Litchfield enquirer., 1876-10-26
From the Atlantic Monthly.1 THE THoRsDALE TELECRAPH.
CONCLUDED.

1t was Thursday, and rather late. when I made my appearance at the office. Mr., Thor was seated at hls desk, quite busily engaged. working at something. As en- tered he rose quickly, bowed to me, then offered his hand. which took and gave hearty shake He glanced at the clock. "I know, MT. Thor" said apologetical- ly s.I am an hour and more late.
 ''Miss Brown indisposition IS suffi- cient excuse You are in good time. We are rather r-ahem-used to fainting; the Smoiler young person you know falnts twice week at stated intervals; on her mothers wash days, I believe. The Smoil- CT young lady will open her batteries presently Take charge of the machines; can dictate replies. I have quite job here > and he removed bit by bit, some thing from newspaper which he had 1 spread on tine desk in a corner. of the room. and began working with the pieces.
 Well, said to myself, smoothing out the crumpled newspaper he Lad left, ''I don't exactly like this sort of reception. It is kind of affectation of indifference on hls part, which is sham. don't care. He is brave man, andI want to tell him so. I cannot intimate to him, how ever. that Mary Brown is going to be wretchedly uncomfortable here, with. her heart in her mouth ali the time, and that position as a telegraph operator at Thorsdale would be just the death of her. It may be sinecure. but few more in- cidents of the character of the evening before last, notwithstanding the thirty eight dollars a month she receives, might very much weaken her mental and physi- cal condition and-I wish I had never put my foot into the Thorsdale office. !" Then thought my bin wanted looking after, and I went there, and in the glass found my face was all crimson. noticed, I must confess with some pleasure, that there was fresh bunch of flowers in the Basss ale bottle. took brilliant pop py, placed it in my hair, and then put 1t back again. rhoE Hoq flom nage Ss 1rohea ey y pR pRsnpd sad M ss
 horse all to bits; cherry stem likewise splintered.
 "I am so sorry, so very sorry,' said almost nervous enough to cry. ''I had no idea had it at all.''
 on pipe which she has been merely re- quested to hold, and thinks that meer- schaum will stand such a strain, all I have to say is that her acquaintance with the physical condition of such substances is of the most meagre and superficial char acter. There, I give it up." Here I saw him gather up the pieces of the pipe and put them in his drawer. "I am go- ing out, Miss Brown" he continued ''some business at the depot. If am wanted. or anything important turns up. ring this bel. the wires run across to the depot, and will come." He looked at me now, as left my little room, with kindly smile on his face, and in a mo- ment was out of the office.
 Broke his pipe? wish could mend it. I wonder if he wants a tobacco pouch. might make him one with his old sea-horse on it. wonder if there is such thing as embroidefing silk to be found in Thorsdale. By the way, must ask permission to be absent half hour some time to day, so that I may thank the grocer's wife, who laid me out so nicely in the bottom of her husbands wagon. and carried me home. That accounts for the molasses on my skirts. I wonder if MT. Thor called to see me yesterday" Then I tried to drive Mir Thor entirely-out of my mind, but though I succeeded in this, the tobacco pouch, would come back. kept on raeking my brain, until got headachy, when turn ed over the newspaper and read the title, the. Sinoilersville Sentinel I waded through the outside sheets, which were filled with grandiloquent advertisements but noticed that embroidery silks were unheralded. Then l looked inside, and this was what saw, in the most buster ing type:- -a.