The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-07-12

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Peters would ever have given him Tho
credit Of proposing IN clopement--..ac-
cuso hiR of it." as johnson puts it.
She claimed that while she could man
sge her father all right enough up to q
certain point, yet that in this particular
matter She preferred to negotiate with
MN after marriage rather than before.
Shc had great deal of the old mans
shrcwdness-had Sadie. He used to say
ne would not like to have her as an OPP
poncnt on a wheat deal
linen the clerks say-but hang the
clerks! What do they know about it?
AS Farnam truly remarked, casting a
gloom over the rest Us he spoke. "You
may say what you like about Peters,
but you can't get over the unwholesome
fact that none of US got her.
The gallingness of this undoubtcd
truth was that each of the clerks
thought himself better looking man
than Peters
Well. to como to the awful point
where Peters indebtedness nearly
upset the applicant The elopemcnt
was all settled, Peters qual1ing most Of
the time, and he was to write her a let
ter giving an account of how arrange
ments were progressing. II will hard
~ be crcdited-and yet It is possible,
enough when you think what q ma
chine methodical man gets TO be-
that Peters wrote this epistle 70 his girl
on his desls and put it In the pile of let
ters that were to DO copied into the old
mans letter boolsl The Office boy
picked up the heap OF exactly the usual
hour, took them to tho copying press,
wet the thin leaves and squeezed them
IN; the love letter next to the one be-
ginning:
DEAR SIR-Yours OF the ed roceivo1 f,nd
contents noted"
Peters got the corncr-curled letters.
still damp, and put them all in their
right envelopes and Sadie got hers in
due time, but did not know enough
about business correspondence to know
that her first lovc-letter wns written in
copying ink and had been through the
press.
Next day when old man Benthnm
was looking over tho leaves of the
previous days letters he suddenly be-
gan TO chuclSle to himself. Old Bent.
ham had very comfortable, good-na.
turcd, well-to-do chucl1le that was q
pleasure to hear. Even Peters almost
smiled as he heard it. !; ,,,.,,s,r.v----
Peters,"
Have you all the letters, Peters.
that these letters are tho answers TOP"
Certainly, SIR"
There is one want 20 see, Peters
What is tho name, please?"
Petty. did MT know that we dealt
in this line of goods, Peters"
III. w. Petty. sir2"
II don't know tho initials. HereA
the letter.
Peters was stricken. lie wns ap-
palled-dumb-blin The words "Dor.
ling Petty" danced before his eyes. He
felt his hair beginning to raise. The
book did not fall from his hand simply
because no held it Observation-Disclosures
odically. Old Dcntham roared; then
closed the door so that the clerks would
not neal his WiEth;
That's ono Cd your Peters It's too
good to keep must telkthat down at
the club" ~, -.S:i..~.., S;:.ss-'--..---,
: N wouldn't if were you SIR" said
Peters, slowly recovering his senses as
he saw the old man had no suspicion
how the land lay. g. :s.zs.1..
mo, suppose it wouldn't be- quito
the square thing. But of all men III the
world, Pcters-youi Why do you elopc?
Why not marry her respectfully ut the
church or at home2 You'll regret going
off like that all your life"
Miss she-that is-prcfers it that
way"
'Oh, romantic, is she? wouldn't do
it, Peters"
"There arc other reasons"
'Father'or mother against, as usual,
suppose. Well, You refer them to me.
Peters I'll speak good word for you.
But what am to do while you nre
away?"
IL thought perhaps - perhaps-
johnson would take my place"
"All right l can put up with John
son for week, maybe, but think of
me and get back as soon as she'll let
you"
If old Mr. Bentham did not mention
1t at the club no cd at home.
"You remember Peters, Sadie. Mol
no! that was Johnson Peters Is in nv
room. you know. No, tho red-headed
man is Farnam He's in the other
room. Peters has the desk IN the cor
ner. Staidest fellow on the street,
Ever so much older than amin man.
ner. OF course The last man in tho CITY
You would suspect of being in love.
Well, he wrote"-and 30 Mr.. Bentham
told the story.
Sadie kissed him somewhat hysteri-
ally when no promised to say q good
word for Peters, and said he was verv
kind-hearted.
Besides, papa, you ought TO have q
partner in the business. This is noCo.
you know"