The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-11-11
AN OFFICE ROMANCE.

AN UFFlCE ROMANCE.
"Confound it, Dockboy, how could you
have done itY'' cried Lieutenant Swash,
painting vigorously and hopping his fore
head
He laid his hat and cane on a chair,
drew from the depths of his pocket his pipe
and then glanced about the room for my
tobacco bowl 1t was not in sight, fact
that caused him to gaze upon me in mute
wonder.
"I've stopped, said, smiling.
"Stopped'' he shouted humping his
pipe on the arm of his chair. Moved into
this fat in the skies and stopped smoking!
Man, man, what have you not done while
have been away? You've given up ="
He ceased abruptly and looked toward the
door.
Had known that you were coming /
would have had little of the weed on
hand, but / thought you were far away
from town.
"I suppose I should be more welcome II
/ were far away. Things have changed in
the last six months. In the old boarding
house days Swash was always welcome to
your easy chair and your tobacco bowl /
journey to Harlem, pick my way through
front stoop full of fiat jewellers, climb
five flights of stairs and get out my pipe to
find that you have given up tobacco. Elk
plain it all, Dockboy, explain it, y
When the conservative house of Jute
Bros began to consider the necessity of de-
parting from an old rut and introducing a
typewriting machine into It's office l was
one of the strongest opponents of the pro-
posed innovation-so strong, in fact, that
Cyrus Jute, himself business man of the
old school, delayed for year the change
from our system of autograph letters.
But it had to come. For this reason l
had from the very beginning an antipathy
for Miss Evelina Wiltkin. Against the
young woman personally had nothing,
but 10 was only natural that she should be
the victim of some Of that aversion which
had conceived for the post that she occu-
pied.
When she entered in the morning, 1
bowed and after that she was nothing to
me. never even heard the rattle of keys
behind me, although her desk was but a
few yards distant.
Such being the condition of affairs, it
was impossible for me not to be surprised
startled, might better say-wben Cyrus
Jute, one morning when 1 was in his pri-
vate office, seized my hand and cried heart
lily, well, Dockboy, wish you joy"
Mr.. Jute, please explain yourself"
cried, for was greatly puzzled.
My dear fellow, although you will de-
prive us of n charming typewriter
1T is a terrible mistake interrupted,
with warmth. 1t was all plain to me now
In some manner my name had become
linked with that of Evelina Wiltkin. In
reply TO my remonstrance Mr. Jute
whirlcd around three times on his Office
chair and laughed.
Come, come, Dockboy," he cried IL
know you are a shy fellow, but why deny
this? 1t has been the talk of the office for
week. Young Harry Butternut declares
that II was a case Of mutual first sight,
but the assistant bookkeeper is positive
that she didn t get EN- until you began the
violet scheme.
Mr.. Jute, there Is some terrible mis-
take, / said solemnly LAS for young
Harry Butternut, 1 have suspected more
than once that he had EN- himself as you
put it, for 1 constantly hear him behind
me whispering to her, and / am sure that
Columns neglected TO balance up his books
might take her To the "L' station under
his umbrella. l know that Books, the ship
ping clerk sent her valentine, because I
saw the envelope in the scrap basket, and
It was in his handwriting, disguised. AS
for me, assure you, sir, that have never
given the young woman a thought. have
been oblivious to her presence. Why, you
know how objected TO her introduction
into the Office at all "
cit Is useless for you to deny it," retort-
ed my employer. IF have been a little
premature, l beg pardon. But you know
the boys gave me to believe that there
were grounds. How about the violetse"
"Violetsl What violetss" was as
founded.
Now, see here, Dockboy, this coyness
Is depressing. You know as we'll as do
about those violets; how every morning
for three weeks Miss Wiltkin has found
bunch of them on her desk All the boys
deny that they are responsible, and so no
one else but you could have done IL. And
they say her smile when she gets them Is
worth-well, positively envy you.
Apparently every mans hand was
against me. Confusion To them ALTO
Cyrus Jute, the impudent young Butter
nut, Columns and his superior, High
stule, Books and the whole crew of the
outer officel
81 deny 1t all, Mr.. Jute," cried And
with that / fled from his presence
1 thought over the violet problem long
and carefully, In vain endeavor to decide
whether It was possible for any one but me
20 have put them on the desk.
Butternut ut t12 per week could not af-
ford them at winter prices, old Highstule