Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-11-13
A MIDDLE-AGED ROMANCE.
Chicago Tribune.

know something Of Mr. George
Bailey, if not by name why then at
least by sight, particularly If
you have occasion TO pass frequently
through that part of Madison street
which lies between La Sale street
and the bridge. You need not be re-
minded, then, Of tho relation that
handsome George" as he is known
in boot and shoe circles, holds to the
street at large, and you can recall,
without any help from me, his gen
eral appearance and personality; how
he sits or lounges behind particular
ly large and clear pane OF plate glass,
near certain corner, where 1t Is an
easy matter to see and an easier one
to be seen, with a vague and indefinite
array of black-lettered cases for a
background, and a little crowd of
nervous or appreclatlve felloW-sales-
men as fOils and uppOrts-youths
who can put proper value upon the
set of his vest (of course he is In his
shirt sleeves, to the tilt Of his straw
hat (of course he isn't bareheaded),
the disposal of his feet (of course they
are not upon the foor), and the gen
eral air of self-sufhciency, experience,
and felicity that shows IN his sharp,
good-natured blue eyes, his hand
some, chestnut mustache, and his
whole prosperous and well-kept being,
and sets as q sort of crown or halo
upon his twent eight years. Twenty
eight years? you ask; and pray do you
call twenty eight "middle-aged?" Not
at all. Then this progressing
young man is not the hero of your ro-
nance, after all? Not in the least; he
is only going to serve to start us On
our way to have the First say"
It is on a certain Saturday afternoon
in August, when an air of elegant
Aeisure more marked than usual seems
to pervade the establishment of Box
toe & Instep, when the attitudes of
the group behind the great French
glass window are rather more negll
gent and insOuciant than ordinarily,
and the cloud of cigar-smOke lowering
above is rather more dense and undls-
turbed than it will be when trade
''braces up" But for the first time in
the history of his connection with
the house" Mr.. George Bailey fails
to altogether harmonic with his set
ting; there is a spark Of irritation IN
MS clever blue eye and note OF I'M
patience in the tattoo which his neat
boot beats upon the ill-kept floor.
Something has occurred to annoy
him, and he is on the point OF letting
himself out" about it.
"That settles the business" he re-
marks. iii go at the end Of the
month. / can get along with Instep's
airs. and I can drudge on like dray-
horse on kalf-pay, and there's one 'or
TWO other things [ don't like but can
stand. However, there's one thing |
can't stand, and that's this. | don't
see how all you fellows can, either;
you've had one girl-tipe here already,
and YOU ought to remember what
they're like. No sitting around COM
fortably in your shirt-sleeves; no say
ing anything that begins with a ID
without pair of startled blue eyes
turned your way with a how-can-you-
be-so-dreadful look in them; no calling
Mamie, or JOSIE or whatever it is
without that shocked, grieved, why
are-you-so-shamefully familiar glance
that breaks fellow all up; no any
thing except plenty Of chains, and
rings, and geraniums, AMI kittens
with pink ribbons in their ears, and a
young thing in montagues saying to
to Tommy there, L know I'm real lg-
norant and inexperienced, and want
you to be nice and patient with me
and show me everything [ ought to
y A md fTnVHoJ,o "
bIushing to the roots of his hair, and
passing out quarters for halves, or
halves for quarters, and the dickens
to pay generally. That thing in the
corner there, is it the machine she S
going to perform on2" And Mr..
George Bailey shook himself together
with a groan of disgust, while every
body around laughed mildly or vo-
ciferously, as his temperament dictat-
ed or as his recollection Of the fast
young lady help prompted.
That's the machine, answered the
cashier, from his window just above
their head, 'and the machinist her
self is going to be around Monday
morning, [ understand. It'll be time
enough to fly from your firm base
Gn6n; DeGIeF WalI duu Sec Wuc6 SuO 10
like. You don't want 10 be down on
all womankind solely on account OF
poor Susie Simpson. And [ should
say you ought 10 be the last man here
to be down 9n Susie herself, anyway.
Who was it said she didn't object to
seeing a well-made man Ia his shirt
sleeves? Susie. Who said she didn't
mind so very much hearing a hand
some fellow swear just a little now
and 2Susie. Who was always snip.
ping away at her geraniums and
things to make button-ho bouquets
for handsome Georgeg Susie. And
who, if my memory serves me, once
said if she should"
The cashiers voice, becoming every
moment higher and more empathic
RaS here drowned In a roar of appre