Middletown transcript., 1894-02-17
E veryt b in g

~ LMIA Sines ST. i k
H ''rs..#s',.s'ssgstsFS manner.
'+'''" Everyth b in
that Cline did was done in a business
like way, whether it was purchasing
bouquets to send to a favorite actress
or having his bald head shampooed.
One day Cline, as 1 stated, turned a
leaf. He did it methodically, calculat.
ing and firmly. He was polishing his
dome before the glass, and as he laid
the brush down he said 81 must get
married."
Very punctilious and discreet was
Cline. He proposed to get married
just as he proposed to buy Brighton
"a" 1t was good investment.
Then he set about it in the most ex.
traordinary manner. II don't want u
said he, ''any giddy beauties, l want
a mature, sensible, sober, economical,
level-headed, modest, healthy, good
tempered, prudent, affectionate, saga
cious, lovable, motherly, genteel, ster-
ling woman. Girls make me weary,
and I'm going to organize the business
of getting what 1 want. can give an
hour a day for the next year to the
finding of what l want, and I'm too
old business hand to have what
don't want"
When you get one of these financi Il
intellects regularly to business he knows
what he is about, and lie doesn't make
any mistake.
So Cline at A organized himself. He
set up a matrimonial bureau in that
private office with cathedral windows,
put his No. II boots on sentiment,
threw the forget-me- e-nots out of his
soul and came down to hard facts.
He would advertise. Yes, he would.
No nonsensical rot about cultured gent
desiring to meet cultured lady, but
straight out straight business PROPOSE
cal system. Very well, would get type
writer. Mu t be business girl. Girls
bad, but have to put with it. No
woman typwriters in the market; all
girls. Beastly shame!"
One morning there came t. Cline's
general office in Brod street girl with
baby waist, pearl gray peliase over
her shoulders and cornelian ring on
her finger. One of Cline's young men
noticed her first standing by the door.
lie went round and said:
"What can we do for you, madam?"
81 am typewriter" said sailor hat
very meekly. II came to answer an
advertisement.
Then they directed her into the little
Office with the cathedral windows, using
a sign language of their own and tele-
graphing to each other by winks. Then
they saw the sailor hat 60 through the
fatal glass door, on the other side of
which Cline kept his grim official sever
lily,
lie was signing checks. 1t was one
of the most serious moments of his
life. He looked up and sa " the sailor
hat on her brown hair. 1t aggravated
Just little, as if very proper parson
should see ballet girl in his country
church, and she should bow to him
sweetly,
He leaned back in his chair, stuck
his legs out straight and fastened
his commercial eye on his blank check
book.
"Well, young woman, [ want dis.
Greet confidential secretary to answer
correspondents. She's got to be here
at 10 O'Clock every morning, attend to
business strictly, and she can get away
Al 9 or 3. The salary is So week.
Do you think you can sit down to
that kind of drudgery for that pit
tance and keep the business to your
self?"
All that Cline ever heard was de-
mure little Eyes. SIR" that had the
same suggestion of tremolo in it one
gets from fine rasberry jelly.
"Cline's private Office had a new
feature. There was an instrument
unaeF the window with a black tin
rook over it, and little sailor hat, with
a blue ribbon on it, hung on the bronze
peg opposite the door.
"Now, them" said Cline, putting on
a most forbidding air of strict business.
"You understand that the matter for
which have engaged you is entirely
aside from the regular business of this
office. BY the way, what shall l call
voup Miss what? Chalcey9 Well,
never mind the Nelly, III call you Miss
Chalcey; it's more business-iike' and !
don't want you to talk outside OF this
room about any of the business you
have 20 transact here. Do you under,
standa If you get that into your head
r. beg;n with, there'll be no trouble"
Then she turned her demure face
toward him and said, "les, sir" 50
meeklv and patiently and profoundly
that he noticed her eyes,
They were agates-moss agates' TOO.
rnr Httla snots in them that swan
and danced round and melted INTO eacn