Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-07-29
NO. III.
Gales ano Skettbes.
"PER c."
By MRs. ANNE a. PRESTON.

MN IN MS private once. up tnree HiyutS,
turn TO the right, No. g."
Thanks and the compactly-built,
stalwart man in brown linen ulster. thread
gloves and Panama hat. ran, satchel and
umbrella in hand up the three flights ot
black. dusty stairs. up. up through the
gloomy halls Of the great business house,
turned to the right down a narrow space
lined with offices, with open doors to get
paused at mo. O." A sligh. graceful.
pale-faced little woman CLAN, up from
a pile of letters.
Mr.. Bronson? Oh. yes, sir, Walk in.
please Mr.. Bronson, a gentleman"
just commonplace. every day meet
ing between two largehearicd men who
had maintained business relations for
years, entertaining the very highest regard
for each other meanwhile. without having
once met face 10 face.
''Mr. Smrtevant? Is it possible! am
glad to see YOU sir" And the two sat
down and fell into chat. which settled
the Western man in his halfformed opin-
ion. that your genuine. substantial, out
and out New Yorker, is the representa-
tive man of America; and made the city
man say to himself. '.what hearty frank
ness your real Western man brings into
everything. Nothing dwarfed or contrac-
ted about him. His heart and his opinions
are as broad and as breezy rs his own
rich praries.
"Where do you stopa" as the visitor
and long time customer arose.
Don't know?
ALLOW me to suggest that you go to
the st. Nicholas with me then. Pm there
tor little, while my folks are out of town
and the house is being brushed out. ]
will go with you. | was just going. in
fact Miss Clark, | will leave this last
account with You to balance-Oh, want
YOU to see Miss Clark-Ths is Mr. Sturtc-
want from Chicago"
Your name and your handwriting are
entirely familiar. Mr.. Sturtevant," said
the pale-taced young woman, with whom
the visitor had first spoken. leaving the
desk by which she was standing and
coming forward toward the
inner office, which was formed by heavy
jet green curtains. looped back across
windowed niche, making pleasing de-
lusion of seclusion and of shade.
I'VE learn TO feel acquainted with peo-
Pile from their handwriting" remarked
Mr.. Bronson pleasantly. as he drew OH
his gloves. "On that principle, you two
must know each other quite well by this
time"
tAnd are Per C'P'' queried Mr..
Sturtevant, looking critically down into
the young woman's delicate. finely-cut
face. Now have habit of conjuring
people up from their handwriting, and the
Per c. have kept in mind all this time
was methodical. clear-headed, old gray
beard whom all the sharpers IN Gotham
couldn't get around, and find the real
Per c. to be but mere thistle down or
frost flower, Well, well!"
'You are not very far astray in your
character estimate, however," smiled Mr.
Bronson, tipping his light hat down over
his dusky black eyes.
"'Per c. is the most efficient helper
that a perplexed merchant was ever
| blessed with. The firm would have been
bankrupt had il not been for her. Fact,
sir. At my fathers death things were in
bad shape The head bookkeeper, who
was also a partner. had been making false
entries, and the accounts were in the most
inextricable tangle. They bafiled me,
and / employed an expert to straighten
them, but he gave them up in despair.
Miss Clark, who was then in the lower
Office volunteered her assistance. She
went through them at odd hours, and
brought everything out straight. To pre-
vent exposure the partner refunded what
he had embezzled. / bought in all the
stock, and kept on with the business
Mr.. Sturteyant looked at the quiet little
woman with more admiration than if he
had Just heard that she had painted pic
ture. written book, or awakened slum-
bering goddess from block of marble.
at was not so much to do she said,
in deprecatory tones. II had had ex-
perience with my fathers books-only un-
happilv-and the partner hadsnot the en-
bezzled funds in reserve, and the house
went down.
| Good afternoon, Miss Clark and the
two handsome. healthy gentlemen started,
full Of life and spirits, to run down the
stairs.
Mr.. Bronson returned almost imme-
ldiately to say Never mind about those
last bills. shall be in early in the morn
ing and finding the little gray dressed
woman sitting at his desk in the shadow
of the deep green curtains in a detected
attitude. looking so like crushed, wilted
flower that he could not but wonder what
had so quickly changed the bright, pleas
ant face that had just smiled back at him
from the doorway.
"This hot wave is something fearful. -
.said Mr.. Sturtevant. as his companion re-
gained his side 81 don't see how Won
can stand II here week after week. -
''Oh, run mp the Hudson. where nv
mother and sisters are, whenever the
whim seizes me, knowing the books will
mot get bebindhand in my absence
$50 you are not married man?''
mo. nave never had time nor nclina-
ton TO think Of matrimony and am very
well off in nv present home"
"Yet it is all wrong replied the wes-
tern man. in fatherly way lie was apt TO
fall into toward any one TO whom he took
fancy. "a man Of your age ought to
be settled in home Of his own The
mother will 90 to heaven some day, and
the sisters will take unto themselves hus-
bands, and then my man you will be left
adrift." 50
Mr.. Sturtevant fitted in and out of mo
6. Sd fioor." every day for week, as
siduously cultivating the acquaintance oi
Mr.. Bronson and .Per Co. as he persist.
J fCnuxiuuo1 r,v, H,,,rxy, - a..