The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-02-26
A BOOKKEEPER.

stBrr-what a fogn said the good
man stepping out into the street. He
quickly turns up his coat collar, covers
his mouth with his mufaer, bends down
his head, and, thrusting his hands into
his coat pockets, he sets out for the Office,
whistling on the way.
Without doubt regular fog. Not 50
very thick III the streets, because i'll the
heart of Paris fog, like snow, does not
stay long. 1t is pierced and torn by tho
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
listers moist. The movement Of many
vehicles and the passing to and fro of the
early crowd driven out to work by the
pressure of poverty cut it up, carry it
away, dispcrse 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 snn
behind the church of Notre Dame seems
shining like q 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 tc take
pleasure in walking along the parapets,
III grazing the stone balusters bearing
the elbow marks of loungers.
At that hour and in such weather the
Ioungers are few-only hero and there
do we see a woman carrying basket Of
clothes leaning against the parapet, or
some poor wretch resting upon his ell
bows and gazing into the water with
weary look. Oar good man regards
them little cl0sely-tho water is so COZ
yenieptly rear them-and there seems to
be in his mir, some strange connecting
thCQght IS le looks at them and the
river. The r.ver is not cheerful this
morning; the fog mounting between its
waves seems } deaden the surface. The
black roofs tn the shore, with pipes
jutting out IN evenly from the chimneys,
give dim rejection CT fog and smoke.
Oar good mar does not seem to find this
at all melancholy. He is thoroughly
drenched with tho drizzle, but he plods
Oh with a pleasant smile at the corner
Of his mouth.
Long, long ago, he became accustom-
ed tothese fogsy mornings On the Seine.
Besides, be knows that little distance
farther CD, at his Office, he will find
snug, well lined foot warmer, a good
fire in his stove and 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.
81 must not forget to buy some ap-
ples," says our good man to himself
from time to time. And lie whistles and
hastens along. You have rarely seen one
hurry to his work more chcerfully.
Docks, and still nothing bat docks,
finally bridge, and we are behind tie
Notro Dame Here the fog is much more
intense. 1t comes from three points at
once, almost bIots out the high towers
Of the church, and gathers in thick
lass at the angles CT the bridge, as if
striving to conceal something.
Our good man stops. Ee is at his
place Of work. Dimly in the dark sbad-
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 fat baskets fill
ed with oranges, apples ard crackers.
All, the beautiful apples, fresh and
rosy in the mist!
Our good man fills his pockets, smil-
ing at the apple woman, who shivers
with the cold though her feet are en-
cased in foot warmer. Then he pushes
through the fog and touches door,
opens it AID crosses small court, where
a cart is standing, with the horse har-
messed.
"Is there anything for Us this morn
iDg:' he asks, as he passes alcrS.
Eyes, SIR, and something very gc2teel
too.
Then he quickly enters bis Office. 1t
is very warm and comfortable there;
the stove crackIes u the corner, the foot
warmer is in its place, and his armchair
is waiting for him close up to the win
dow il coed light.
Tie fog makes mellow curtain over
tba ,indow panes, giving a mild and
Uniform light Big ledgers with green
backs are ranged in order ca their