Smyrna times., 1872-08-07

very pleasant ana comfortable.
"Ahem! But fear you will hardly be
equal to the discharge of its duties"
"Why not? If you will run your eye over
the balance sheet you will find everything cor
rect"
With desperate hope that there would be
something amiss Smith did so, but was disap
pointed.
II hope you have no fault to fnd said the
clerk rather anxiously, on perceiving that ne
hesitated.
"You are woman
Here, whether abashed by the sudden dis
play of dimples in the pink cheeks, that grew |
still more pink at his rather unnecessary as
sertion, or not, Smith came to an abrupt |
pause. AT this the smiling face settled into |
an expression of demure gravity.
Il must plead guilty to the charge of being
woman. But, though it may be a misOr-
| tune, it can scarcely be called a fault. At any
rate, it is one for which | am not anowerable.
"You misunderstood me, ma am. What ]
meant to say was that there are certain duties
connected with your Office, such as opening
the store, going to the post Office, &C., which
you cannot very we'll perform"
| II assure you, sir, that | shall like nothing
better than an occasional walk in the open air.
And as to the opening of the store, and sweep
ing and busting, [ don't know why it should
be harder to perform that Office for a store
than for house. | claim no consideration for
my sex, resumed the young lady, casting a
reproachful glance at the perplexed counte-
nance of her employer; "but | ask, in COM
mon justice, if | perform my duties salts
factoriy that you will not discharge me simply
because L am woman"
Muttering a disclaimer of some kind-he
hardly knew what-Smith beata sudden retreat
to his own room, assuming bold front as he
met his partners inquiring eye, but with an
outward consciousness that he had been totally
routed by the enemy.
voklng nonchalance.
'Well, no mot to-day. What the deuce
are you grinning at?"
/ Oh nothing-nOthing at all, responded
1 jenkins, throwing himself back in his chair
and regarding intently fly upon the ceiling.
"What | was going to remark was, re-
E sumed Smith, with quite an unnecessary as
sumption of dignity, that l have concluded
' to let the young lady remain until can find
some situation for her more in accordance with
t her sex.
D VERY kind and considerate in you," sale
o jenkins, dryly; especially taking into view
IS that she does her work better than any clerl
we ever had, and for less pay, too. "
d Smith was by no means the ogre he seemed
e Aside from his prejudice he was sensible
a kind hearted man. Georgiana was not calle
upon to open the store or run errands, thoug
y she offered to do both. Curious to relate, a
days and weeks passed, Smiths repugnance t
Ie her presence not only vanished with them, bU
ut he began to regard it with positive pleasure
le He used to often look through the glass dool
watching the graceful poise of the head an
the motions of the deft little fingers as the
glided over the paper, until at last curioU
tn fancies seemed to creep through his brain, an
he began to indulge in growing dreams of no
y, wonderfully such little woman as that wou
brighten up his lonely and cheerless hom
n But he determined to proceed cautiously. Z
had it. His housekeeper was about to leave
o. he would offer Miss Gardner the situation
and then? Having formed this resolutio
its his next step was to request the young lady
presence in his private ofhce-a summons tn
lc- was promptly obeycd.
sNIss Gardner, don't you think the stu
S, ton as housekeeper il. a quiet home, like min
he for Instance, would be preferable to your stu
{. ton here"
"Perhaps, in some respect it might" So
1r- Georgiana, coloring at this abrupt inquiry a
the look which accompanied it. Was the c
he gentleman about to make her an offer. Il
his next words relieved her of this appreh,
on sion.
her MY housekeeper is soon to leave me, a
I should be very glad to have you supply
for place"
Ge0rglana cneekB grew req, ana ner moi
the dimpled the smiles that she strove vainly
nile suppress.
she ''You are very kind, sir, but the fact is
in jenkins has spoken to me first"
"Mr. jenkins ?"
will eyes, sir He asked me to be his hou
hess keeper, and told him l would" /"
'But, my child, Mr.. jenkins is yo'
d man-it would not be proper for you to k
,us house for him. Now with me it is differer
ould And Georgiana inwardly agreed with h
you In fact there was all the difference in the w
to her.
ten "But he asked me to be his wife as vel
she housekeeper."
her "O-o-o-hl'
Smiths first feelings was that of int
not astonishment; his next, of quite as strong
so." grin But it all ended in an emotion of thu
fulness that he had not committed him
her His disappointment could not have ran
very deeply, for he attended the wedd
n air viewing, with smiling tranquility, the c
hink mony that transformed his new clerk into
happy wife of his fortunate partner, Jenl