Middletown transcript., 1893-07-22
THE TYpE-WRlTTEN LETTER.
DY ROBERT BARR.

lOan usual, anu ur6w long breath Z
IL he had been running race and ha
won it. This nan who brought hil
the news had no idea he had tol
Denham anything novel. He merel
happened to say: lyon are rich mar
Mr.. Denham, and will never miss it. =
Denham had never before bee
called rich man, and up to tha
moment he had not thought himself a
wealthy. He wrote out the check aske
of him, and his visitor departed CRATE
fully, leaving the merchant with some
thing to ponder over. He was as sur
prised with the suddenness Of tn
thing as if someons had left him
legacy. Yet the money was all of hi
own accumulating, but his struggll
had been SO long, and he had been 81
hopeless about it, that from mere habi
he exerted all his energies long afte
the enemy was overcome-just as thu
troops at New Orleans fought a ferct
battle not knowing the war was over
He had sprung from such hopelessly
poor ramily. Poverty had been theil
Inheritance from generation to gene.
ration. Il was the iuvariable legacy
that father had left to son in the Den.
ham family. All had accepted their
lot with uncomplaining resignation
until Richard resolved he would at
least have fight for it. And now the
fight had been won. Denham sat in
his Office staring at the dingy wall
paper so long, that Rogers, the chief
clerk, put his head in and said in a
deferentia voice:
Anything more tonight, Mr.. Den
ham?n
Denham started as if that question
in that tone had not been asked him
every night for years.
"What's that, what's that?" he
cried.
Rogers was astonished, but too well
trained to show it.
Anything more tonight, Mr.. Dem
ham?"
''Ah. quite so. No, Rogers. thank
you, nothing more"
GOOD night, Denham."
".Eh2 Oh. yes. Good night, Rogers,
goodnight"
When Mr.. Denham left his Office and
went out into the street, everything
had an unusual appearance to him.
He walked along, unheeding the direc-
tion. He looked at the fine residences
and realized that he might have fine
residence if he wanted it. He saw
handsome carriages; he too might set
up an equipage. The satisfaction these
thoughts produced was brief. Of what
use would ine house or an elegant
be to him2 He knew no one
to invite to the house or to ride with
uAu III luC C0lAldkCs
As he was now walking through the
park, and away from the busy streets,
be took off his hat and ran his fingers
through his grizzled hair, looking at
his hand when he had done so as if the
gray, like wet paint. had come off.
He thought Of girl he knew once,
who perhaps would have married him
II he had asked her, as he was tempted
10 do, bnt that had always been a
mistake of the Denhams. They had |
sll married young except himself, and
20 sunk deeper in the mire Of poverty.
pressed down by rapidly-increasing |
progeny. The girl had married a
baker, he remembered. Suddenly, |
another girl arose before his mental
yision--a modern girl-very different |
indeed to the one. who had married |
he baker. She was the only woman
in the world with whom he was on |
speaking terms, and he knew her |
merely because her light and nimble |
ingers played the bu iness sonata of
,ne note on his Office typewriter. Miss
aale was pretty, of course-all type
writer girls are-and it was generally |
understood in the Office that she be-
onged to good family who had come |
lown In the world. Richard Denham
at down upon park bench. why |
,ot?" be asked himself. There was
10 reason against 1t except that he had
lot the courage. Nevertheless, he
'ormed a desperate resolution.
Next day, business went on as usual.
Letters were answered and the time ar
ived when Miss Gale came in to see if |
le had any further commands that
lay. Denham hesltated. He felt
1aguely that business Office was not
he proper place for proposal; yet ne
snew he would be at disadvantage
nywhere else. In the first place he
lad no plausible excuse for calling
lpoA the young woman at home, and,
n the second place, he knew il he once
rot there he would be stricken dumb.
e must either be at his Office or no.
where.
''Sit down moment, Miss Gale," be
aid at last, II wanted to consult you
bout a matter-about a business mat
err
Miss Gale seated herself. and auto
placed on her knee the short
land writing-pad ready to take down
lis instructions. She looked up at him
xpectantly. Denham, in an embar-
assed manner, ran his fingers through
lis hair.
II am thinking he began, "of tax
ng q partner. The business is very
.osperous now. In fact, 1t has been
or some time" /