Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-11-16
TIMOTHY'S FORTUNE.

Mr.. Timothy Bloom, salesman in
Mr.. Crabbe's big retail dry goods
store, was stealthily eating his lunch
in dusty corner amongst some emp
ty packing boxes. 1t was not a very
good lunch and warm as the day was
he had but one glass of water to drink
with it.
A very mild, pleasant looking young
fellow was Timothy Bloom, with eyes
like a pretty girls and fair hair part
ed down the middle; but he was rath-
err doIeful at this moment, for Crabbe
senior, had just been abusing him for
permitting a lady, who was not to be
suited by mortal salesman, to get Off
without buying anything, and had
likewise informed him that he had
been five seconds late that morning
and would in consequence be fined on
Saturday evening.
That was hot pleasant, and Mr..
Crabbe's manner was not pleasant,
and the dusty corner and the stale
sandwich were not pleasant And
who can wonder that poor Timothy
Bloom, looking up at row of decora-
ted corset boxes above his head, and
taking his idea from the winged in
FAINT pictured upon them, remarked,
under his breath:
Il wish | was a cherub.'
At this moment, even as the wish
iluttercd up TO the corset boxes, lit
tie boy about three feet high, bearing
on his bosom badge with the enor-
nous number 1889, came around the
counter, and fixed his enormous pa
thctic eyes on Mr.. Blooms glass of
water
II say, Mr. Bloom he whispered
pathetlcal!y, won't you give me
just mouthful of that water! Mr..
Crabbe says us cashes amt to have no
drinks, an I'm chokin."
Mr.. Bloom smiled pitifully at the
child a forlorn widows assistant
bread winner, and said mildly as he
held ont the glass;
Here, johnny take half. I'd let
you have it all if we were not limited
to ono glass ourselves"
"GueSs water is gettin' dear" SAID
JOHNNY, eagerly swallowing the share
allowed of the cooling draught, but
Scrupuiously careful not to exceed the
permission.
''rhank'ee. You're = brick. Mr..
Bumps hit me lick when | asked
him. IIe"e, have this paperf 4 Gus
TONER left it on the desk. Save it
for me to take home to ma when
| go home tonight She likes
to read the murders and them
things
Cash 1897 shrioked female
voice. Cash CASH."
ITS Miss Pringle, l must go,
whispered johnny, and he sped away
iii terror.
store, and they had been numbered
high to sound well.
Mr.. Bloom peeped around the box
es at the clock, saw he had two min
utes more to himself, and opened the
paper The first thing his eye lighted
upon was the advertisement of fine
country seat for sale, and he read it
through description of the sta
5les, barns, conservatory, verandah,
lawn, kitchen and garden; the well,
the octagon parlors, and the cupola
the tiled halls and freScoed ceilings,
as though he intended to buy it for
himself that afternoon.
Then he cast his eye upon an account
of how Mr.. Mullen had beaten Mrs.
Mullen, and had been arrested for so
doing, and then he found himself
reading paragraph to the effect that
the heirs of Timothy Bloom, of Ian
casterif living, might hear of some
thing to their advantage by applying
toJoncs * Johnson, street.
My name" thought Mr.. Bloom,
ut first. Then, with start, he rcmem-
bercd that he had heard his grand
father was named Timothy. Certain
ly, he came from Lancaster. His
father David Bloom, had been an
only son. He was an only son him
self Well, then, he was Timothy
Blooms heir, il it should prove that
the Timothy Bloom enquired for was
really his fathers father.
But, oh, pShawl" sad Mr. Bloom.
This sort of thing couldn't happen
to me. It's some other Timothy, not
poor old grandfather And he copied
the address of Jones * johnson into
his pocket look, and went back to his
counter quite calmly, though he
wrote to Jones * Johnson that night
When Tim Bloom, the meekeSt of
all young statesmen, went home that
Saturday evening, with deducted
salary and scolding, he found Mr.
Johnson himself in his boarding
house parlor, and an examination of
the family bible III his possession,
and certain bundle ofyellow letters
that Mr.. Bloom had more than once
decided to burn, but had fortunately
spared, settled the matter.
Half u million Of money had come
to him in the regular course of nature,
and .e was richer than not only Mr..
Crahhe, but than any of his most
fashionable customers.
1T was wonderful surprise to little
Tim Bloom, ard he scarcely grasped
the idea ut first
Even after he had told his CHI, Il
oontidante, his landlady's pretty
granddaughter, Mehitable White-a
pretty, pink checked, capable damsel.'
called Hetty, for short-he only wen
SO far rs to think of pair of pat
ent-leather boots and a diamond era
vat pin.
Hetty awakened him to full reali-
zation of his changed condition by
saying rather seriously, and looking
away from him:
"Of course grandma's won't suit you
any longer, Mr.. Bloom, and you'll
never have to go back to Crabbe x
Co.'S again"
by George! never thought of it;
so / shant,N said Tim Bloom; mo
more counter-jumping for me, and if
Mrs. White will let me hire the back
parlor, I'll take that. Go awayi Not
Not yet; it's too soon" said Hetty
to herself, but he'll go when he quite
understands.
Let me congratulate you, my dear
Mr.. Bloom" said Mr.. Crabbe, bowling
as he parted from the departing clerk
as he did to the carriage customers at
the very store door. II have always
seen a superiority in you over the
other young men. SAID to my daugh-
ter Belinda the other day; if it were
not for giving offense to others l
should ask Mr.. Timothy Bloom to our
little evenings. Something of the
prince in disguise about him; but an
employer has duties. They some
times make his heart ache, but he
must perform them"