Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-01-12
THE YOUNGEST CLERK.

as it a beggsr, Jane ?" said Mrs. Troop.
ooh, don't send the poor creature away
Give him glass of milk and bit Of cold
bcefr
"Please, ma'am," said Jane, "there
ain't so much rs a drop of milk left; and
you gave the last of the beef to old Gideon
Gallup. And besides, ma'am, | don {
think it is a tramp at all. It's quite re-
spectacle young man, in brown linen
dustcr, and carpet-bag."
CON- said Mrs. Troop. "a new board
er, eli ?"
"Wcll, ma AM, | amt quite sure, " said
Jane, discreetly. "Folks is so different"
"Jane," said Mrs. Troop, mysteriously,
81 see it all now. It's the youngest clerk
"Ma'am ?" said Jape, in bewildered
way.
"Oh, don't be so stupid!" cried Mrs.
Troop, who was one of those nervous New
England women who are perpetually in
stinct with electricity, and who saw and
comprehended things by flashes. "Call
Barbara; and make haste about it,"
Barbara came into the green gloom of
the little pantry, whose windows was
thickly shaded with morning-glory vines
"A tall, slim lassic, with solemn blue-gray
eyes, brown hair, and slow grace of
manner which she must have Inherited
from the birches OH the mountain side and
the reeds in the swamp, for other teachers
she had none.
''What is it, mother ?" she said. 81 was
emptying the feathers out of the old pill
low-ticks, and"
Barbara" said Mrs. Troop, "don't
bother about pillow ticks It's the young
est clcrk-he's waiting just over there in
the porch, with his bag. Can we accom-
modate him, do you Think"
"Mother," said Barbara, "what on earth
do you mean z"
"Why," cried Mrs. Troop, with little
impatient gesture, ''don't you remember
old Mr.. Fanshawe, the book-keeper in
Browne, Bronson & Brownies, telling US
about the youngest clerk there, who had
the weak lungs and the small salary? And
he said he'd recommend him here, for his
summer vacation; and he hoped we'd take
him cheap and do what we could for him."
"Oh!" said Barbara, arching her pretty
brow. eyes, it seems to me now that
do remember something about it. But,
mother, where can we put him? Every
room is full-even 20 the two eloping-roof-
cd chambers in the garrett"
"But a poor young man" said Mrs.
Troop, in distressed voice, "with hcred-
itary consumption and almost no salary!
Barbara, we never can turn him away :"
"No, Of course not" said Barbara re-
flecting. Mother, can manageit. Don't
fret any more. Tell him he may come"
"And high time, too" said Mrs. Troop,
nervously, "with him waiting there on
the porch, and wondering, no doubt, what
all this delay means"
She BUSTED out, with kindly hospitality
in her eyes. There in the purple twilight,
apparently listening to the song of the
whip-poor-wills on the mountsin side, sat
slender person, dressed in cool, brown
linen, with a valiso resting on the floor
beside him. How was Mrs. Troop to know
that he had heard every word of the brief
colloquy?
MADAM" he said, lifting the straw hat
from Iii, curly head, d"
"Oh, yes, yes"' said Mrs. Troop,
81 know all about it. Your name is
Browne-wi;h Browne, Bronson &
Browne. Mr.. Fanshawe told me all about
you. You are the youngest clerk there"
"Madam, II
at isn't necessary to explain" kindly
interrupted Mrs. Troop. we'll give you
a room and board for two dollars a week.
can't promise you the dainties they have
at the Chocoma House, but everything
shall be clean and wholesome. Mr.. Fan
Shave knew / would be interested in you,
because had lost son about your age"
"Indeed, Mrs. Troop, am very much
obliged to you, but"
"Here comes my daughter Barbara"
said Mrs. Troop, evidently desirous to aO-
breyiatc the newcomers thanks. "Bar-
bars, this is the youngest clerk. His
name, believe, is Browne"
Barbara let her soft, blue-gray eyes rest
upon his tired face for second, with the
most angelic sympathy.
"Is your cough very bad this summsr?"
she asked. sob, hope the mountains
will do you good! How long vacation
have you, two wceks?"
He smiled.
"You are very kind" he said. "The
firm will allow me to be gone as long as
like"
"And yoar salary will go OH just the
sanie:"