The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-07-29
MISS SNAGGLES' CHOICE.

MISS SNAGGLES' CHOICE.
In Mr.. Snaggles stationery and book
store there was strange commotion. The
clerks, with their polite manners and air
of style, smiled at one another beamingly
Mr. Snaggles' daughter Leonora was COM
ing home from boarding school, and, being
an accomplished scholar and mathemati-
clan, was to be elevated to the post of book
keeper in the store in place of her father,
retired, and Miss Snaggles, it was report
ed, was rare little beauty with the rosiest
of cheeks, darkest of eyes, and most be-
witching manners Indeed, she was
thoroughly captivating little witch, and
her presence at the desk would make the
store of Claudius Snaggles avery attractive
spot. Thus reasoned the gentlemanly
clerks upon the morning that Miss Snag
giles was to assume command-an appro-
pirate morning, by the by, to welcome so
charming creature, being full OF sun
shine, spring morning, bright in the ex-
treme A bevy of clerks stood by the
door talking eagerly together concerning
the fair stranger. Let us listen to their
conversation.
Z" l tell you what" said James Gregory,
a most important parsonage in Snaggles'
store, as he stood twisting his light mus
tache iauntlly-quite handsome young
fellow to behold tell you what, Miss
Snaggles will find that she must decide
pretty soon between us all, for we're in
love with her, every one of us, you know,
even before we've seen her" James Greg
ory smiled conceitedly. 1t was very evil
dent upon whom Miss Snaggles' choice
must fall!
"Pshawr' replied another gentlemanly
clerk, by name Thomas Gibbs, as he
pulled his collar higher in the neck,
iingled his watch guard and cursorlly
glanced at the array of rings he wore, as
though Leonora Snaggles could resist the
mighty power of style and dressl Just at
this point of the conversation the front
door opened and somewhat seedy-look-
ing individual sauntered in with slip
shod air, his clothes hanging loosely upon
him and his mass of rumpled red hair
frowsed about his face, out of which gazed
two sleepy blue eyes, which, spite his I'M
fortunate appearance, gave him touch Of
beauty, for they were singularly handsome
eyes, though he rubbed them sleepily and
tried, it seemed, to make them blind al
most with his frantic thrusts at them.
A laugh greeted this strange mans ap-
pearance % Ha, Quiggs!" jeered Snag-
gles' clerks contemptuously. Late this
morning! Where's your broom?" Quiggs
gazed about him dreamily, and replied in
a sleepy way:
Dunno, 'spose it's in the closet' With
which he slipshodded over to the closet
near the desk, and producing therefrom
large broom began to sweep vigorously.
"Wish you had come earlier, Quiggs,"
said Snaggles' young men, as the dust
greeted their nostrils; but Quiggs only
grunted and swept on the more vigorous
lv. When the store was nicely cleaned
he betook himself to the pavement in
front, and was still sweeping away there
when Miss Leonora Snaggles made her
appearance through the door in the rear
of the store-which, by the by, communi-
Gated with the apartments occupied by the
Snaggles family-and, accompanied by
her father, a pompous-looklng, purse
proud fellow, was installed at the desk in
due state, queen in her own right, who
gazed sentimentally off into the distance
with her large, dark eyes, and captivated
Snaggles' clerks Immediately with her
beauty and grace. Yet she was not at all
as they imagined her to be, Her hair was
dark, her complexion brilliant, but her
manners were tinged with the utmost sad
ness. "She has the air of martyr"
Thomas Gibbs observed; whereat Snag-
gles'.clerks all nodded their heads affirm
atively, though they hadn't an idea what
it meant; but it sounded well and seemed
romantic. When the clerks were intro
duced to Miss Leonora Snaggles she
raised her eyes with strangely sad look,
bowed gravely, and lowered them in such
a way as to display to advantage the fine
fringes of her eyelashes. by JoveH'
affirmed Gregory, that look of hers and
that way of hers are just stunnin'."
And so Miss Snaggles was placed upon
her throne-a position she occupied with
dignity and grace, though she did not al
ways make change right, and seemed at
times not quite as absorbed as she might
have been in her business, but sat often
for hours at time reading poetry and de-
vouring novels and munching at chocolate
drops, for which, by the by, she was con-
tinually dispatching the errand boy,
Quiggs. But whatever she did Snaggles'
clerks thought bewitching; and she, keep
ing them at distance, yet had them all
her devoted slaves, ready, if need be, to
throw themselves into the East River or
drown themselves at Coney Island, so
great was their admiration for the dark
eyed beauty Gregory was sure she was
desperately taken with him, and that was
the reason of her fondness for poetry and
candy; whilst Gibbs rejoiced in his secret
heart that he was such stylish, we'll
dressed fellow, it was no wonder all the
girls liked him. But old Snaggles was a
great spy upon Leonora, and often spoke
sharply to her about mistakes in the ac-
counts, and darkly limited at the Danish
ment of poetry and novels from the desk,
whereat his daughter would sometimes
burst into tears and disappear amidst the
sympathetic regards of Snaggles' clerks.
One day snaggles limited at something
which set Gregory and Gibbs frantic.
"You foolish girl, your' said the en-
ragged man-Snaggles we mean-as he
stopped at the desk and distracted vol
ume of Owen Meredith from Leonora' 8
hands. Here you've been two months
in this store and it hasn't cured you yet!
believe I'll leave you alone to your fate
poverty and tomfoolery, Miss Snaggles.
Yes, repeat, poverty and tomfoolery"
And Snaggles' angry hand having
caught at the blue and gold vol
u1ne of poetry and thrown it violently
across the store 1t landed upon the
Uranium of Quiggs, who stood by one
! of the counters busting the books. Quiggs