The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-08-07
Bashful Blinker".
BY j. NJ. SYMPTOM.

:.
| think in tie time to come when this
shall have become the classic period for the
future centuries as the ancient Greek is
the classic for us o. this time, that instead
of the maiden with the dstaff as we have,
they will have the maiden at the type
writer, as one of the beautiful figures that
make art everlasting.
Her eyes were so blue, her cheeks were
so pink, and truly, her hair must have
been transplanted from the banks of the
Pactolus whose shifting sands were crystals
of pure gold.
The man sat near her debating letter.
On the window pane next to the street
were the words "FTurford Blinker x Co.,
Brokers'" aud the man debating was the
Elinkcr of the firm. He was also the Hur-
ford and the Co.. seeing that he had bought
out everybody else, including the we'll
known name Of the firm.
And that man was Blinker- Haverhill
Blinker. A bachelor Of forty years exper-
fence, n business man Of large and increas-
ing wealth a calculating Spectator, good
all round fellow, and among women the
very prototype and synonym of hashful
ness To see him bow and smile to and at
a lady when meeting her would have led
the most critical to say he was a courtier
of courtiers, but if it became necessary for
him to 20 beyond the bowling and smiling
limit, life had no further charms for Haver-
hill Blnker. Strange to say, too, he was
not always conscious of his weakness, and
there were times when he really thought
he was quite ladies' man
When he recovered from one of these
latter attacks he was always surrounded by
large circle OF sympathizing friends
(male).
Until within six months he had never
been able to persuade himself that the real
and only way to accustom himself to the
use of woman's society was to employ n
'lady-typewriter,' and then he did it
because a relative of his, his aunt, in fact,
in Il neighhoring town, had asked him as
special favor TO help the daughter of an
old school friend Of hers, in sore distress,
who was quite skilled stepographer and
typewriter.
1t was entirely beyond the comprehensi-
blity of Mr.. Blnker's aunt that Mr..
BDinker would give her employment, but
the aunt thought he might know some one
l, - o., ,ha,
he wrote to his aunt saying that he would
give the Young woman a place in bis office
OF $40 month she was more than sur
prised- she was delighted, and she sent
the golden haired daughter OF her dear old
school friend right over to her nephew.
The day she made her first appearance
Mr. Blinker was out when she called about
II O'Clock, and the Office boy and the clerk
having insisted upon her remaining for
few minutes until Mr.. Blinker should
return, she sat down by the window and
Office boy and the clerk were each putting
in every moment Of his spare time watch
ing her and wondering what the mischief
business an angel right from heaven had
with Mr. Blinkcr.
When Mr.. Blnker finally appeared, and
the Office boy and the clerk collapsed, he
hadn't the least idea who she was and his
heart began to pound so on the inside OF
him that he thought it was the janitor
turning on more steam and shaking up the
radiators in the office and halls 1t was
the very first tire y: - ever seen wo-
man in his office, and the experience was
so entirely novel that for an instant he was
speechless.
"Is this Mr. Blinker?" she inquired,
toward her.
"Yes'm' responded Mr.. Blinker, rs il he
were school boy about to be licked for
FASTING wet wad on the wall MAY l
inquire to what l am indebted for the
honor of this visit, ma am ?"
Blnker would no more have made such
an egregiously silly and stited speech as
that to mar that he would have tried to
tell the truth in Chicago but this was a
woman. and Blinker was not responsible.
"Your aunt" said the visitor with
rougish twinkle in her eye. but Blinker
didn't see it any more than he saw profit
in honest politics.
I-I-beg your pardon, ma'am," he
stammered.
The very idea of his saying "Ma'am, to
a girl like that! 1t would have been
criminal il Mr.. Blinker had been respon-
sible.
Then she told him who she was and the
way Mr.. Blnker began to assume airs and
strut around as If he were mighty poten-
tate with a lot Of subjects was as funny rs
it could be.
Now she had been with him six months,
and he sat near her debating letter.
In the midst of it he stopped ST ont.
He had been tempted ia do tais many
times before. He lad studied tie matter