Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-11-05
The Youngest Clerk.

Please, ma am, said Jane, "there
amt so much as drop of milk left;
and you gave the last of the beef to
old Gideon Gallup. And besides,
ma'am, I don't think it is a tramp at
all. It's quite respectable young
man, in brown linen duster, and
carpet-bag."
"Oh!" said Mrs. Troop. ga new
boarder, eh p
swell, ma'am, I amt quite sure,
said Jane, discrcetly. sFolks is so
different .
''Jane," said Mrs. Troop, mysteri-
ously, 81 see it all now. It's the
youngest clerk
ssMa'am?" said Jane, in a bewil-
dered way.
"Oh, don't be SO stupid y cried
Mrs. Troop, who was one of those
nervous New England women who
are perpetually instinct with electric
ity, and who saw and comprehended
things by flashes. "Call Barbara
and make haste about it %
Barbara came into the green gloom
of the little pantry, whose window
was thickly shaded with morning
glory vines-a tall, slim lassie, with
solemn blue-gray eyes, brown hair,
and slow grace of manner which
she must have inherited from the
birches on the mountain-side and the
reeds in the swamp, 70: other teach
ers she had none.
"What is it, mother?" said she.
II was emptying the feathers out of
the old pillow-ticks, and
Barbara, said Mrs. Troop, "don't
bother about pillow-ticks ! It's the
youngest clerk-he's waiting just
over there in the porch, with his bag
gage. Can we accommodate him, do
you think?''
"Mother," said Barbara, "what on
earth do you mean?''
"Why,' cried Mrs. Troop, with a
little impatient gesture, "don't you
remember old Mr.. Fanshawe, the
book-keeper in Browne, Brownson &
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.
"Oh!' 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 sloping-roofed chambers
in the garrett
''But a 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, 1 can manage
it. Don't fret any more. Tell HIM
he may come"
"And high time, too" said Mrs.
Troop, nervously, ''witE 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 slender person
dressed in cool, brown linen, with 6
valise resting on the floor beside him
How was Mrs. Troop to know thai
he had heard every word of the briet
colloquy?
MADAM he said, lifting the
straw hat from his curly head, "I-'
"Oh. yes, yes p said Mrs. TIoop
ST know all about it. Your name is
Browne-with Browne, Brownson &
Browne. Mr.. Fanshawe told me al
about you. You are the younges
clerk there
"Madam, I"
sit isn't necessary to explain,
kindly interrupted Mrs. Troop. We'll
give you room and board for two
dollars a week. can't promise yol
the dainties they have at the Choco
ma House, but everything shall b'
clean and wholesome. Mr.. Fanshaw,
knew I would be interested in you
because 1 had lost a son about you
age"
"Indeed, Mrs. Troop, I am yer,
much obliged to you, but"
"Here comes my daughter Barba
ra," said Mrs. Troop, evidently de
sirous to abbreviate the newcomer
thanks. ssBarbara, this is the young
est clerk. His name, | believe, il
Browne
Barbara let her soft blue-gray eye
rest upon his tired face for second
with the most angelic sympathy.
SIS your cough very bad this sum
mer?" she asked. ssOh, [ hope th
mountains will do you good How
long vacation have you-tw'
weeks? %
He smiled.
ssYou are very kind,' he said
"The firm will allow me to be gon
as long as like.
'sAnd your salary will 60 on jus
the same?'
| "And my salary will continue jus