The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-06-18
Agnes? Yet now l heard them 70.

peated:
"Oh, Crotia fairest valentine!
Wilt thou accept this hand OF miner
A smaller gift my soul forbids;
But tens the number Of my kids"
I jerked away IN anger and surprise,
only to meet old Grufi's grim glance.
"If this thing goes on, MIR. Dixon, II
might be well for you and Mr.. Clarksor
to change desks y
I knew what that implied, and my
heart sank to my boots.
81 do not understand il myself" l re-
piled. 81 assure you, sir, that i am ex'
ceedingly annoyed. 1 will not answer il
again."
81 will myself, sir" he growled, and
l went back to my desk to upset my ink
bottle, to make mistakes in my accounts,
and torture myself with the conviction
that since no one but Agnes could have
sent the message, she was teazing me
without realizing the fatal consequences
TO our happiness. And all dhy Mr..
Gruilland wonld answer that COMPOUNDED
telephone. That some OF the messages
were meant for me ! could tell, and that
they must be utter nonsense ] could
conjecture from his occasional com.
ments " by iimminy johnson / is re-
markable expression for a young lady,
Mr.. Dixon"
1t wonld be too long to tell the story
Of these 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 MS if tho bell of the telephone
was ringing the knell Of all my bright
hopes. Agnes assured me of her inno-
cence, and Miss Peyton was ready with
explanations; they had been shopping,
or calling, or practicing duets. But |
could zee that GOODNESS had come be
tween Agnes and me. She feared that |
doubted her, and What could think
Again and again the messages referred
to what had said TO her when quite
alone. Could she have repeated my
condolences ?
At the Office preparations for the new
business were being hurried on, and not
one word had been said to me Of promo
ton. 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 wretched even
ing, but left, determined to make n
desperate effort to clear the mystery.
Agnes had told me that they were all to
be out the next dav, so / begged off at
the Office, reached the house Mt ten, and
persuading the servant that ] wanted to
rest, and would let myself ont when
was ready, managed to conceal myself
in closet III the hall. where | waited
four mortal hours. At last I was re-
warded. A light step came through the
hall, chair was drawn to the telephone,
and clear voice, wonderfully like Ag.
ncs, called:
"Please connect with Gruflland &
Cor
Waiting only long enough to let him
actually begin conversation in his usual
'5qnus poAIosop-HeM s!V IoJ 95uoAoI SUI
suA sui ldm! 9HlV oqL 'I'UTduH
nv p5VsluolsU 0V1 10 III, oID uolu xou
5mpunosoI p5Moisdq mu orl SCI llLd
-lno oVl fu!VoiUJ puu quo p5VsuI ''Itr
/ have no doubt he had heard every word
of my conversation with Agnes.
OF course the Peytons were distressed
and apoogetic, and Agnes was per-
shaded not to hurry away, and old Cruz
r"lcutod and got the promotion in due
time, but / never could endure the sight
of that cherubic boy. ] verify believe
that the box bestowed upon him was
his only punishment. and | rejoice 10
think that it was such singer
If this story has moral, it is short
one. The more innocent and guileless n
boy looks, the less il he to be trusted -
The ointment.