Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-10-19
THE YOUNGEST CLERK

1llL 1OU NUIO l. ULlhk,
rs it a beggar, Jane:" said Mrs.
Troop. ooh, don't send the poor
creature away! Give him glass of
milk and a bit of cold beef"
please, ma'am," said Jane. othere
amt So much as drop of milk lett;
and you gave the las, of the beef tooId
Gideon Gallup. And besides, ma'am.
don't think it is tramp at dl It's
quite respectable young man. in a
brown linen duster. and carpet-bag.
"Ohr said Mrs. Troop. "a new
boarder. eh?'
"Well ma'am, l amt quite sure"
sad Jane, discreetly. Folks is So
different"
Jane" said Mrs Troop, mysteri-
ously, 81 see it all now It's the
youngest clerk"
"Ma'am?' said Jane, in a bewilder-
ed way.
ooh, don't be so stupid" cried Mrs
Troop, who was one of those nervous
New England women who are perpet-
ually instinct with electricity, aud
who sawand comprehended things by
flashes. "Call Barbara; and make
haste about it,"
lsTbara came into the green gloom
of the little pantry, whose window
was thickly shaded with morning.
glory Nlnes-a tall, slim lasse, with
solemn blue-gray eyes, brown hair.
aud II Slow grace of manner which she
must have inherited from the birches
on the mountain-side and the reeds in
the swamp, for other teachers she had
none
What is it. mother Fl" said she. Il
was emptying the feathers out Of the
old pillowticks, and
Barbara" said Mrs. Troop "dont
bother about plllow-t.cksl It's the
youngest clerk-he's waiting just over
there in the porch, with his bag. Can
we accommodate him, do you think?'
Mother" sail Barbara, "what on
earth do you mean?"
why cried Mrs. Troop, with a
little impatient gesture, don't you re-
member old Mr.. Fanshawe the book
keeper in Browne, BroWnson s.
Brownies, telling us about the young
est clerk there, who had the weak
lungs and the small salary? And he
said he'd recommend him here, for his
summer vacation; and he hoped we'd
take him cheap and do what we could
for him"
"Ohr said Barbara, arching her
pretty brow. "Yes it seems to me
now that | do remember something
about it. But, mother, where can we
put him? Every room is full even
to the two sloring-roofed chambers in
the garret."
"But poor young man." said Mrs.
Troop. in a distressed voice, with
hereditary consumption and almost no
salary! Barbara, we never can turn
him away
"No, of course not" said Barbara
rejecting "Mother, I can manage it.
Don't fret any more. Tell him he
may come"
And high time, too," said Mrs.
Troop, nervously, with him waiting
there on the porch, and wondering, no
Doubt, what all this delay means.
She hustled out, with kindly hospi-
tality in her eyes. There, in the pur-
pie twilight, apparently listening to
the song of the whip-poor-wills on the
mountain-side, sat a slender person
dressed in cool, brown linen, with a
valise resting on the floor beside him.
How was Mrs. Troop to know that he
ha heard every word of the brief col
loquy?
Madam" he said, lifting the straw
hat from his curly head, L
"Ch, yes, yesr' said Mrs. Troop; q
know all about it. Your name is
Browne-with Browne, Brownson &,
Browne. Mr.. Fanshawe told me all
about you. You are the youngest
clerk there"
MADAM, I"
ut isn't necessary to explain" kind
ly interrupted Mrs. Troop. "Well
give you room and board for two
dollars a week. l can't promise YOU
the dainties they have at the Chocoma
House, but everything shall be clean
and wholesome. Mr.. Fanshawe knew
Iwould be interested in you, because I
had lost son of about your age"
Indeed, Mrs. Troop, l am very
much obliged to you, but"
Here comes my daughter Barbara
said Mrs. Troop, evidently desirous to
abbreviate the newcomers thanks
Barbara, this is the youngest clerk
His name. | believe, is Browne"
Barbara let her soft, blue-gray ewes
rest upon his tired face for second
with the most angelic sympathy
Us your cough very bad this sum