Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-12-08

Importance. 1t was with come pertur
baton therefore that Mr.. Nipple re
Piled:
well, sir, l used to, but found Miss
Fosdick so scrupulously exact that late
ly | have permitted her to sign and
mail the letters dictated to her without
my reading. She takes down word for
word. sir; so | feel that it isn't aces
sary for me to read them over"
1.-The reason why l asked you that
question is this: l received note from
Mr.. Shaw this m0rning-Of Shaw 4
King you KNOWN which he asks an
explanation of a letter he had just re-
ceived from this house. Perhaps you
can give the needed explanation after
l have read you the letter. This is it:
"'Messrs. Shaw Il King:-Gentle-
men: Your favor of Monday was re-
ceived in due course. Got that down,
sweetness? In reply, we would-Td
like a sweet kiss from those ruby lips
say that the goods you mention-you
charming creature, why are you so
cold to me?-mentlon Were shipped yes
terday morning.
"'Your bird-like voice thrills me
through and through! Why do you
never smile on your adOrer? Hoping
| that they have arrived in good condi-
tion-give me just one kiss, Mabel dar-
| ling, won't you?-and they gave per-
feet satisfactiOn-got that down, little
beauty!-we beg to remain, yours very
Il -Ic~+
are you struggling for? Your obedient
servants,
"Poplin & Som"
Nipple turned alternately red and
white while his employer read this let
ter in icy tones, and said nothing when
it was concluded. The occasion did
! not seem to be one for the display Of
ornate English composition.
After n painful pause the senior mem
J Der of the firm went On:
''AIr. Nipple, I thing III attend to the
! correspondence of this firm hereafter
myself, and what love making it is
necessary to do to the typewriter I
will also look after. The cashier will
| give you your salary to date. Good
morning SIR
"The idea" exclaimed Mr.. Poplin to
! his son, the junior member, half an
! hour LATER when he laid the whole mat
! ter before him. ''Tho idea that a wo-
manly and modest girl like Miss Eos
| dick should be so grossly mistreated in
my establishment exasperates me.
| She's pretty and sweet, and altogether
! admirable
81 rather admire Nipples taste,'
! said the son.
| 'Oh, you do!' exclaimed the father.
'Then l suppose [ have done wrong
! in discharging the scamp, even when
! he knew his attentions were distaste
tul to the grip
NO, father, you did quite right. Of
| course, it would not do for that sort Of
thing % continue
''Of course, it wouldn't. It would be
persecution of as sweet a girl us L
know"
''Why, you are not in love with her
yourself, are you father?"
Il? A WidOwer Of fifteen years stand
ing? The ideal Can't an elderly man
defend a helpless young woman with
out such an iInputation as that?'
ooh! certainly"
Then the conversation dropped.
Old Mr. PopIin was in love with Miss
FOsdick, nevertheless, and he resolved
to ask her to be his sons stepmother
on the first opportunity. He thought,
moreover, that he would make that
opportunity when she should report for
duty.
Miss FOsdick returned to the store at
the appointed time, and proceeded
straight to the private Office. The cid
or Mr.. Poplin was clone.
Good morning, Mr.. Poplin," said
Miss FOsdick, with her sweetest smile.
''Oh, it's you, is it?" Mr.. Poplin re
piled, raising his eyes above his news
paper. ''Sit down, Miss FOsdick, please.
Before you take the lid off your type
writer [ have sOmething-er-tO say to
you rather-er-impOrtant. l have been
thinking of you almost constantly since
you went away two days ago, and I
wanted tO-er-aSlI you"
zone moment, please, Mr.. POplin, "
Miss Fosdtck interrupted him to say,
''you must pardon me, but have not
come back to work"
"Eh? What's that?'
''No, sir Fact is, THAT is-your
son sir-has done me the honor to
to-propose, and-and-"
"The sly young rascal" calculated
PopIin, not giving her a chance to fir
ish "yVelI, [ suppose I'll have to be
father to you, and I will say I am
proud of my new daughter"
Then he thought:
'T wonder if she really suspected
what was going to say?"