Telegram-herald., 1889-10-11
THE CLERKS ROMANCE.
A Story with the Most Delightful
Ending Imaginable

reveled IN dream q paradise. /
thought sweet thoughts and cherished ex-
I quisite hopes. Not the young Prince Of the
Arabian Nights was 50 STEPPED 10 the
! lips IN bliss. / could have vowed that the
doors Of Araby were il the ar, aud that
heard angelic music.
Yet my surroundings were, 10 say the
least, prOsaic. / sat a. = desk IN an once IN
that domain OF le2ther-dealeFs which New
Workers have christened the Swamp-at al
times place Of any thing but dainty per-
fames-and this was midsummer at It's hot
test, and IN a neighO0rlng alley oi'conso-
la,s old organlst was drOning forth the tune
ycleped John Browns Body" TO 4 group
OF dirty, barefoot children.
II had looked about ne / would have
seen the closely shaver, mouse-colored
heads Of three Young fellow-clerks and the
polished bald pates OF two old ones, who
were scratching away for dear life. was
the only one who was negiectlng his WORK,
but was thinking Of her-of the lovehesL
divinest, most adorable she Ny body was
I in the Swamp, but my soul was IN villa on
the Hudson, where she dwelt and thought,
no doubt, OF me, and whence she had sent
me q little pink, perfumed billet.
Mr.. Prince, Mr.. Vondervitch would like
70 nave YOU step into tue OIlce-
With these words a voice interrupted my
blissful reverie-that Of Dibbs, the mes
senger.
AT once" / replied.
Isprung to my feet, touched myself up
with pocket-coEb a. the little mirror in
my desk, and fastened 10 obey the sum-
mons.
Mr. Vondervitch was by birth Russian.
IL ~ oli crapf Wit
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS light blue eyes and an
immense head OF hair, which looked like
what is called by those upon the stage a
fright wig" His mustache rIvaled his
wig, and his mouth looked like that Of the
wolf who ate Red Riding Hood.
On the present occasion ne was actually
alarming He sat at q desk making cigar
cites, which he smoked as fast as he made
them, and during all his conversation he
continued tins occupation
He began thus:
$50. Mr.. Prince, am glad 70 see you. l
have been very anxious to do so oil day"
Thank you very much, sir, said j.
''You can spare your acknowledgements"
he replied. ''Itis as curiosity that take
pleasure in looking ct you. wanted 10 gaze
upon the audacious, impertinent, presuming
and absurd clerk at fifteen dollars a week
who has dared TO address those TO my
daughter"
AS he spoke he threw toward me a
packet OF letters, which stopped as they
few by me in a manner which would have
won me honors on baseball field.
They were my own, addressed to Miss
Theodore Vondervitch. l knew them ct a
glance.
any second wife found them in Theo-
dora's chifonier this morning." said Mr..
vondervitch. "and placed them in my
hands How did you dare write them"
Imurmured words to the effect that Theo-
dora's fascinating personality was my ex-
cuse.
"She is so lovely" Explained. ''that to
know her is 10 adore her"
But you don't know her." said Mr.. Won
dervitch.
"Oh, beg pardon, sir; we were intro
duced AZ a little party" said l.
introduced or not, you don't know her"
Numbered Mr.. Vondervitch. zone Of my
clerks can not possibly know my daughter.
Why, the bare idea is preposterOus.'
could only look AZ him.
sIf we were in Russia I'd send You 10
Siberia for this indecorous aad-and trea-
sonable conduct" continued Mr.. Wonder
witch. asst is, dismiss you without any
recommendation from this firm. Cor
May | say one word. sir. ventured-
"You may not" replied Mr.. Vondervitch-
As he spoke the nostrils OF his mighty
nose distended, and he pulled forth through
them in one great volume the smoke OF all
the cigarettes ne had made and consumed
during the Interview. Where he had stored
til do not know, but it surrounded HIM and
blo.ted him from my sight as l bowed my
self oGt backward
Invent 70 my desk and took ny hat. The
three young shaver heads and the two old
bald ones lifted themselves rs l did so, and
FIVE astonished voices inquired:
whats the mattcrf"
laid not explain. but simply said Good
bye" and vanished from their sight, as
supposed. forever.
When / reached the room occupied in ny
boarding house I recognized the truth Of
the adags: "Misfortunes never como
single"
Ny pocket-boos containing a months
wages, which had been paid tic night be
fore. was gone. had either dropped 10 or
some pick pocket, noting my absorption
m thought. had relieved ne of j..
had not penny in the world my weeks
board was due, aud ] had 10 friends to ap'
ply to
Nv thoughts turned naturally 20 The Cea-
tral Park reservoir. but l had not tie car
fare. and lacked the energy TO take me
there
/ had had hopes Of Advancement at Won
dervitch Bros B.. that was over now. but
was young. and after dinner began 90 pom
der on some way * earning fame and fort
On. and presenting myself 70 Ibeodora's
father az an asplraut for the situation az
son-in-law whom bs could scarcely refuse.
A. al events. 30 seemed certain that could
soon fad a situation q some sort
Three months from that day this object
was not attained. / was desperate lad
sod ny watch, my dresscoat, my tall hat
and ny scarf PIN. and wss deeply la debt
besides TIE day before rad happened 20
meet a fellorvClerz-o q the bald 1ues-
And BE- tod ne THAI Theodore was engaged
e. a silver King Or an Oh z.nE7r pecuniary
king ~ some sort BY the name ~ bog9s,
Ard hsd resolved - shin Tor q SAILOR. dad
wandered shout The decks al ds7. saa a.
iast eu Isaed a. green hand ca the schooner
PLY " lftlcs and, prior 70 :, ~ on board,
passed me ght in a dismal .lttIe hofei near
she water edge, al advance hsyiHg been
made ms for that purpose ca ga um5rsAA
EElch could not possibly uss a. SEA
Tie room was q whlteVs ned place Ike
rel aud dsmsly dirty snd cold, bit I soon
discovered that there was a register ia the
corner, and opened IL Tie heat rushed in /,
80 did considerable ga Bait sat down be-
fore Sc with my elbows 90 ny snses and ny
cain "a ~ 2 Mains al ferf frfr nv -f- IA "a