Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-11-13

ciative laughter, but it emerged from
the hubbub with the remark which
betrayed the animus of his entire
speech: ''And I don't want any fell
low to hint that my balance was over
cent on account of Susie Simpson or
any other GIRL" "Girl!" with a most
scornful and contemptuous emphasis.
Eyes. we're death on girls here, and
don't you forget it." chimed in grin
mig youpgster just emerging from
''the stock"
well be death On this one," said
Mr.. Bailey, majestically adopting the
juvenile formula. "In one week we'll
be calling her by her first name; in
two we'll be taking her to the Dime
Museum or some other inexpensive
place of amusement; ia three we'll
collectively present her With a parrot
say, in a gilt cage; and in four Old
John will come down like thousand
of brick, and Miss jennie, or Lulie,
or whatever her name is, will be po-
litely, informed that her services are
no longer indispensable to the pros
perity of the house. / have worked
this racket before" he went on with
a portentous frown in the direction of
the cashiers window; "but my mo-
lives don't seem to have been under
stood as clearly as they might have
been. Come, Tommy, old man, brace
up there; I want to bet you a five that
I'll be calling this girl by her Chris
tan name before she's been here three
days. What do you say to that?"
81 bet you will, too" chuckled
Tommy from his post. ''I'll take you
up though, and if I lose, I'll strike
the boys for a general subscription.
Well settle on Wednesday at 6
p. ~.
What other rash and reckless
wagers might have been laid then and
there, had not something occurred to
prevent, [ rnay we'll be excused from
relating. But nobody joked when
the senior partner was around, and it
was Mr.. John Boxtoe just entering
with his sun umbrella and his palm
leaf fan who immediately cooled the
mounting ardor of the staff. "Old
john" as they Familiarity called him
behind his back, never could be
brought to approve of jokes between
eight ia the morning and SIX IN the
afternoon. Those were the hours OF
business. But in truth business with
old John had all hours and seasons
for it's own. He was business all
through. He had never found time
for amusement; He had never Ito Mr..
Instep's regreD found time to cult
vate society; he had never found time
to marry, and when interrogated on
this point frankly acknowledged that
he never expected to find time to mar
ry. He had never seen much OF
women, never cared very much about
them in his calculations. But after
fifty years-or forty-nine; that don't
seem quiet so antiouated-of absence
the femme element was about to 90
trude itself apon Old Johns life. He,
in short, it is who acts as hero. if hero
there be in this simple middle-aged
romance.
The following Monday morning
Bailey and his friend the cashier hap
pened, by a coincidence that seldom
repeated itself, to cross Boxtoe &
Instep's threshold together. A mo-
ment later Bailey had opened his
pocket book, placed crisp, fresh Y
In the others hand, and said in a
voice whose every accent expressed
the resignation which sometimes fol-
lows utter defeat:-"Here take it,
Tommy; We won't wait till Wednes-
day."
Just inside the door of old Johns
office sat a woman of about 33 or 35.
Beside her stood typewriter opened
for work, in her lap lay note book,
and her hands were just putting the
finishing touches on three or four
pencil-points. She was attired neatly
and trinity in simple gray, with plain
white linen at her throat and wrists.
Not a curl, or frill, Or furbelow. And
as our two young men entered she
lifted a pair of calm gray eyes and
said, in a serene and matter fact
tone: "Good morning"
eve won't wait till Wednesday, !"
repeated handsome George in an
awed whisper, while fendish
chuckle came from the boy, whose
head was popped up over a case of
Congress CATERS not lar away.
The lady's name turned to be Kat
herine. She was introduced, however,
as Miss Grant, who had undertaken to
shorthand and typewrite the firms
correspondence; and Miss Grant she
was called, and nothing else, until
Upon the arrival of old John she
began work on the morning mail.
She took down" from dictation be-
tween and IL, and an hour of click
ings followed before she rose to go out
to lunch During her brief absence
one or two venturesome spirits took
it upon themselves to investigate the
progress of her work Why not? they
said it's firm matter, amt it? OF
course; and SO they turned over with
some awe the twenty odd pages of
algebraical, pyrotechnical, and cabal-
istic scratchings which her note book
contained, and tried to trace some
correspondence between the first let
ter in the book and the letter at the