Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1884-09-18

Mr.. Bronson Oh. YES. YOU will fnl
h.m IN hs private office, up three flights
'nin 10 the right, No. g."
" Thanks. and the compactly built. .tal.
"ar' man IN brown linen ulster. thread
gloves. and panama hat, ran. satchel and
Umbrella in hand. up the three flights o,
4!ack. dusty stairs, UP, up through the
gloomy halls of the great business house,
turned 10 the righ, down a narrow space
lined with Offices. with open door. To get
the circulation from the stairwavs. and
paused at NO. g." A slight. graceful. pale
faced little woman glanced up from pile Of
letters
"Mr. Bronson' Oh. YES. sir. Walk in.
please, Mr.. Bronson, gentleman"
Just COMMON place, everv-da, meeting
between two large hearted men who had
maintained business relations for wears, en-.
tertainlng the highest regard for each other
meanwhile, without having once met face to
face.
Mr.. Sturtevant' Is it possible | am
glad TO see YOU, sir" And the two men sal,
down and fell into a chat, which settled the
Western man in his half formed opinion
that your genuine, substantial, ou, -and-out
America; and made the city man say to
himself, what hearty franknes, YOUR real
Western man brings into everything. Moth
~; d~arfed or contracted about him His
heart and his oplplqps are ,,re sisuof and
lonp-,ime customer arose. "Don't know?
Allow me TO suggest that YOU 20 to the II.
Niehola. with me, then. I'm there for
li,l-, ~hIle my folks are out Of town and
the house is being brushed out. will 90
with YOU. was lust going, in fact. Miss
Clark. will leave this last sccoun, for YOU
TO balance Oh. want YOU to see Miss
ClaIk-This is Mr. Sturieyant from Chlea-
60"
.Iour name and your handwriting are
entirely familiar. Mr.. Stur,evant." said the
pale faced Young woman, with whom the
visitor had first spoken leaving the desk by
which she was standing and coming for
ward toward the inner Office, which was
formed BY heavy je, green curtains, looped
back across Widowed niche, making a
pleasing delusion of sec!usion and Of shade.
We learn to feel acquainted with people
from their handwriting" remarked Mr..
Bronson pleasantly as lie drew on his gloves.
.On that principle, YOU two must know
each other quite well by this time
And YOU are Per CO." queried Mr..
Sturtevant, looking critically down into the
Young womar's delicate, finely-cut face.
Nov have a habit Of conjurng people up
/ from their handwriting, and the Per c.
J have kept in mind all this time was meth
odical, cleai-headed. old gray beard whom
all the sharpers in Gotham couldn't &c,
around, and find the real Per c. TO be but
mer. thistle down or frost flower Well
well
"lou were not SO very far astray in youi
character estimate. however" smiled MIR
Bronson, tipping his light ha, down over
his dushy eyebrows.
"'Per c. is the most efficient helper thai
a perplexed merchant was ever blessed with
The firm would have been bankrupt had il
not been for her. Fact. sir. At ms father,
death things we're IN a bad shape. The hest
book-keeper, who was also partner, ha6
been making false entries, and the account
were in a most inextricable tangle. The,
oaified me, and | employed an expert Il
,,raighten them, but he gave them up il
despair. Miss Clark, who was then in TN
lower Office, volunteered her assistance
She went through them all at odd hours
and brought everything out straight. Il
prevent exposure the partner refunded wha
he had embezzled. bought in all tn
stock, and kept on with the business"
Mr.. Sturteyant gazed at the quiet littl
woman with more admiration than if he ha'
Just heard that she had painted picture
written book, or awakened slumberin
goddess from block of marble.
Il, was not much to do" she said in dep
recstory tones. Il had had experienc
with my fathers books-only unhappily-
and the partner had not the embezzle
funds in reserve, and the house went down.
"Good afternoon, Miss Clark" and tn
two handsome, healthy gentlemen started
full of life and spirits, to run down stairs.
Mr. Bronson returned almost immediate
ly to say: "Never mind those last bills
shall be in early in the morning." and 6nt
ing the little gray dressed woman sitting
his desk in the shadow Of the deep gree
curtains in q detected attitude, looking ,
liked a crushed, wi,ted flower that he cou
but wonder what had so quickly change
the bright, pleasant face that had ju
smiled back at him from the doorway.
This hot wave is something fearful
said Mr.. Sturtevant, as his companion r
gained his side. 81 don't see how you CT
stand II mere week after week.
,, "Oh, run up the Hudson. where n
mother and sisters are, whenever the viii
seizes me, knowing the books will net 8
: behindhand in my absence"
!. $50 you are not q married man? p
,e mo. have never had time or inclin
It. ton to think of matrimony; and am We
Is well of in nv present home"
:" "Yet it is all wrong" replied the Weste
a man, in fa,herly way he was apt to fall
re- r. to toward any une to whom he took fant
Is "a man Of your age ought to be settled
or home of his own. The mother will 70
ID heaven some day, and the sisters will IA
m unto themselves husbands. and then. !
~ ~ man, you will be left adrift."
<, Mr.. Sturtevant Fitted in and out of a
se 6, Sd aoor." every day for a week, assid
ously cultivating the acquaintance Of
d Bronson and "Per c." as he persisted
calling the fragile little accountant, in
!. intervals Of business, Of sight seeing a
\ writing to his wife-,his last being his &