The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-11-15
MR. RICHMOND BATrcMLY.
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER I.
 Mir. Richmond Battomly sat by the stove in his dry goods store. The evening vas in- tensely cold and the thin covering of snow, shifting under the skurrying winds, looked like a duttering shroud. The stove sang merrily. Mir Richmond Battomly showed the damper with his toe and the stove sang deep bass. Battomly was not a handsome man. This, though, is not strange, for the majority of men fail to reach that standard of good looks estab- hshed in the days when form was more admired than mind. The truth is, Battomly was a very homely man homely used in the sense to which it has been perverted by careless writers. Our friend had often declared that he could never love any one. This may have been true. for at tho age of forty-hve he was still single; or. wAo knows but tha, his single selhshness was quite as much the fault of women whom he necessarily had to consult.
 Well" unused MT. Battomly, "be- heve I'll 90 and get a few oysters, then wear myself out until bedtime. If busi- ness don't improve very soon, we'll all have to shut up shop. Hello, some body at the door. Come in"
 A woman-a tall, rather awkward wo- man entered. As she advanced, Battomly could see that her face was not unplea- sant and that witha' aer appearance was intelligent.
 Good evening" said Bauomly aris- ing and treading on the cat
 "How awkward you men are," said the visitor. A woman never tramps on a cat, but men are constantly crushing the poor things under foot"
 Battomly looked at her in astonish- ment. Be seated, please, said he, 6 or rather, what can do for you? Any thing in my line that you desires"
 Il came to ask if you wan, a clerk. have had but little experience in this line, but with the tact with which our sex has ever been accredited, can soon pick it up. can make myself useful, sir"
 "l don't doubt that, miss, or madam"
 Miss, # you please. Jennie Luman is my name"
 "Yes, yes, we'll, CT Miss Lumaa, don't doubt your capacity, you know, and would willingly employ you, don't you understand, but don, you know times are 70 terribly hard. why, l haven't sold fifteen dollars worth to-day. don't know how long this sort of thing is going to keep up, don't you understand?"
 1t might not keep up so long if you had me to assist you. know that i, must seem strange for me to come in the evening, alone, too, but" here she buried her face in her handkerchief.
 "Why, my dear miss, you ought no, to cry, don't you understand. Doatyou know that times will soon be better. or course. There, now, don't cry.n
 "i am compelled to have work"
 "Yes, yes. 1 understand. Times will soon improve"
 T am willing to work awhile merely for my board!'
 Eh, your board. understand. Have you selected boarding-house 2''
 "Yes, sir"
 "Well, just come round to-morrow morning and go to work. It's not that I need you, but that I want to help you along, dont you understand. Good night There" as she arose, ~you uamped on the cat. Never mind apolo- gies. You are not the 6rst woman vho has sst Soot on the companion of spinsser Gfe. dont you know ?"
 Mir. Battomly, aher seating himself by the stove, when the woman had goee, began to muse. "She is certainly very strange creature Work for her board. Couldn't ask her to wosk any cheaper do seed somebody, that's fact. am getting little too old to jump up every dme yahoo comes in to buy . spool of thread. II she gives satisfaction, l'n raiss her salary or get her a better boarding house"
 CHAPTER II.
 Ais Luman gave almost perfect satis- tAcsioa- coad not have given more un- lso sAs had vorhsd fpr soshing and paid hw ewn board. Shs sooe maAe fienas q SaiAs . snubx q psspas, snd Bas-