Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1893-03-17


something to crush him. I'm sorry
I took the method did oughtn't
t0-0h, dear, Whist shall do?"
And Miss FOsdick put her dainty
cambric handkerchief to her eyes and
her speech dissolved in tears.
'sThere! thcrel my dear girl, don't
cry, " said Mr.. POplin. soothlngly.
He took her hand to assist in the
comforting operation, and placed her
head on his fatherly shoulder. He
was not too old to make mental note
OF how long her lashes lay on her rosy
cheeks and how dcwdrows OF tears
OOzcd through them.
What am I doing?" Mabel ex-
claimed, as she bethought herself OF
the pictlre she and Mr.. Poplin would
present ii any one should come intu
the office, aud she promptly raised
her head.
,You did just right" said Mr..
POplin. referring to her treatment of
Mr.. Nipple. .sThe presumptuous ras-
cal! Never mind, little girl-er-
Miss Fosdick. I'll settle with Mr..
lIipplc myself. In the meantime,
you may take q couple of days of.
Go home right away and I'll see that
he annoys you no more"
After the fair typewriter had put
on her wraps and gone home, Mr..
lIipplc was called into the private
Office, and MIR. Poplin asked him:
"Arc you in the habit of reading
and signing the firms letters after
the typewriter has taken them from
your dictatiOn and transcribed them.
Mr. Hipplcs"
When MIR. Poplin took the extra
time necessary to use the prefix ..Mis-
ter' in addressing one OF his clerks, 1T
was an indication that the subject of
the interview was of more than ortll-
nary Importance. 1t was with some
perturbation, therefore, that Mr..
Hipple replied:
"Well. sir, used to, but / found
Miss Fosdick so scrupulously exact
that lately 1 have permitted her to
sign and mail letters dictated to her,
without my reading. She takes me
down word for word, sir; so l fell that
it isn't necessary for me to read the m
over"
''rhc reason why / asked you that
question is this: received q note
from Mr.. Shaw this morning - OF
Shaw 4 King. you know - in which
he asks an explanation of letter he
had just received from this house.
Perhaps you can give the needed ex-
planat:On after / have read YOU the
letter. This is 1T:
:. MRssHs. SHAW 4 KING. GENTLEMES:-
Your favor Of Monday was received in due
course. Got that down. sweetncss? In re-
ply. we would aly-rd like n sweet kiss
from those ruby lips-say that the goods
you mention-you charmlng creature. why
are you s" cold to me?-mcntion. were
like voice thrills me through and through!
Why do you never smile on your adorer!
Hoping that they have arrived In good con-
dition-Give me just one kiss. Mabel. dar-
ling wont you--and that thcy gave perfect
sfaction-Got that down. little beautvy
kiss now. insist. What are you struggling
Tor? Your obcdient servants.
PopLIN & Son.
Nipple turned alternately red and
white while his employer read this
letter in icy tones, and said nothing
when 1T was concluded. The occas.
ion did not seem to be one for the dis
play Of ornate English composition.
After a painful pause the senior
member OF the firm went on:
"Mr. Nipple, think I'll attend to
the correspondence of this firm here
after myself, and what lovc-making
it is necessary to do to the typewriter
1 will also look after The cashier
will give you your salary to date.
Good morning, SIR"
".The ideal" exclaimed Mr.. Poplin
to his SON, the junior member. half
an hour later, when he had laid the
whole matter before him. ssThe idea
that a womanly and modest girl like
Miss Fosdick should be so grossly mis-
treated in my establishment exasper-
ates me. She's prettyand sweet, and
altogether admirable"
~ rather admire Hipplc's taste, -
said the son.
'sOh, you do. exclaimed the father.
''Then 1 suppose have done wrong
In discharging the scamp. even when
he knew his attentions were distaste.
full to the girl?"
''No. father. you did quite right.
OF course it would not do for that
sort of thing to continue"
ssOf course it wouldn't. 1t would
be persecution Of as sweet a girl as
know"
"Why, you are not in love with her
yourself, are you, father?"
II? A widowcr of fifteen years
standing? The idea! Can't an
elderly man defend q helpless young
woman without such an imputation
as that?"
.Oh! certainly"
Then the conversation dropped.
Old Mr.. Poplin was in love with
Miss Fosdick, nevertheless, and he
resolved to ask her to be his sons
stepm0thcr 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
O1dnr Mr. 11rn1iv, xunc ol.,nn