Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-06-21
A SCHEMING SCOUNDREL.


myself that | had run the gantlet OF
half century and didn't show a
scratch. At least, | didn't see any
though a friend Of mine-One Of those
fellows who go about among their ac-
quaintances doing everything they can
To make truth odious-had habit OF
telling me every day or two that Il
man of fifty was scarcely as clipper
IA man Of thirty, whatever he might
think about 1t himself.
In addition To my fifty years | was
(which was not counted against me by
those persons best able 10 analyze true
graces of character rich. Not a multi
millionaire, perhaps, but enough To
make a bachelor very comfortable, not
10 say luxurious My business was
easy, and had no help 10 bother after
except clerk or private secretary, as
ii sounded more elaborate 70 call him,
and young woman who manipulated
the typewriter in my office. Concern
ing these two persons have consider
able To say.
My private secretary, whose name
was Jeremy Kilton, was without any
exception the most modest and lady
like young man | ever met. He had
come 20 my service highly recon-
meuded by friends Of mine in the
country, and though he had been 18th
me for seven years in town. he never
came into the Office of morning that
! was not reminded of the green fields
and the running brooks and that sort
OF thing, indigenous 10 all traditions Of
the rural neighborhood. lie was only
about ten years younger than | was
and have many times sat watching
him plodding away at his desk, silent
as a sphinx and faithful as a fanatic,
and wondered why il was that he
should be as he was, and | as ! was. |
with the money, and he with the num-
berless good qualities that would be an
ornament TO wealth, even though he
lacked in that polish which wealth
seems To demand.
But | paid him good salary, for
could afford to- and his twenty-five
hundred year appeared 70 be almost
as satisfactory TO him as my twenty
five thousand was 10 me.
Yet he wasn't half the man | was in
youth and love of life. and | used 70
twit him about his advancing years,
and tried 10 get him TO 60 and call on
the ladies with me. BY all that is
lovely, you should have seen him the
first time | asked him 10 go with me
70 call on particularly bright and in
teresting young woman | knew, and
whom he had met on one occasion when
she had come 10 my Office with her
mother to see about piece of property
the mother wanted 20 buy. The girl
tad flashed her brilliant eyes on Jer-
eny, out of pure mischief, because |
had told her Of his difiidence, and she
wanted 70 make him feel as uncom-
Portable as she could. and for a minute
or two was fearful that would lose
my valued servant, SO evident was
his desire 20 incontinently run away.
He blushed two or three c9lQrs, and
stammered so when he tried 10 talk TO
her that l thought he would get his
tongue twisted around his teeth, and
in a moment of confusion would bite it
off. When she had gone. asked him
how he would like To go up and call
some evening, and he showed signs at
once Of hysteria. Then l told him if
he would not do that. would send him
up 20 the house next day with the pa
pers for the mother and daughter TO
xamine and sign. and, though he said
no word and bowed in humble submits
sion TO my will, felt So sorry for him
that took them up myself
And here, l may say that little
thing like woman never had the least
effect on me. At least, in respect Of
giving me the panicky feeling that
overlook Jeremy every time a woman
came in sight. He was bachelor, Of |
for how could a man of his .
sheeplike courage be anything else? .
He couldn't, and Jeremy was a living .
example of IT, Even the young woman |
who manipulated the typewriter was
source of discomfort 10 Jeremy.
She had been with me for three years,
and was a most exemplary person, not
TO say a very intelligent and cookbook
ing one. Being woman, she did not
get as much salary as the man, but she
was quite we'll satisfied with the nine
hundred dollars y year paid her, and
must say my official family was very
agreeable in its relations TO me and TO
itself felt this particularly, because,
for some time past, Miss liggins-that
was the young womans name-had
been occupying good deal OF my at
tention, and | am pretty sure that il
Jeremy had been dashing young fell
low or a dashing old one, he would
have made me have more or less pal
pitations of the heart and other disa-
greeable sensations which are expert
anced even 10y the best of men under
some CIRCUMSTANCES.
But Jeremy. wasn't afraid OF
Jeremy. and the moro he tried to fight
shy of Miss Higgins the more | twitted
her on the growing fondness for her l
had detected and was daily detecting
IN my faithful secretary. Miss Higgins
would always laugh at these small
of mine and would give
me her very sweetest smile, partly, l
presume. IN recognition of various
services rendered her. which were not
called for in the contract when She
came into my employ.
WIN. .h,ulJp't 4 lao aUreaa blp IN hprO