The Mineral argus., 1885-06-25
BISMARCK.

lucky yOuuyster when | secured the
position of assistant operator IN the
little telegraph office ut Ellico.t. but
soon found out that Old Samp. as the
boys called him, never would be in
vIted to Join the angel band il he did
not sandpaper oil the ragged edges of
his uneven temper.
Jacob sampson. properly was my
employer. and il did not get drilled
N that office. But there was one ray
II liyht-One oasis in the desert of nv
life IN that wretched little prison. and
that was-Bismarck.
Bismarck was the prctties.. sweet
est little gem Of Il German girl thar
ever breathed. That is her parents
were Germans, who. having been dis
appointed in a son. had named their
only daughter after the great Count
Won Bismarck.
Bismarck had never been outside Of
the State, and nothing but the sweet.
est little accent in the world would
have told you that her parents were
not simon pure Americans.
Her place in our office was that of
cOpyist and pupil; she had been well
educated. and was now learning tele-
grxphy Of Old Samp, who treated us
both with all the arrogance of low.
bred man.
But for all the vigilance of his little
nOle-like eyes. found opportunity to
say many sweet word to pretty little
Bismarck, and had often noted the
tenderness in her big blue eyes, and
the flush on her cheek grew to rival
the damask rose when l had uttered
some daring word of love. Daring,
because | never could get a word OF
reply from darling Bismarck upon the
subject.
Oh! l was happy. In spite Of pov.
erty or Old Samp, l knew that Bis.
marck loved me. and never despaired
Of making her own it until the day
when my budding idiocy blOomed into
the perfect flower.
Mrs. Warner was one of the worst
female cranks that ever bothered the
human race. She was completely
gone ON kilograms. Unfortunately she
had plenty of money and was cOntinu-
ally sending the most trivial messages
to her distant friends. and then blam-
ing us because they did not answer
her.
One day when Old Samp was at din
ner she bothered me nearly out of my
wits, and entirely broke up my little
tete-a-tete with Bismarck.
''Mrs. Warner" said l, worn out.
III you had received telegram
should have sent it to YOU"
''Yesp" returned she questioningly.
at is very strange at least. Mary
Jane would let me know il Robbie had
got over the measles, know"
perhaps she thought letter would
TO-"
mo. she knows that | would want
must be some mistake. | will wait
until MIR. Sampson comes in"
And she did. stole II glance at
Bismarck but she seemed utterly un-
concerned while the resOlute Mrs.
Warner piled me with all sorts Of sus-
piciOus questions. At length l
locked myself into the private office
and let Bismarck carry on the cOnver-
satiOn.
When Sampson came in he answered
her SO grufiiy that she soon with
drew and then he TUNED upon me
shortly:
why didn't you send that woman
about her business. Haven't you got
a tongue in your head?'
''She didn't think that was worth
noticing, replied |. meekly.
This sort of thing lasted for a week.
She always came in about dinner time,
she always waited for Sampson, and
he invariably let out His spleen upon
me.
grew to dread her; but one
day when both Bismarck and Samp-
son were at dinner. there came a
change.
Mrs. Warmers errand boy came in
her stead.
Mrs. Warner wants to know il YOU
have heard from Mary James
baby ."
mo" replied | cur,ly. There has
no message come.
Are you sure?'
.'Of course AM. Trot back to Mrs.
Warner and tell her now
well don't know" remarked
he Mrs. Warner thinks you don't
know as much as you might. Won't
you please write down what YOU
saidp'
'.Yes will," cried I. in desperation.
hastily caught up form and finding
that Bismarck had been scrib
bling some German sentences upor
il, I was about to throw it dOwr
axain. when thought struck me
A.rs. Warner never could read that
dashed il into and envelope sayIns
hastily:
Take her this and then try an,
keep away from here"