Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1896-04-02
A BOOKKEEPER.

"Brr--what a fogl" said the good
man stepping out into the street. He
quickly turns up his coat collar, covers
his mouth with his muffler, 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 so
very thick in the streets, because in 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 tho doo"e p~r o~c.i.
making the stalls slippery and til0 bal.
listers moist. The movement Of many
vehicles and the passing to and fro Of tie
early crowd driven out to work By Tic
pressure of poverty cut it up, carry il
away, disperse it, dropping it Oh the
clothes Of the Office boys, wotting the
waterproofs Of the shopgirls and dim
ming their thin, sleazy veils.
But at tho docks, still silent and de-
serted, on the bridges, the shore and the
river, it is still dense, heavy mist,
Opaque, immovable, and the rising sun
behind the church of Notre Dame seems
shining like night lamp through q
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 loungors.
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 el .
bows and gazing into the water with q
weary look. Our good man regards
them a little closely-the water isBo con-
veniently 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; tho fog mounting between its
waves seems to deaden the surface. The
black roofs on the shore, with pipes
jutting out uneyenly from the ohimneys,
give dim reflection of fog and smoke.
Our good man does not seem to find this
ut nll 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 accustom.
cd to these foggy mornings ON the Seine.
Besides, he knows that a little distance
farther ON, as his Office, he will find a
snug, we'll lined foot warmer, u good
fire in his stove and warm plate for
his breakfast. These are the joys of
bookkeeper "A prisonlike happiness
known only to the poor stunted creatures
whose lives arc passed in dark corners.
81 must not tofelt 10 bry some ap-
ples," 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 Hero the fog is much more
intense. 1t comes from three points at
once, almost blots ont the high towers
of the church, and gathers in thick
mass ut the angles of the bridge, as il
striving to conceal something.
Our good man stops, lie is ut 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 I'LL
ed with 'SSangos, apples and craokors.
All, the buauitul apples, fresh aud
rosy in tho mistl N-
Our good man oils his pockets, snil-
ing at tho apple woman, who shiyurs
with the cold though her teot are oU-
cased in u foot warmer. Then he pushes
through the fog and touches y door,
opens it and crosses a small court, wAero
u cant is standing, with the horse har-
messed.
"Is there anything for us this morn.
ing?" he asks, us no passes along.
Yes, sir, aud something worry gonteel
too. "
Then he quickly enters his Office Il
is voly warm md comfortable there;
the stove craoliles in the cornur, the foot
warnor is IA is place. aud his armchair
is ca;mS Tor him close up 60 the win
dow iu a good light
The fug makes u mellow curtain over
The window paaes, giving n mild ard
uniform hight Big lodgegs with srasn
backs aro ranged in order ON their