The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-05-30
MY TYPEWRITER.

For the last few days | have been a
much injured and much enduring man.
Some persons, when crushed beneath
mass of circumstantial evidence readily
accepted by the tribunal which in more
senses than one is sitting upon them, take
pride In knowing that they are inno-
cent, and, virtute sua involuti, await the
future acquittal or free pardon, of which
they feel certain, with tranquil minds,
actually in some cases finding enjoyment
In the sensation Of martyrdom. / am
not one of them, for l have not felt at
any time sure of my acquittal, and even
now, when it should be practically Sc
cured, it is possible that shall not leave
the dock altogether without a stain on
my character. Besides which, even in
nocence may be n matter Of regret to one
who has suffered for crime, or, let us
say, an act Of indiscretion, without hay
ing enjoyed the pleasure of committingit.
1t happened in this way. Some few
months ago had occasion to require In
my business the services of typewriter,
and made my wants known. As con-
forty-seven candidates in person, without
counting the hundred and odd who ap-
Piled by letter. OF the forty-seven,
thirty-six were Of the weaker sex; and as
these demanded a slightly lower wage
than their male competitors decided
for that reason, and that only-to en-
ploy one Of them. Now the thirty-six
had all brought samples Of their work,
and as all possessed the needful qualifi-
cations, and one typewriter letter is pre-
cisely like another, l did what every
other man would have done under the
circumstances, and chose the best look
ing one. She was a very handsome girl,
and very charming one, too. l say it
in spite Of the trouble she brought me.
For time she was complete success.
Apart from the fact that had to dictate
to her continually, it was obviously un-
desirable that she should sit with my
male clerks. Some of them know are
frivolous, and as a married man had
sense Of responsibility; so allotted her
corner in my own room, and she set
up her machine there.
1t was pleasing to have some one to
talk to when one was not busy, and Miss
King, being Of lively disposition, inter
ested me much with accounts of her ex-
periences as q beautiful and meritorious
young woman fighting the battle of life
in London. Some of her adventures
were almost romantic enough to have in
terested the readers of The Family Her.
ald-to which, indeed, l believe she had
contributed.
Others might have amused students Of
more frivolous class of literature; but,
except 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 life with "shop,"
so naturally never mentioned my type
writer in the domestic circle That
simple omission has been thrown in my
teeth many hundreds of times during
the past two days. begin to fear it
always will be.
My typewriter, rs have said, worked
admirably till within about a fortnight
ago, when she became restless, melan-
choly and abstracted in manner. For a
time l took no notice of it; but last Sat
urday, business being dull, called her
to me as sat at my table, and placing
her near the window looking over old
Broad street far below, where l could
get the light on her face and observe her
expression, began to interrogate her in
kindly way as an employer always
should interrogate his clerks if he thinks
they are in need of his help or advice
While was doing SO my 1 o'clock post
came in. l did not look at my letters
for moment, as l was saying to my
typewriter:
Gertrude" q make rule of calling
my younger clerks by their Christian
names, and, as a rule in my Office is a
rule, l was resolved from the first to
make no exception in her favor, Ger
trude," said, there is something on
your mind; you are anxious and dis
tressed"
1T is nothing" she answered.
Nothing be hangedr' | said, in my
friendly way. Nothing does not make
a girl pale and absent and silent for ten
days at time. simply do not believe
you"
81 cannot help it,"
my dear Gertrude" said q am not
sure that ever called young Bob Smith
ers, my Junior clerk, my dear Robert
but circumstances alter cases), II want
you to try and let me help it, or help
you, in any way can"
"You are very kind" she said.
"Then tell me what is the matter"
"You have not opened your letters;
there is one marked immediate"
knew she was only trying to put me
off, as my clerks as rule do not dictate
10 me in such matters. However, as |
could see the girl had tears in her eyes,
| took up the envelope she spoke Of and
opened it, to give her time to recover
from her evident emotion. At a glance
! saw, to my surprise, that the letter was
q note from my wife, whom had left at
home In the Cromwell road at $50 that
morning 1t ran as follows:
DkAR CHIRLEs-I want TO take you to the shop
In the city where saw the sealskin was telling
you about. have decided must have Il at once
a. Mrs. Carruthers has Just got a new one.
know the shop closes at on Saturday, but II you
can leave your ofilce with me when call for you
q little before 1880, we can do it, Your affection
ate wife ELIZA Jonssos
p S-Haye your check book in your pocket.
Now why, in the name of fortune,
Mrs. Charles johnson, who, as her letter
shows, is woman of decided purpose
when it suits her, could not have made
up her mind to have the sealslin before
I left home that morning, and why she
should have grudged sixpence for tele-
gram do not know Ihave spoken to
her about it, and all she says is that in .
future she shall visit me without any
warning at all
read her note, and at once grasped