Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-09-07

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2Agts f.; f; +: =; : e; y; i: i:
uumberless assistants whose fe.books
thus opened to him so many of their
pages.
Lately there had come to the place
slight, gray-eyed girl, who wore her
black dress with such grace and held
her small head with such dignity that
he whimsically had named her to him
self "The Little Duchess" He liked
to look down and catch CLINT of her
hairs sunshine when his brain was
dulled with calculating change and
his fingers ached with shutting cash
balls and despatching them on their
journeys. And he used to wonder
greatly how any customer could hest
tate to buy silks and satins when their
lustre and sheen were displayed by
her slim little fingers and the quality
descanted on with so persuasive
smile. There were handsomer girls
in the shop, girls with finer figures
and better features; but to the boy in
his mid-air cage there were none with
the nameless charms that made the
little duchess SO lovable.
For, of course, he did love her. In
less than two months he had begun to
watch for her cash ball with tremb-
ling eagerness, to smooth out and
stroke gently the bill her fingers had
written and to wrap it and its change
up again with a careful tenderness
that, I may assure you, no one else's
change and bill received. He had
spoken to her half dozen times in
all; twice at the door on leaving
weather remarks, to which she had re-
sponded graciously; once or twice
about bills that she had come to rec
tify at the desk, and once he had had
the great good fortune to find and
return handkerchief she had
dropped. Such pretty, ridiculous
atom of muslin it was, with fanciful
"Nellie" taking up one-quarter, and
some delicate scent lending a subtle
fascination that had made it real
wrench for the lad to take it from his
vest pocket and proller it to her.
30 great wrench, indeed, that he
proffered his love, too, humbly, but
fewently, and received very Won
desing look from the gray eyes, a
badly concealed smile, a "Thank on, I"
for the handkerchief, and "No,
thank you" for the love.
He had kissed her, though, and that
was some consolation afterward to his
sore splrit-kissed her right upon the
sweet, scarlet lips which had said
"No" so decidedly, and then, bold no
longer, had fed to the shelter of the
friendly packing cases and beaten a
retreat to his desk aloft.
That was nearly fortnight ago
not once since had she spoken to him,
and to-day he was feeling desperate.
IT had been very busy morning
and he had found hardly a second to
raise his eyes from his work the once
that he had looked down she had been
busy with customer, girl prettily
dressed and golden haired like herself.
That had been at about ten o'clock !;
before twelve her cash box, with the
notch upon it that his penknife had
made, rolled down its line, and he
opened it, as he had opened it twenty
times that morning; but this time it
bore his fate. Besides the bill there
WAS little twisted note with John
Walters, private" written upon it,
and the boys very heart leaped at the
sight. Down below customers wealthy
waited for change and an1iously
watched for their own particular ball
while the deus ex machina read again
and again, with eager eyes, "Please
will you meet me at lunchtime on the
Strand? Do, if you can. 1 am in
trouble. You said you loved me. "
Then, as he began mechanically to
manipulate the waiting balls, he
looked down to the accustomed place
of the little duchess. She was pale,
he saw, and her lips trem bled oddly
now and again. There was fright.
ened look in her gray eyes, and once
or twice he thought he noticed a
sparkle as of tears.
At lunch time he actually tore
through the shop and away down to
the appointed place. She was there,
still pale, still nervous and futtering.
'Let us go to the gardens. 1t is
quieter," he said, putting great
restraint upon himself; then, when at
last they were within the gates, "God
bless you for this, Nellie!"
"What?" said the girl, with un-
certainty, but not looking at the dark,
rugged face that was all aglow with
owe for her.
'For telling me about the worry
asking me to come. Oh, God bless
you, Nellie, now tell NEE"
She sat down on sent and began to
cry, quietly and miserably, till the
boy was almost beside himself AT
last, between the sobs, he learned her
trouble, which was grave, indeed. She
and her sister had very much wanted
to go to certain ball, and, more than
that, to have new dresses for it, oil
soft, white Liberty silk, such rs she
cut off daily for fortunate customers.
But her purse was empty, so in their
emergency the sisters had hit upon a
plan, questionable, indeed, but not
dishonesty meant. The sister came
to the silk counter and purchased
thirty yards of silk, paying los. for il
instead OF G3 los.
"That was on account; was only
taking little credit like other Gus
TONER'S" said The fittle duchess, witt
naughty movement OF the head. "Or
Saturday was going to make out {
bill for au imaginary customer ant
send G3 up to YOU. Don't imagine
would really wrong The firm by half
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