Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
anyone bat Agnesl Yet now I

L
heard them repeated:
oh Cretia fairest valentine,
Wilt thou accept this hand OF mines
a smaller gift my soul torbids,
But TENS the number Of my kids
turned away III anger and surprise,
only to meet GruiFs glance.
IF this thing goes on Mr. Dickson,
it might be well for you and Mr..
Clarkson to change desksn'
| knew what that implied, and my
heart sank to my boots.
Il do not understand it myself |
replied. Il assure you, sir, that am
exceedingly annoyed. | viii not
answer it again
81 will, myself, sir, he growled,
aud l went back to my desk to upset
the ink bottle, to make mistakes in
my accounts and torture myself with
he conviction that since no one but
Agnes could have sent the message,
she was teasing me without realizing
the fatal consequences to our happl-
ness. And all day Mr. Grui1land
would answer that COMPOUNDED tele-
phone That some of the messages
were meant for me / could tell, and
that they must be utter nonsense
could conjecture from his occasional
comments BY Jimminy johnson ?
is a remarkable expression for a young
lady, Mr.. Dixon"
1t would be too long to tell the story
Of those days in detail. Sometimes
there would be respite, and then the
nonsense would begin again. 1t was
larks for Clarkson and the rest, but TO
me it seemed as If the bell of the tele-
phone was ringing the knell of all my
bright hopes. Agnes assured me Of
her innocence, and Miss Peyton was
ready with explanations; they had
been shopping, or calling, or practic-
ing duets But ! could see that a cool
ness had come between Agnes and J..
She feared that | doubted her, and L
what could | think? Again and again
the messages referred TO what | had
said to her when alone, Could she
have repeated my conddence9
AT the Office preparations for the
new business were being hurried on,
and not one word had been said to me
Of promotion. To crown all, Agnes
informed me one evening that she was
going TO shorten her visit; she had
heard of friends going directly to
Aiken, and thought it best TO secure
their escort. / passed a wretched
evening, but left, determined to make
a desperate effort to clear the mystery.
Agnes had told me that they were all
to be out tie next day, so | begged Off
at the Office, reached the house at 10,
and, persuadlng the servant that |
wanted to rest and would let myself
out when / was ready, | managed TO
conceal myself in closet in the hall
where | waited four mortal hours. At
last ! was rewarded. a light step
came through the hall. chair was
drawn to the telephone, and clear
voice wonderfully like Agnes called ;
please connect with Grutiiand q
Co. y
Waiting only long enough to let
him actually begin conversation in his
usual style, | rushed out, and, catch
ing the culprit by the arms, bestowed
a resounding box on the ear of the
astonished Mr.. Raphael, The little
impl This was revenge for his we'll
deserved snubs. | have no doubt lac
heard every word of my conversation
with Agnes.
OF course the Peytous were distress.
ed and apologize, and Agnes was
persuaded not to hurry away, and
old Gruff relented aud [ got the pro
motion in due time, but l never could
endure the sight of that cherubic boy.
/ verify believe the box that l bestow-
ed upon him was his only punishment,
and l rejoice to think that it was such
a stiager.
If this story has a moral it isa short
one. The more innocent and guile
less a boy looks the less he is TO be
trusted