Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-14
The Typewriter Letter.
ICopyright 1896, BIZ the Author1
BIZ RO.ERr BARR.

10 him as 1.-The Old man.. He felt az
Young as ever be did, but the phrase, 50
lightly spoken. made him catch his
breath.
As he was now walking through the
park and away from the busy streets he
took of his hat and ran his fingers
through his grizzled hair, looking at his
hand when he had done SO "a if the
gray, like wet paint, had come off. He
thought of girl he knew once, who
perhaps would have married him if be
mad asked her, as he was tempted to do.
But that had always been the mistake
Of the Denhams They had all married
young except himself. and so sunk deep
CT into the mire of poverty, pressed
down by rapidly increasing progeny.
The girl had married q baker, he re.
membered. Yes, that was a long time
ago. The clerk was not far wrong when
he called him an old man. Suddenly
another girl arose before his mental
vision-a modern girl-very different
indeed from the one who married the
baker. She was the only woman in the
world with whom he was On speaking
terms, and he knew her merely because
her light and niEsle fingers PLAYED the
business sonata Of ono note on his Office
typewriter. Miss Gale was pretty. Of
| course-sll typewriter girls are-and it
was generally understood i'll the Office
that she belonged to good family which
had come down i'll the world. Her some-
what independent air deepened this con-
viction and kept the clerks at a dis
tance. She was a sensible girl, who
realized that the typewriter paid better
than the piano, and accordingly turned
| the experiences of her white fingers to
the former instrument. Richard Den.
ham sat down upon park bench.
why not:' he asked himself. There
vas 10 reason against 1t, except that he
| felt ne had not the courage. Noyerthe-
less he formed desperate resolution.
Next day business went On as usual.
Letters were answered. and the time ar
rived when Miss Gale came in to see if
] he had any further commands that I.y.
| Deniiam hesitated. He felt vaguely that
q business Office was not the proper
place for proposal. yet he knew he
would be at disadvantage anywhere
else. IA the first place, he had no plau-
sible excuse for calling upon the young
woman at home, and in the second
place he knew if he once got there he
would be stricken dumb. 1t must either
be at LIS Office or nowhere
''Sit down moment, Miss Gall, -
he said at last. II wanted to consult
you about a mattcr-aSout business
matter
Miss Gale seated herself and auto.
matically placed on her knee the short.
hand writing pad. ready to take down
! his Instructions. She looked up at him
expectantly. Denhanl, in an embarrass.
ed manner, ran his fingers through his
hair.
II am thinking" he began, "of tax.
ing a partner. The business is very
prosperous now. In fact. it has been &c
for some time
"Yes?" said Miss Gale interrogative
~.
Eyes. / think I should have part
ner. 1t is about that wanted to speal
to you
Don't You think it would be bette,
to consult with Mr.. Rogers: He know.
more about business than l. But perhap:
it is Mr.. Rogers who is to be the part
nen2''
mo, it is not Rogers Rogers is 6
good man. Butt is not Rogers
''Then think. in an important mat
ter like this. Mr.. Rogers. or some ont