The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-07-17


For the last few days have been a
much injured and much enduring man.
Some persons when crushed beneath Il
mass of circumstantial evidence, read
lily accepted by the tribunal which in
more senses than one is sitting upon
them. take pride in knowing that they
are innocent. and virtute sua in
involuti, await the future acquittal
or free pardon, OF which they
feel certain, with tranquil minds,
actually in some cases finding en-
ployment in the sensation of mar
tyrdom. | am not one of them, for |
have not felt at any time sure of my
acquittai; and even now when it should
be practically secured. it is possible
that | shall not leave the dock alto
gether without a stain on my charac-
ter. Besides which. even innocence
may be a matter of regret to one who
has suffered for crime, or, let us say,
an act of indiscretion, without having
enjoyed the pleasure of committing it.
1t happened in this way. Some few
months ago | had an occasion to re-
quire in my business the services of
typewriter, and | made my wants
known. AS consequence | was Wis
tied by no fewer than forty-seven cam
didates in person, without counting
the hundred-odd who applied by letter.
OF the forty-seven thirty-seven were
of the weaker sex. and us these de-
manded slightly lower wage than
their male competitors | decided-for
that reason, and that only-to employ
one of them. Now, the thirty-six had
all brought samples of their work,
and, as all possessed the needful quail
iiications aud one typewriter letter is
precisely like another, | did what
every other man would have done
under the circumstances and chose the
best-looking one. She was Il very
handsome girl and very charming
one. too. | say it in spite OF the trouble
she brought me.
For a time she was 4 complete
success. Apart from the fact that l
had to dictate to her continually, it
was obviously undesirable that she
should sit with my male clerks. Some
of them, / know, are frivolous, and,
as married man, | had sense Of
responsibility; so | allotted her a
corner in my own room and she set up
her machine there.
1t was pleasant to have some one to
talk to when one was not busy, and
Miss King being of lively disposition
interested me much with her eXpe-
rience as a beautiful and meritorious
young woman fighting the battle of
life in London. Some of her advent
ures were almost romantic enough to
have interested the readers of the
Fdlai}Y HcTdtI-to which, indeed, | be-
lieve she had contributed. Others
might have amused students OF 2 more
frivolous class eof literature; BIT, eX-
cept to account for the interest L still
feel in her, they have nothing to do
with the present narrative. | am not
in the habit of 'taking the office home
with me" and worrying my wife with
shop" so naturally | never mention
ed typewriter in the domestic circle.
That simple omission has been thrown
in my teeth many hundreds of times
fear it always will be.
Ny typewriter, rs l have said,
worked admirably till within about a
fortnight ago, when she became rest
less, melancholy, and abstracted in
manner. For time | took no notice
of it; but last Saturday, business being
duh, | called her to me as | sat at my
table, and placing her near a window
looking over old Broad street far be-
low, where | could get the light on her
face and observe her expression, be-
gan to interrogate her in Il kindly way
as an employer always should inter-
rogate his clerks if he thinks they are
in need of his help or advice. While L
was doing SO the o'clock post came ill.,.
| did not look at my letters for a mo-
ment, as l was saying to my typewrit-
er:
"Gertrude-O make a rule of calling
| nv Younger clerks by their Christian II
names, and as rule in my office IS a
rule was resolved from the first to
make no exception in her fayor)-Ger-
trude,n | said, "thcre is something on
your mind; you are anxious and dis
tressed."
1t is nothing" she answered.
Nothing be hangedr' l said in my
friendly way Nothing does not
make girl pale. and absent and
| silent for ten days ut time. | simply
| do not believe YOU"
My dear Gertrude" I said q am
not sure tnat ever called young Boh
Smithers, my junior clerk, my dear
| Robert but circumstances alter
cases), Il want you to try and let me
help it, or help you, in any way l can. y
You are very kind" she SAID.
s.ThA,, nn b.,t =, l,n :.
You have not opened your letters
| there is one marked Immediate.
know she was only trying to put
me off, rs my clerks as 4 rule do not
dictate to me in such matters. How.
| ever, as | could see that the girl had
tears in her eyes, | took up the enyel-
ope she spoke of and opened it, to
| give her time to recover from her ey.
ident emotion. At glance | saw tC
my surprise. that the letter was note
from my wife, whom | had left n
| home in the Cromwell road at $50 thai
| morning. 1t ran as follows:
4 ssTx I