The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-05-17
4 CHANGE IN FORTUNE.

Mr.. Timothy Bloom, salesman in Mr.
Crabbe's big retail dry goods store, was
stealthily eating his lunch in a dusty
! corner amongst some empty packing
boxes. 1t was not q very good lunch,
and warm as the day was, he had but
one glass of ice water with It.
very mild, pleasant looking young
fellow was Timothy Bloom, with eyes
like pretty girls, and fair hair parted
down the middle; but he was rather
doleful at this moment, for Crabte
senior, had Just been abisi ng him fol
permitting d lady WHO was not to be
suited by mortal salesman; to get of
without buying anything, and had like
wise informed him that he had been
live seconds late that morning and would
in consequence f'be deducted an eighth
on Saturday evening.
That was not pleasant, and Mr..
Crabbe's manner was not pleasant; and
the dusty corner and the stale sand
wich were not pleasant. And who can
wonder that poor Timothy Bloom, look
ing up at d row of decorated corset box.
es above his head, and taking his idea
from the winged infant pictured
upon them, remarked under his
II wish I was cherub."
At this moment, even as the wish
fluttered up to the corset boxes, d little
boy, about three feet high, bearing on
his bosom badge with the enormous
number l ,l89, came around the corner,
and fixed his pathetic eyes on Mr..
Blooms glass of water.
II say, Mr.: Bloom" he whispered,
patheticaIly, won't you give me just a
mouthful Of that water? Mr.. Crabbe
says lis cashes amt to have no drinks,
and Pm chokin'."
Mr.. Bloom smiled pitiiully at the child,
a forlorn widows bread winner, and
said mildly, as he held out the glass:
"Here, Johnny, take half. I'd let
you have it all il we were not limited to
one glass ourselves"
s'Guess waters getting DEAR" said
Johnny, eagerly swallowing the share
allowed Of the cooling draught, bnt
scrupulously careful not to exceed the
permission.
''Thank'ee. You're brick. Mr..
Bumps hit me a lick when asked him.
Here, have the paper? a customer left
home to mar when go home tonight.
She likes to read the murders them
things
"Cash 1881" shrieked female voice.
~Casl! Cash!'
cts Mrs. Pringle must co." whis.
pered johnny, and sped away IN terror.
There were 10 cash boys in the store,
and they had been numbered high to
sound WE'LL
Mr. Bloom peeped around the boxes
at the clock, saw he had 10 minutes
more to himself, and opened the paper.
The first thing his eyes lighted upon
was the advertisement of line country
seat for sale, and he read it through the
description of the stables, barns, bath
tubs, conservatory, ,.vemnda, lawn and
kitchen garden, tine well, the tiled hall
and frescoed ceilings. as though he in.
tended 10 buy it for himself that after
noon.
Then lie cast his eye on an account of
how MIR. Mullen had ,beaten Mrs.
Mullen and been arrested for 50 doing;
and then he found himself reading a
paragraph to the effect that the heirs of
Timothy Bloom. Of Lancaster Eng, if
living might hear of something to their
advantage by applying to Jones Il john
sons-street.
My name," thought Mr.. Bloom, at
first. Then, with q start. he remem-
bered that he had heard his grandfather
was named Timothy. Certainly, be
came from Lancaster, England. TIis
father, David Bloom, had been an only
son. He was an only son himself.
Well, then, he was Timothy Bloom =
heir, if it should prove that the Timothy
Bloom inquired for was really lis faith
er's father.
''But, oh, pshaw!" said 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 book and went back to his coun-
ter quite calmly, though he wrote to
Jones & Johnson that night.
However, wonders will never cease.
When Tim Bloom, the meekest of all
young statesmen, went home that Satur-
day evening, with deducted" salary,
and a scolding. he found Mr.. johnson
himself in the boarding house parlor,
and an examination of the family Bible
die of yellow letters that Mr.. Bloom had
more than once decided to burn, but
had fortunately spared, settled the mat
ter. Half a million of money had come
to him in the regular course of nature,
and he was richer not only than Mr..
Crabbe, but than any of his fashionable
customers.
It was wonderful surprise to little
Tim Bloom, and he scarcely grasped the
idea at first. Even after he told his
chief COMPLIANT, his landlady's pretty
granddaughter, Mehitable White, a
pretty pink-cheeked, capable damsel
called Hetty for short-he only vent 80
far as to think of pair of patient leather
boots and a diamond cravat pin.
Hetty awakened him to q full realiza.
ton of his changed condition by saying,
rather seriously, and looking away from
him:
"Of course, grandma's won't suit you
any longer. MIR. Bloom, and you'll never
have to 90 back to Crabbe 4 Co 8 again"
so I shan't," said Tim Bloom. "No
more counter Jumping for me; and if
Mrs. White will let me hire the back
parlour, I'll take that. Go away! Not
'Not yet, it's too soon," said Hetty,
to herself; "bnt he'll go when he quite
understands"
"Iet me congratulate you, my dear
Mr.. Bloom" said Mr.. Crabbe, bowling,
as he parted from the departing clerk rs
he cid to the carriage customers at the
very store door. ri have always felt a
superiority in you over the other yonng
men. l said to my daughter, Belinda,
the other day: 1T it were not for giving
offense to others ] should ask Mr.. Tim
othy Bloom to our little evenings. Some
thing of the prince in disguise about
him; but an employer has his duties.
but he must perform them"
Mr.. Bloom rem embered the placard