Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1896-03-19
A BOOKKEEPER.

Brr-Wnat log sa1o Ine gOOQ
man stepping out into the street. He
quickly turns up his coat collar, covers
his mouth with his muff1er, bends down
bis head, and, thrHsting his hands into
his coat pockets, he sets ont for the Office,
whistling on the way.
Without doubt a regular fog. Not so
very thick in the streets, because in the
heart of Paris fog, like snow, does not
gtay long. 1t is pierced and torn by the
many roofs, absorbed by the walls, and
gradually loses itself in the interior of
dwellings. even when the doors are open,
making the stairs slippery and the bal
usters moist. The movement of many
vehicles and the passing to and fro of the
early crowd driven ont to work by the
pressure of poverty cut it up, carry it
sway, disperse it, dropping it on the
clothes Of the Office boys, wetting the
waterproofs Of the shopgirls and dim
ming their thin, sleazy wells,
But at the docks, still silent and de-
serted, on the bridges, the shore and the
river, it is still a dense. heavy mist,
Opaque, immovable, and the rising sun
behind the church of Notre Dame seems
shining like night lamp through a
tarnished cover.
Despite the wind and the mist, our
good man follows the docks. He could
easily take another road to reach his Of
fee, but the docks have a mysterious
attraction for him. He seems to take
pleasure in walking along the parapets,
in grazing the stone balusters bearing
the elbow marks of loungers.
At that hour and in such weather the
loungers are few-only here and there
do we see woman carrying basket of
clothes leaning against the parapet, or
some poor wretch resting upon his ell
bows and gazing into the water with a
weary look. Our good man regards
them little closely-the water is SO con-
yeuiently near them-and there seems to
be in his mind some strange connecting
thought as he looks at them and the
river. The river is not cheerful this
morning; the fog moHnting between its
waves seems to deaden the surface. The
black roofs on the shore, with pipes
jutting out nnevenly from the chimneys,
give dim reflection Of fog and smoke.
Our good man does not seem to find this
at all melancholy. He is thoroughly
drenched with the drizzle, but he plods
on with pleasant smile at the corner
Of his mouth.
Long, long ago, he became accustorn-
ed to these foggy mornings on the Seine.
Besides, he knows that little distance
snug, well lined foot warmer, good
fire in his stove and a warm plate for
his breakfast. These are the joys of a
bookkeeper - a prisonlike happiness
known only to the poor stunted creatures
whose lives are passed in dark corners.
II must not forget to buy some ap-
pies" says our good man to himself
from time to time. And he whistles and
hastens along. You have rarely seen one
hurry to his work more cheerfully.
Docks, and still nothing but docks,
finally bridge, and we are behind the
Notre Dame Here the fog is much more
intense. 1t comes from three points at
once, almost blots out the high towers
of the church, and gathers in a thick
mass at the angles of the bridge, as if
striving to conceal something
Our good man stops. He is at his
place of work. Dimly in the dark shad-
ows we can distinguish some forms ON
the sidewalk, bending over as if waiting
for some one. And, much like the vend-
ers at the hospital gates and public
squares, they have large fiat baskets fill
ed with oranges. apples and crackers.
All, the beautiful apples, fresh and
rosy in the mistl
Our good man fills his pockets, smil-
ing at the apple woman, who shivers
with the cold though her feet are en-
ca-ed in foot warmer. Then he pushes
through the fog and touches door,
opens it and crosses small court, where
cart is standing, with the horse har-
messed.
lis there anything for us this morn
ing?" he asks, as he passes along.
Eyes, sir, and something very genteel
too I"
Then he quickly enters his office. 1t
is very warm and comfortable there
the stove crackles in the corner, the foot
warmer is in its place, and his armchair
is waiting for him close up to the win
dow in good light.
The fog makes mellow curtain over
the window panes, giving mild and
uniform light. Big ledgers with green
backs are ranged in order on their