The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-10-24

''Oh, nothing. sir, nothing OF conse.
quence. | was only biting, and l al,
| most bit my tongue in two"
you did not refer to your employer
and speak of him as that fellow
hope"
MIR Billings, whenever he took cold
was bit deaf. and the raw wind which
had been blowing the past twcnty-four
hours had given chill and seemed to
| have also blown some cotton wool into
his ears, and he did not distinctly catch
his clerk 5 remark.
You were the last person in my
mind, Mr. Billings, and what | did say,
or rather intended TO say, Just bit into
it, as somebody advised me; but | put
ms teeth in the wrong place and took q
piece out OF my tongue"
The employer could appreciate a
Joke, and he laughed with his clerk.
That isn't a bad idea, to bite your
words off sometimes and not say them.
DO YOU make that practice?n
"Well, l have tried to do it, A friend
advised me-
"Humph!'
That Yas Mr.. Billings only answer.
Two day later, when the clerks in
Johnny's department all felt that their
employer was behind each one of them,
inspecting their acts, word came to
Johnny that Mr.. Billings was actually
in his counting-room and would like to
see him.
"Mep"
Yes, yes" replied the messenger.
"He said Earle. -
Johnny stepped down into the coun-
tino-room,~
did you wish to see me, Mr.. Bill
ings?"
Eyes, did. There is a department
in the store where the pay is better
than in yours and where the young
man filling it must know how to bite
off his words He must keep cool and
good-tempered. The fact is, [ want
such clerks all over the store, but par
ticularly in the place mention"
Where is it?"
1t is near me, in my counting
room. | am apt to bite the wrong
way, and | want somebody who won c
bite back. | can give you good pay
and help you to something still better
by and by, may be. "
lndced
This time, Johnny did not have any
words to bite off even if he wished it
He could only say: Why-y-y"
There" said his employer, laugh
ing, q guess you have begun already
and bitten off what you had to say.
Well, it is all right. We will consider
it bargain"
Johnny was leaving the counting
room, when Mr.. Billings said: II like
to have my wife see the clerks | keep
nearest ME, and won't you call round
az my house, We should be happy to
see you"
OF course, Johnny went.
Mrs. Billings, let me introduce to
you my clerk, Master John Earle"
The lady and the cla.k looked at one
another, and the fair lace of the lady
seemed to be ouly a mirror in which he
saw Uncle Solomon's barn, the dusty
rafters overhead and the big hay-mows.
These may seem to be strange things to
be discovered in Iady's face, but
Johnny saw them, and he heard a mu-
seal voice saying: "Bte it off, Johnny,
bite it of. -
why" said she, with music in her
laugh, I'VE have met before"
Yes" he replied, Sin Uncle Solo
mons barn, and you gave me some
good advice about-well, not saying
everything that came into one 5
mind -"
She wasn't the one that told you to
bite off some words?' asked Billings, in
amazement
1.-The same person."
Indeed! Well, | might have guessed
that. | have been wanting to tird a
clerk like her. The very same person
| might have guessed it. Stupid"-
ReC. 4. Il. Haad, IN Chicago AdUance.