The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-09-02
A BOOKKEEPER.


quickly turns up his coat collar, covers
his mouth with his muller, bonds 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 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
listers moist. The movement Of many
vehicles and tho passing to and fro Of the
early crowd driven out to work by the
pressure of poverty cut it up, carry it
away, disperse it, dropping it on tho
clothes Of the Office boys, wetting tho
waterproofs of the shopgirls and dim
ming their thin, sleazy wells.
But at the docks, still silent and de-
serted, on tire bridges, the shore and the
river, it is still dense, heavy mist,
opaque, immovable, and the rising sun
behind tho church Of Notre Dame seems
shining like a night lamp through
furnished cover.
Despite the wind and the mist, our
good man follows tho docks. He could
easily take another road to reach his Of
flee, but the docks have mysterious
attraction for him. He seems to take
pleasure III walking along the parapets,
i'll grazing the stone balusters bearing
the elbow marks Of loungers.
q, At that hour and in such weather the
loungers are few-only here and there
do we see a woman carrying basket If
clothes leaning against the parapot. or
some poor wretch resting upon his a.
bows and gazing into the water with
weary look. Our good man regards
them little clOsely-tne water is 30 con-
veniently near then-and there seems to
be in his mind some strange connecting
thought as he looks at them and the
river. Tho river is not cheerful this
morning; the fog mounting between its
waves seems to deaden tho surface The
black roofs on the shore, with pipes
jutting out unevenly 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
drenchCd with tho drizzle, but he plOds
on with pleasant smile at the corner
Of his mouth.
Long, long ago, he became accustom-
ed totheso foggy mornings on the Seine
Besides, he knows that a little distance
farther on, at his Office, he will find
SING, we'll lined foot warmer, good
fire in his stove and warm plate for
his breakfast. These arc the joys Of a
bNokkeepcr IA prisoulike happiness
known only to tho poor stunted creatures
whose lives are passed in dark corners.
"l must not forget to buy some APP
pies, says our good man to himself
from time to time. And he whistles and
haateus along. You have rarely seen one
hurry to his work moro chocrfully.
Docks, and still nothing but docks,
finally "a bridge. and we are bchind tho
Metre 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 at the angles O. the bridge, as if
striving to conceal something.
Our good man stops. Ho is at his
place Of work Dimly in the durk shad-
oWs we can distinguish somc forms Oh
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 mist!
Our good man fills his pockets, smil-
ing at tho 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 and crosses small court, where
cart is standing, with the horse har-
messed.
Is there anything for us this morn
lngt' he asks, as he passes along.
Yes, sir, and something very genteel
too. "
Then he quickly enters his office. 1t
is very warm and comfortable there;
the stove Cracklcs 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 q mild and
uniform light. Big ledgers with green
backs are ranged in order on their