The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-10-26

Good morning, sir; but excuse me
a moment. Would you kindly look at
this bill of mine the office clerk has
! sent me? | am an idiot about accounts.
Here are some items which | have no
doubt are correct, with express charges
on some trunks and things paid for by
the office, and the string of figures puz-
zIes me. Then the handwriting is so
bad. Would you, now, just make the
addition for me? o, amt afraid of
your looking at the bill. There are no
sherry cobblers on the account, and
one does not trust muslin dresses to
seaside washerwomen." Mrs. Bland
had hanging from her neck delicate
chain, and among numerous rafting
appendages there was Il dainty gold
pencil With as pretty dimpled white
hand as L ever saw, she bent over and
offered the pencil.
The calculation was so simple that |
ran it over in my mind without the use
of the pencil, and gave the total. 1t
differed a few cents, the advantage be-
ing in Mrs. BANDS favor.
"lt is trifle in error, Mrs. Bland,
but the people are honest. 1t should
be S2S.67, instead of $3.50"
81 never could remember the fig-
ures; pray set them down. 1t will give
Mr.. Bland so much pleasure to know
that have my bill exactly right. He
is such strict man of business
willingly" Ireplied, and 1 wrote
at the foot of the bill, "S28.67. Kor-
rect"
Thanks" said Mrs. Bland. "What
a wonderful head you have for figures. "
She scrutinized the bill closely. "And
what a queer way of making sevensr'
80, in the bank l am in / do little
else than add up figures for hours on
stretch, There is nothing queer about
my sevens. | always cross my sevens.
Then they do not look like ones. In a
great many banking-houses in New
York that is the rule. Scientific calcu-
lators always use the crossed sevens.n
"Ah, indeed. If you want to see a
ludicrous five or three look at mine
such wormy, twisting things. Look"
and Mrs. Bland drew the numerals.
They are quite ludicrous, indeed"
[ said. There, make your three this
way, and don't bring the tail of your
five below the line, like French five"
and made the figures.
Thanks for the lesson. | will de-
tain you no longer. l must 90 now
and pay my bill-S2S.6 81, you say?n
With bow left Mrs. Bland, and
hu'rying to the water-side, got'my boat,
and was off after blue-fsh. | had bet
ter luck than usual, and brought home
that afternoon some fine blue-tish and
weak-fsh. | had the best fish cooked
for supper, a portion of which | sent to
Mrs. Bland, who seemed to partake of
it with relish. i was not idiot enough
to think, though it was three years ago,
that the lady was especially pleased
with me for the attention, but in the
evening, Il fine moonlit one, Mrs. Bland
fingered on the yeranda. | was smOk-
ing cigar, seated at the bottom of the
steps, within speaking distance of her.
" You very kindly offered me the use
of Mr. Bland's tackle. Now, YOU have
not congratulated me on my luck" |
said.
Il do, do" said Mrs Bland, quick
ly, with a certain amount of expansive
ness. She rose from her chair and held
out her hand, and it fairly trembled. |
was surprised. What possible sympa-
thy could there exist between us? |
did not care even to have a passing
Irritation with her How the deuce had
my fish called for so marked an express
sion on Mrs. BANDS partP
"Five blue-fsh, which would weigh
thirty pounds, not counting the weak
fish, and dab or sou | said, in the
most commonplace way.
Yes, yes" said Mrs. Bland, appar-
emily absorbed.
But | have broken my squid, my
best one, and | would like to borrow
hook or so from you to make another.
Could you really lend me some hooks
until | send to New York;"
"Willingly. Wait here a moment"
and Mrs. Bland rose and went down
the hall to her room. Just then David,
the colored waiter, came in with tele-
graphic message for Mrs. Bland. She
returned at once, and took the message,
read it under the hall lamp; then She
went to her room.
DAVID | asked of the waiter, 81
did not know that you could telegraph
to such an out-of-the-way place as
this?'
sit amt often that it is done, sir.
The telegraph station on the road is
fourteen miles from here, but you can
get messages sent by the coach-tho'
Mrs. Bland message comes on horse
back, with a man a-kiting"
1t was none of my business how Mrs.
BANDS message came, though now l
remembered that on her hotel bill there
were quite a number of charges for
Geographic messages. In a moment
more Mrs. Bland was down stairs, hold
ing in her hand quite number of large
hooks. 1t was not my fault, but the
lady had taken up with the package a
small tly-hook, which, as she opened
the parcel, punctured a rosy first finger,
so that a drop of blood started. Il am
so sorry" | said, "may not tie this
handkerchief around itP''
"What, with the hook in my finger?
Pull it out. Please, no fuss " Here
Mrs. BANDS face looked rigid, and the
wrinkles between her eyes made a
series of archings.
"But, but" | exclaimed, really dis
turbed, 81 can't pull it out. Can you
bear the merest cut with my pen-knife?"
Can /? Nonsense; of course cam"
and she held out taper white finger,
and | falt my boart sinh With, ,,,o n,