Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-05-15
This affable, well-fed. and oomf6lsapi3

This affable. well-fed, and ooinfoftApi3 clad person was Robert Gusset, of the firm of Gusset < Fell, manufactures of ladies' garments. The firm prided It. self on the fact that it's members were sewing-machine philanthropists-that is to say, they were anxious to have every woman in Grimsby learn the art of sewing by machinery, with the ulti mate object of becoming self-supporting The proximate object was to do six months or years work for Gusset & Fell free of compensation.
 Robert Gusset was standing in the out CT office of the factory of Gusset & Fell, on the cold, frosty morning, of which ! write. He had been there for some time. The work-girls rushed by to their rooms on time, for they knew the penalty of being few minutes late.
 All the other hands had gone in, and the office was still when Edith Edwards came. Her hair was slightly tumbled, and her cheeks were as red as scarlet when she entered the place, and her col. or deepened as she heard the cool, de. iberate voice of Mr. Gusset saying Half an hour late, Edith"
 She knew this was false, and that she was only fifteen minutes behind, but she said nothing, and hurried through the office on her way to work. Her si lence piqued MT. Gusset. She was an exceedingly pretty girl, and even if she did work at the sewing-machine and carry a lunch-basket, he liked to have her large, dark, eloquent eyes meet hii in friendly recognition, and hear her voice speak his name ID musical tones
 But Edith Edwards bowed trifle coolly although MT. Gusset would gladly de- tain her for few minutes talk.
 "Confound the girls pride," he mutt tered, when she was gone. "I don't see why poor people want to be proud. There's not another girl in the factory that does not show her pleasure at hay. ing me talk to her. But this Edith treats me with the cool disdain of 8 duchess"
 Robert Gusset was a bachelor. He paced leisurely across the floor of his office, and, quite accidentally, of course, found himself ris-G-ris with his reflection in large mirror. There was nothing striking or romantic about his shadow in the glass. His keen eye noticed that it was the reflection of figure so short and thick-set as to be best described by the term dumpy. His growing badness gave him some anxiety, and it seemed to him as if the wide white spot above his forehead grew wider day after day He regretted to think that the day was not far distant when he would look his | best with his hat on. He stroked his jet black moustache with his left hand, on which the large ring showed to advan | tage and thought that women must have | fallen in love with worse looking men be | fore his time. Why couldn't Edith Ed wards see that he liked her? He would admit to himself that he did really nke the girl, and it was quite possible that hs | loved her. What would she think of thi did she but know it Surely she ough to be delighted to think that her maiden | ly charms had found favor in the sigh of her wealthy employer, MT. Rober .Gusset, the senior partner ill the firm O. Gusset $ Fell.
 "n should marry her," he soliloquized Git will create no little scandal among my wealthy friends, who will be shocked of course, at the thought of my wed ding working-girl; but confound it all she is so pretty and captivating tha she will outshine the best of them, ant it is not the first time in history that rich man married a poor girl"
 The idea of being refused by Edith nev CT entered MT. Gusset's mind. That sh treated him with the cold disdain of duchess during their scant business ill terviews, was, i'll his opinion due to tn fact that she regarded him merely as he employer, but he tiattered himself witt the notion that all this would be changed as soon as he presented himself to her il the role of q lover.
 Presently there was d footstep on tn office floor, and familiar voice said:
 Hello, Brother Gusset, did you hea anything about the racket down street
 It was Fell, MT. Dorrance Fell, tall thin, eager looking man, and Mir. Gusset' partner, who propounded the question .Ir. Gusset said he hadn't heard of th racket" and then Fell told him wit great elaborateness of detail how Edit Edwards was stopped on the street b Clarence Carson, who was knocke down and kicked for his pains by sta wart mechanic.
 MT. Gusset listened to the exciting ret ital with wonder. Fell had heard tn story from an eyewitness, he said, an of course it lost nothing by being relate secondhand.
 "The scoundrel!" said Gusset." Ho, dare he lay hands on her? If had bee there, would have thrashed him within an inch of his life" Mr. Gusset was yer , indignant. I've good notion to hur young Carson up now and punish him, :" h added, for laying hands upon defens less girl in that disgracefnl manner" ], "Oh, never fear," said Fell, "she had strong protector, according to all a. counts, in young Ned Newcomb, wh
 fairly wiped up the sidewalk with Ca
 son."
 I'm glad of it," MT Gusset'exclaimed, a
 though at that moment he was inclined
 dislike Newcomb quite as much as Carso, It is one of the peculiarities of love. ths
 it is sometimes quite as much disposed . resent kindness shown to the odject ,
 its affection as to repel harshness in tt