The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-10-23

which he felt "as an odor within the
sense. The check was written in q
thin feminine handwriting, and was
signed Henrietta Brown The
name and hand writing were III Dump
TVS disturbed mind pregnant with
occultsignificances. Hishand paused
amid, the, entries and his brain filed
with q revelation of some dim shad-
oWy form, gracile and understanding
asthespring, young leaves and grass
about her. Was it shadow OF wan
dering cloud; enlanation ofredolent
earth, or woman herself? Dumpty
could not say, though he pondered
long, striving to pierce the depths of
that universe which separated him
from his idea. Dumpty's absent
mindedness that afternoon was no.
ticed, and occasioned some comment
at the bank.
For the first time in his lie he was
glad when the office hours were over.
He wanted to be alone with his
thoughts, and he felt the imperious
need OF complete abandonment to
the new influence which had so sud
denly and unexpectedly entered his
life. Henrietta Brown! Tho name
persisted in his mind like q Lalf-for-
gotten, half-remembered tune; and in
his efforts to realize her beauty he
stopped before the Photographic dis
plays in the shop windows; but none
OF the famous or Infamous celebri-
ties there helped him in the least. He
could only realize Henrietta Brown
by turning his thoughts from without
and seeking the intimate sense Of her
perfumed checks. For now the end
ofevery month brought fresh check
from Henrietta Brown, and for the
few moments itremained in his hands
Dumpty was annihilated in endless
beatitudes, profound a. they were
pitiful.
An idea had fixed itself irrepara BILE
in his mind-the one idea of his life.
He knew not if Henrietta Brown was
young or old, pretty or ugly, mar
ried or single; the perfume and the
name were sufficient, and could no
longer be disassociated from the idea
which was now forcing it's way
through the assures in the failing
brain Of this poor little bachelor
clerk-that desire OF light and love
and grace go inherent in man, but
which rigorous circumstances had
compelled Dumpty to Danish from his
life. Triumphant nature was assert
ing her sway in this last hour.
It was whispered in the bank that
Dumpty was rich. This was not
true. Dumpty had had a mother to
support for many years, and had
found it impossible TO economic.
Since her death he had laid by about
$50 pounds. He had looked on this
sum with reverence and awe, consid-
ering how much more he might have
saved before he was forced to leave
his employment; and to have touch
ed a penny OFT would have seemed
q sin verging on sacrilege. Yet now
he did not hesitate for single mo-
ment to send Henrietta Brown, whose
address he had been able to obtain
through the bank books, a diamond
brooch had cost 20 pounds. He had
deliberately omitted to say whence
it had come, and for days lived in
warm dream of wonderment, salts
fed in the thought that she was
wearing something that he had seen
and touched. And SO exceedingly
vivid had his ideal grown that he
now neglected, even to the point of
receiving censure, his duties at the
bank. The change in his condition
was SO obvious that it had become
the subject OF gossip, and jokes were
now beginning to verge into serious
conjecturing. Dumptv took no no.
tice. and amid Jokes and theories he
slowly matured his plans. The de-
sire to write and reveal himself to his
beloved had become imperative; and
after some slight cQgitation-for he
was moved more ~ instinct than
reason-he wrote a letter urging the
fatality of the circumstances that
separated them, and explaining
rather than excusing this reve-
lation of his identity. His let
ter was full Of Difference, but at the
same time it left no doubt az to the
nature OF his attachment and hopes.
The answer to this letter was q
polite note begging him not to per-
sist in this correspondence, and
warning him that if he did it would
become necessary to write to the
manager Of the bank. Nor did the
return ofhis brooch dissuade Dumpty
from the pursuit of his ideal; and as
time went by it became more and
more impossible for him to retain
from writing love-letters and sending
occasional presents of jewelry.
When the letters and jewelry we're
returned to him he put them
carelessly away in his pockets, buy
ing the firstsparkle OF diamonds that
caught his fancy. and forwarding
bracelet, ring or earring. with what
ever words Of rapturous alteration
that came to his mind One day he
was called into the managers room,
severely reprimanded, and eventual
" pardoned in consideration Of his
long and faithful services. Bnt the
reprimand ofhis employers proved
ONO avail; he continued to write to
Henrietta Brown, growing more and