Litchfield enquirer., 1876-09-28
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office. He was queer old fellow, with solemn face, and, what we thought ridi- culously polite ways. He would take off his hat when he came in, and say:
 "Good morning, gentlemen. I trust 1see you all in good health this fine day." j. And some of the boys would nod-and some wouldn't do anything; but never could help standing up and lowing, per- haps brcouSo I Knew that my mother would have said ought to do it.
 To be sure, he was only on salary like ourselves, but had been at R-& B-'s twenty-five years, and young fellows had come and gone, and there he was. ..
 And, you see, it was gentlemanly of him, I said; and if he was little crea- lure, with a queer little wig, why he looked something like gentleman. too. I Isaid so once to Merrivale, next desk to mine; but-well-I didn't try it again.
 You see, Merrivals was up to every thing, dressed elegantly, sneered at everything almost, and I'd come from country town and he was a city man.
 Nobody down on "Old Dumps" as he was, especially after he made us that speech about our conduct to the ladies.
 Dumps made the speech, you know; and it was Merrivale who had said the lady only came in to look at him. a3
 I'm sure she really wanted to know the way to the street she asked for; and how she colored and hurried out!
 And Dumps with his brown wig. looked to me like the gentleman that day; and Merrivale with his fine curling hair and s 1ipe . puppy. ~. .ss 'srhe man who calls 8 blush to the cheek of a good woman by look or tone must have forgotten his mother," said Old Dumps. 'fWhen that lady asked you civil question, she relied on her belief that you were a gentleman, MT. Merrivale. When you answered her as you did, and spoke of her asyou did, any one could read your insulting thoughts, MT. Merrivale: and you did not even rise from your seat, sir. You proved that she was very much mistaken"
 "Mean to say am no gentleman r said Merrrivale. .t..
 "In this instance, sir" said Old Dumps, '.you certainly have not conducted your self as one should" .sfa
 Merrivale pulled his coat half of, and pulled it on again. ...t a,a
 "Pshaw," said he; "he knows he's safe. There'd be no fun in knocking down an old bag of bones like that. could do it with my little finger. But you attend to your own business. will you, Old Dumps? can behave myself without your advice, and that ain't the first wo- man that's come in just for a sort of filtration. I'm used to that sort of thing, am." .....
 "Mr. Dumpsis right this time." said I.
 "Bahw said Merrivale. "You're from the country" sas5~ i'stst.
 ''Thank Heaven for it, then, my young friend" said Dumps. and sat down. -.. --.s .......}-
 After that Merrivale was never even half way civil to Dumps, and the boys followed Merrivale's lead. But I liked the old fellow. When we met in the street, I'd take off my hat and shake hands, and say some of those polite things that mother used to teach me to say. And wrote of him to mother. and she said she was glad that her boy knew what was due to good old gen. tleman: But after all, in the office, you know what the boys thought and said had it's influence.
 Who were the boys7 Why, there was Merrivale, with his darling airs, and his way ofletting you know he was . fa- vorite with the women.
 And Carberry, who didn't care about style, and knew the city.
 And Stover, who used to come with red eyes and head aches. and boast that he'd been making night of 1t.
 Twas lonely enough in the great city, and should have liked to join company with Dumps and walk home with him from church sometimes but was afraid of meeting one of the boys, and I never did. But would bow to him, and we took our hats of to each other always. Sometimes, when lived at Haredale with mother, I've seen the sky beautiful and bright and blue one hour, and the next black with the clouds of thunder storm. Just that way my trouble came to mean awful trouble such as l could not have dreamt of.
 l had written to my mother that l was doing well and liked my business. and would be down to see her on Sunday, when was sent for to go into the in her office; and there-I can't go through with it-I can't even remember details; but was charged with being thief. 1 You'd have. to understand our particu- lar business. as we'll as ok-keePing, to know how was supposed to have done it; but they believed had robbed them of one hundred pounds. #f '.
 They urged me to confess. Twas in- noeent, and said so. Then they told me they did not wish to be hard on me. ! was young. The city was bad place