Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-02-17
MY MASTER AND /.
BY BARBARA YEcHros.

F" WANTED-A Cashier. Must write a
w good hand, and be intelligent. Apply
between ten and twelve at - Broadway"
Such was the advertisement that met
my eyes as [ looked anxiously over the
columns of " Female Help Wanted" in
the Herald. l read it over twice. then
cut it out, and put the slip in my pocket
book, determined to call at No. - that
morning.
There were two of us, Meta and my
self; she was the child of my step
mother, upon whose death she had come
to live with me. Neither OF us having
any relatives able to help us, and very
little money, times were very hard. So
for the past weeks, and, indeed, ever
since | came to the city, had studied
the papers daily, and done a great deal
Of travelling in answer to advertisements.
but without any good result. However
| was not easily discouraged, and, after
dlspatching Meta to school, sailed
forth.
No. - proved to be large retail and
stationery house. IN. A. Chisholm"
was the Sign. There were a number Of
clerks about; to one / told my erra.nd.
and was conducted to the upper end Of
the long store, where, standing and sit
ting, were some six or seven females.
who all looked severely at me; but, moth
ing daunted, l sat down and awaited
my turn.
A little distance from us was an in
closed Office, wherein, no doubt, was the
party who was to decide the momentous
question; and as each one went in and
came out with flushed or disappointed
face my heart sank lower and lower, and
throbbed so when my turn came that /
could scarcely speak
AS the Office was dark the gas was
lighted; at q low, wide desk almost COW
cred with papers and writing materials
sat a gentleman. He must have heard
me come in, but he did not stop writing,
nor even lift his eyes; SO, a low chair
being near me, l quietly sat down, ex-
aiming first the countenanee of NJ. A.
Chisholm (for he it was), and then the
comfortably furnished office.
The gentleman was not at all good
looking: Ae was very dark, sallow, in
fact. with very black hair and heavy
mustache; the nose was too large for
beauty, the mouth and chin square and
determined the forehead prominent,
with creases between the heavy brows rs
if from cons ant frowning; shoulders
broad and head well set on them. The
tout ensemble that of q man who would
not take thwarting kindly,
The surroundings were a pleasant red
carpet, several office chairs, two desks,
lone occupied9, waste-paper baskets,
files, &c. My survey completed, my
gaze went back to Mr. Chisholm, when l
was considerably disconnected Mt meet
ing two keen brown eyes fixed coldly
and calmly on me.
"Well," he said, presently, with ex-
IRENE politeness (sarcasin, / called it),
al trust you admire my oflice?'
eyes, sir, do" | answered, feeling
mcomfortably warm.
"HumphP after another cool glance.
$50 you would like to be my cashier?
Know anything about arithmetic"
"Yes, sir, something = not. much,
though" trying in vain to steady my
voice.
Write good hand?'
eyes, sir, wondering if my checks
and ears could possibly burn more. 81
write distinct but not pretty hand. "
"Made up Of negatives, eh?" he que.
ried sharply. care you bright and in
telligent?"
81 leave that for You to judge, sir," |
exclaimed, quickly, almost determined
to get up and go away.
"Oh, you dol Well, if you get the
position you will have to sit at that desk,
take charge of the cash, and write such
letters as L shall dictate to you, besides
assuming a part of the correspondence
Yourself Now write your name there. =
With trembling fingers 1 wrote my
name: never, it seemed to me, had
done SO badly; the IN" looked weak
aud uncertain, while the Ok" was de-
cidedly broken-backed Ny heart sank;
was that q good hand? felt sure the
next words would be my dismissal.
He looked at the miserable scrawi.
then at me, with a scarcely concealed
smile
"Well." he said, after pause, "per-
haps You may suit; Mt any rate you may
come and try. Now about salary.
naming a sum which to mycountry ideas
seemed very generous. Enough, eh?''
with a keen glance from under his
heavy eyebrows. "Can You come to-
morrow? Then that will do. Good
morning. OH ollr hours are from half
past eight to six. "
How I got into the street don't re-
member. ] was so happy to think had
at last obtained employment, and such q
coed salary; yet / trenbled niue az
The thought Of my future master. he
would be difficult to please, and sharp
almost TO rudeness, sometimes; but
rather that than too much politeness;
that I had been warned against. had
actually gotten the situation without any
@ references. for there in my pocket
still remained the kind letter of recon-
mendaiion from our dear old clergyman
at home.
The first day was q wearysome one 70
me. and the browning misery came with
Che adding up Of nay cash; add, SUP,
tract. divide. do what would, 1t would
not come right: and the knowledge that
Mr. Chisholm was furtively watching me
iii not mend matters. At last he came to
~ rescua and in few rapid strokes
sLoUad me where the mistake lay. My
otbar dnties I found to be easy; to as
snme 4 small share Of the correspond
enca "a write letters at my masters due
tation. or to copy them for him after they
we're written, was light work.
He was just, if sharp and strict, ana i
oradnolly became very kind to me; but
Re was 4 man of moods, puzzling me
GREAT deal at first, until | concluded no'
"a notice the changes in his manner. pu,
sin nj, e try to do my duty: / could
~ 80 1 he wos not happy, though I heard he
VA y,as n much courted in society, and lived
ol Ia, IN q big, handsome house up
town Sometimes. when we were not
bnsv he would talk so pleasantly to me
M had Travelled a great deal, and pos
sessed good descriptive powers, and rare !.
bnmor' These occasions were treats g
me-, Then, perhaps the very next day
IL ~ would come down, dark and stern