO
the yard and turned 70 NE, bowed, and said
IN one of the sweetes. voices ever heard:
Il thank YOU. sir.
This was all, and she Went up the s.e!s
ND ,y., tu I /
her tor fully ten minutes. when a clock
sounded forth the hour OF seven. from Il 1
nelghboring steeple and suddenly thought
OF Mrs. Nemble and supper. This is al
common place enough, know; but when
you have made up your mind to lear a
story you want to get AT the very commence
ment of il, and, although mine is not very
long. vet such an Introduction seems no.
on. Of place.
For months / could not improve on ny
proplnquity. The girl came |
and went, as regular as clock work, and NV
eyes followed her whenever there was a ,
clear range, but was becoming very blue I
over the condition OF things, when one cold {
winter night, the pavement being extremely |
slippery she fell as she came into the street ,
l had been waiting, as usual, tor her appear
ance. had fallen into the habit, and ! do !
not believe would have gone to my odg- i
ings at all, if at any time she had failed 70
appear l used, quietly. TO watch her grace {
full form disappear up the street before
turned to my own quarters. l SAID she fell ,
npon the pavement. found myself lifting ,
her up, and asking her if she was hurt, IL "a {
tender a way as Won can well imagine. |
must have fairly flown over the street, was
with her so quickly.
"You are very kind" said size. There. | !
will not trouble you any more. thank You. '
She withdrew her arm from mine, and !
started home ward; but i'll moment saw
,he had sprained her ankle badly. She !
,Ould not walk home without assistance. !
saw it, and actually felt .iubilant over the
act
..You are hurt, miss, | said. "Iou can :
Tot possibly get home IN that condition
)bliye me by leaning on my arm, and Will 1
eft a carriage and take you home +
mo, / will walk home; do not think OF /
If You will be so kind, sir Will {
can on your arm, and will get along very
There" u
please let me have my way. and take d
arriaoe | can get one on the next stree. e
is long distance to your home. .
"DO YOU know where | live p she asked: i
On. do remember your face. You opened :
,e gate for me one evening some time ago
don't forget faces or kind acts very quick
,. And for this evenings kindness GER Ii
inly am very grateful. No. do not get o
,rriaee, feel that must have the sup
,rt Of your arm, however, II 1t is not tax
q Won out of the way. You must live out r.
II way, since you were there that eve
no: l was taking a walk. 1t grieves me al
at you have hurt yourself. 81
"Oh! I don't mind that; you are SO kind