The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1881-07-26
Selfrt Stury.
Tom Kelso's Triumph.
By PAUL PAsTNoD.

X
goods establishment OF B L & Co. HI
was Gne, capable young fellow, and ar
unusually large lump Of ambition, bu
still be did not seem 10 rise. There were
some twenty other young fellows in the
store who could measure cloth, and liz
up parcels, aud be mechanically polite tC
ladies with the same degree of skill as
himself. In fac, Tom came to the con.
clusion that The fund of intellectually
requisite to make first class dry goods
clerk, was tied up in every mans nap.
kin Of talents, He even declared to
himself that his head was growing small
Ter every season, inasmuch as he always
had to replace his old hat with a size de.
scending in the capital scale. "If l don,
get chance TO exercise my brain pretty
quick" he reflected, sit will be rafting
out at my ears one of these fine days y
Therefore he was extremely anxious tU
get his foot on the next round of the
ladder of promotion: l cay therefore,
but perhaps l should have waited until
lad mentioned one other fact in Toms
history, which he would have considered
the camsa issen di OF it all, viz: our hero
was in love.
The object of his love was being
whom Tom always thought of with up
lifted eyes, as though he were looking at
a star and indeed she was worthy 10 be
set in the empyrean Of his affections.
Mabel Nellis was the daughter Of a rich
man, Beautiful, accomplished, sole heir
ess to vast property, what wonder that
suitors Auttered about her thick as the
leaves in autumn. And yet, strange as
1t may seem, poor, penniless Tom was
the most favored of them all, 80 far as
Mabel was concerned. She had become
acquainted with him at B. l.. d Co.'S
large establishment, where she was q
much priced customer, the clerks being
charged to "treat that Miss
Nellis like o princess"
However it wss-whether his hand
some face attracted her, or whether she
found him better judge of goods than
the other clerks, or whether it was mere
ly one of the kind freaks of fortune
any rate, from the very FIRST, it was al
ways with Tom that she bent over the
counter and discussed laces and silks,
ETC.. while his fellow statesmen looked on
green with envy. And yet she had such
q pretty, smiling way Of declining their
offices, and gliding straight to our hero,
that not one OF them but felt gratified
even in his humiliation. The wave OF
the little gfay- -eloved hand was so fra
grant and charming, and the glance of
the merry blue eye so utterly bewitcblng,
that every clerk in Che store, next to be-
ing in Toms boots, was devoutly con-
tent to remain in his own, provided they
happened to be in the vicinity OF lovely
Miss Nellis.
OF course our susceptible hero, SO
fell instantly and inextricably
in ,love-how could he help it2 The ad-
vent OF his charmer = now by no means
an unfrequent occurrence-was like Pc
riodical nourishment to his soul, with.
out which it certainly would have starv-
ed. Not that any spoken acknowledg-
ment as yet passed between them; but
what is cold and sluggish speech to low
ere, whom the quick telegraphy OF the
eyes connects with the very headquar-
ters of being, the ever eloquent heart!
The language Of Mabers eyes was un-
mistakable, and Tom felt himself ire
sistibly invited to climb the golden lad
der OF love into the seventh heaven Of
earthly bappiness-which he did, and
then, as l have said, was extremely anx-
ious to get his foot upon the next round
of the financial ladder, which should
conduct him, In like manner, into the
sraces, of .Nellis, Sr. But this, alas |!
was a more difficult achievement than
The other. Fortunes, unlike love, are
seldom make at sight! j s.Gff
About this time, Mabel confded in
snndry distressed whispers. to her knight
of the counter, that Nellis Sr. had fixed
upon an eligible, but by no means agree.
able, young money miller to help him
grind at the wheel of trade with one
hand, and with the other turn the mat
rimonial whirligig with his fair daugb-
ter. "That is all they think we girls
are good for!'' she pouted-"to amuse
our money-making husbands. But if
one9of us chances to have heart land
here she bent one of her winsome, soul
melting glances upon Tony, sit makes
life look hopeless enough. Now, Tom,
YOU know we'll enough what l want you
to do-you must save me from the
clutches of this heartless Croesus-yos
must make fortune, and be quick about
it, too" "Tll do it," exclaimed Tom,
his breast heaving, with excitement.-
"Put him off year, Mabel, and l will
prove to your father what ! can do "
He went to his cosy lodgings, that
night, big with thought His mind was
made up, but as yet only indeterminate
visions of greatness fioated before it,
AS he sat in his window, thinking, think