The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-24

Nevertheless, at one and twenty was neither
so vain nor foolish as 10 set down old ApSiey
favor to me to my own merits. He had taken
lie INTO his employment 10 ob!lee DIS ola illeDu,
very likely 10y No means Willingly, ana lie was no
d Quit aeTeeabiy surprised to mud me useful to
him. Business IS business" aud as general
Iule tas | have since found myself il is better
not to lei sentimental considerations lnteife re
with 1t If you can help (which, however Is
. reTty ar.e If. Al all events our senior partner
was as evil 10 Ills young clerk as was cQmratl-
bic With the II. n gulf between Us, and BIS care
fitness 10 give 30 jealousy to others. lie even
knew where ! ludged-ltself an immense stfetcn
OF Interest IN any member OF The firm as regarded
their subOgduaIeS-and bad been 30 good - TO IN
Quire on one occasion whether was cOmiOrta-
bly, located. Such aftability won my heart. aud
unless had been offered considerable rise or
salary l would not have left his employment 10
serve anybody.
head of our finn. How well DO remember that,
upon first sight OF her, the question came 10 me
so suddenly ami clearly that IL seemed as though
some person had spoken II audby:
'Shall you ever marry her?'
And l am sure that my lips moved with the
reply. though it may have been VoIeeless:
"Of course not"
Still, l fell In love with her on the instant
That was nor strange, seeing that l was an i'm
prrsSiouable young fellow, ana she was as dainty
and lovely blonde maiden of g as ever lived
AS TO the wild surDse, whether should ever
wed her. that was doubtless melted by the
legendary accounts Of the Door young clerks VINO
60 TO affairs with Lord Mayors daughters, and
al once pronounced IL a fOOPs phantasy. Yes;
considered Tile matter sedately, and my verdict
against myself was one OF conviction as Sentt-
mental fool
This conclusion was reached at the end of the
quarter of an hour, during which Miss Apsey
was in the Office chatting with her father and
AIr. Jones, the junior and managing member OF
the firm, while | was on duty al my desk IN an
adjoining room. | could not understand more
man an occaS fOnaI word, and the subject OF
their discourse seemed trivial enOughi but L
could see that the girl though familiar aud afec-
Tomato toward her father, In many llttte bits or
II " qs "a a r.
My work was neglected, as L Slyly eyed the
pretty creature through the open doorway, until
a sudden turn OF her head enabled her To catch
NE at it. she betrayed only by a momentary
blush that she was aware Of me; and then L,
feeling grossly impertinenf, MADE pretense OF
an GRAND by SEEING bunch OF papers and rush
ing out into the warehouse.
My first recourse was to Spriggins, clerk near
10 me 10 Office duties, and almost my neXt-door
neighbour in lodgings. or course dld not dis
close TO him my very wild and hopeless adInfra-
lion Of our chief employers daughter. Instead,
/ approached her through the person OF MI.
Jones, as TO whom ques Toned SpTiggins.
is he a bachelor 1 asked
"A widower. l believe" was the reply "but
nobody in this establishment appears TO know
much about him."
as he a sutton for the hand OF Miss Apsley?"
How on earth should know?
"But there might be rumors and surmlses, you
..Nrver heard one"
But don't you detect in his manner toward
her, when they meet in the office, that he is in
love with heT-and-and she with him?"
Never noticed anything, one way or another.
But-say-'
Then lie stopped. gazed hard into my face and
laughed aloud.
BLESSED if l don't believe you're spOoney on
Miss Apsley first sight OF herr he went on, land
are Jealous OF Mr.. Jones'"
This fellow had raised his voice IN this ebulli-
ton OF ralllery, and, looking beyond him, saw,
TO my horror and dismay, that Miss Apsley her
self had heard every word. She had come into
the passage where we stood on her way out.
YOU'RE fool, Ackers," Sprigglns added.
You're 4 fool %
Then Miss Apsey passed Us without glance,
but with an expression on her face which told
more plainly than the most scOTDful speech could
have done that she quite agreed with my friend
In ascribinr fOoIisnness To me