The Washington bee., 1893-12-30

poor, and she had quite exhausted her
little resources in sending out CHRIST
mas presents to them. Now, 1t is
fact that several young men were more
or less hOpeleSsly in love with MISS
Rosie, but as she had never given any
Of them the slightest encouragement,
and had made it very evident that she
would accept no favOrS from them, and
had been compelled to refuse three OF
the most ardent who had rendered
themselves as Christmas presents, there
was no particular reason why anybody
should send her a New Years present
But why should Miss Rosie ignore
the several more or less eligible young
men who were more or less hOpelessly
in love with her? Oh, that was her
secret-or, at least, shesthought it was
but those who knew that the Junior
Partner was a particularly tall and
handsome young man, and suspected
that Miss Rosie herself was more or
less ambitious, might perhaps have
OWNED reason for her cool treatment
Of the several more or less hopelessly
in love young men who were merely
clerks or bookkeepers.
But it was the 31st of December, and
who shall say what thoughts or
schemes entered into the demure little
head of Miss Rosie? If she had any
reason to suspect a certain thing, she
had never confessed it even to herself.
Yet it was a fact that for some weeks
the Junior Partner had taken an I'M
usual interest in business, and that he
had required Miss Rosie's attendance
for an unusual amount of correspond
ence. But nobody thought anything
about that, for the holiday season was
usually busy season with the firm,
and the Junior Partner would natural
ly settle down to business in due time,
as his father had done before him. In
fact, business ran in the family.
But there was something rather eX-
traordinary in the amount of business
young Mr.. Couponette had on that par
ticular 31st of December He kept
Miss Rosa busy, very busy, until the
Senior Partner had gone home, until
the clerks and assistants had all de-
parted, and only the gray-haired old
bookkeper (who never did go home un-
til everybody else had quit was alone
left with them in the office Then, as
the Junior Partner dictated the last
letter and waited till it was typeWrit-
ten and duly signed and placed in the
mail, he bent his head and whispered
to Miss Rosie:
IF a messenger should call on you to-
morrow with Il package I trust you
will not refuse it."
And in answer she could only blush
and hang her head, which signs evi-
dently satisfied the Junior Partner, for
he left the office in very gay mood
indeed.
If Miss Rosie went home that night
in an unusually happy mood, and if
she dreamed delightful dreams, and if
she woke with a radiant expectation,
thrilling her heart, whose business real
ly was it but her own?
1t was about o o'clock that the stur-
dy and rather stupid office boy (who
was quite as faithful as he was stupid,
however, called at the house and left
a letter. Miss Rosie was surprised at
this, for, to tell the truth, she had eX-
pected a package instead of letter.
But, after all, why might not a letter
be more precious than a package? As
soon as she returned to her room she
opened and read it eagerly 1t ran as
follows:
The firm will have no need for your services
so no further explanation is necessary.
j. A. Coupenette & Co.
Her brain grew dizzy, and she fairly
reeled in surprise and horror. The let
ter was in the chirography of the Jun
ior Partner, which she knew well, and
a second glance at the envelope as
sured her that there was no mistake in
the address.
When the Junior Partner called at
Miss Rosie's boarding place on New
Year afternoon and sent up his card,
he was shocked and surprised to re-
ceive word that she was I'LL and could
not be seen. But that young man was
noted for two things-one was in hav-
ing very inquiring and ingenious
mind, and the other was In not allow
ing himself to be disappointed So he
insisted upon seeing Miss Rosie, and
finally had his waV And thap fbpro