The news & observer., 1897-06-06
THE TELEGRAPH
MESSENGER

atoms had been caught in sudden whlrl-
pool, as, indeed, many of them were. Ihey
gesticulated and shouted all together. Ii
seemed as if u mad house had unexpect-
edly debouched its contents. Young HOW
ard wayered a moment, seemingly ara" Il
nv some unseen force to plunge INTO the
maeIstrom; then his gaze wandered To-
ward the telegraph office, where ne s~'"
the girl standing with wide open eyes
looking at the turmoil, While 'onhnle
Eielders was quite evidently explaining
that there was no danger, ana tha' NJ was
not q free fight nor the beginning oi
football match. ~
Come" said Howard, now IS the
time"
The manager. still with visible reluc-
onoo turned and led the way to the tele-
graph Office
voice heard with difficulty above the din,
..may | introduce to you friend of your
fathers. Mr.. Stillson HowardT
THE girl raising her eyes, saw before
ber q Young man, who might convention
ally described as fine looking, with dark
moustache, and a firmly nodded self-re-
liant chin.
Il am pleased to meet any one who
knew my father" she said.
II not only knew him, Miss McClintoch,
but / am indebted to him for many kind
words and much encouragement, at
time when had no great stock OF either
was once clerk in mis- office. Ii there
is anything cam do to help you here,
hope you will let me know, for l would
esteem it privilege to make, at ieast'
martial return for the debt l owe your
father"
THANK YOU" replied the girl simply.
Telegram, miss, if you please, SAID,
the falsetto voice of old Grimwood, as ne
leaned against the counter, holding IN
his hand a written message, and fasten-
ing his fishy eye ON the group. Il take
it, Mr.. Sandys, that this young lady 10
going to do US the honor of sending and
receiving our dispatches, and that will be
very nice indeed"
There was something in his tone which
xaid as plainly as words could have done,
II should be much obliged if you would
all attend strictly to business.
Sandys frowned, but said nothing
Fieders sprang forward, took the mes
sage, and ratified it off to Chicago. Mss
McClintoch sat down before her compart-
ment at the table, and young Howard LETT
the room, followed by the manager, VINO
once outside in the hall, touched his
friend on the arm and spoke in low voice
seriously:
IF may say it in all kindness, How
ard. l think you will only be hindrance
and not help to Miss McChntoch, If THIS
acquaintance goes further"
Howard's reply was an impatient NAL
ediction on old Grimwood, more terse
than polite.
20, no. continued the manager, Mr..
Grimwood is quite within his rights. Our
old friends daughter is there to do her
duty, and is anxious and well qualified to
do it, if, as l said before, she is not inter
fered with
"Pl break old Grimwood's neck for him
yet" growled Howard still harping
on the interruption, in stock ex-
change sense, of course" he added,
seeing the others look of alarm. I'm
not going to assault crippled man, you
hear no complaints that information now
reached ears not intended for IT. But
even had she done her work less honestly
or less expertly, he would have been
brave man who found fault with her con-
duct of business, for the whole board OF
trade, with the possible exception of old
Grimwood, was avowedly in love with
her. Some of the older men said they
liked her for her fathers sake, but pop
ular as he had undoubtedly been, this
hardly accounted for the universal admir-
alton bestowed upon his daughter, and
the stock exchange would have risen as
one man to protest against her removal
and Mr.. Sandys proposed such thing.
For the first time in history an action
of the Western Union received unstinted
appreciation. But they all recognized that
Howard had the lead as far as the fair
telegraphist was concerned, and that ne
was the man to keep it. The reluctant
introduction which he had practically
forced from the manager had given him
an advantage at the beginning, and many
of his young rivals maligned their luck
that this advantage nd not been theirs.
Howard sent many kilograms, and lin
gered over the counter as he handed them
in, turning away often to find the cold,
critical eye of old Gramwood fastened
upon him, which made him rave inward
ly and wish the ancient broker would at
tend to his own business; a complaint
which few had ever urged against the
hardened speculator.
home, young Howard met her at street
corner and expressed great surprise at
the coincidence. He told her he was on
his way to see a sick friend, who lived
on 10Th street, and was quite taken aback
when he learned that she also lived on
10th street. He made the brilliantly orr
ginal remark that this was a small world
after all, and asked if he might walk with
her, as their paths lay in the same direc.
ton. He was further amazed to hear
that she rarely took a street car, even
when it rained, for she was fond of walk
ing, and it turned out that he, too was
a devoted pedestrian. She believed what
he said, as women will when they have
a liking for man. and if his conscience
did not check him for his mendacity, j,
must be remembered that his was con
science nurtured in the wheat pit, and
know, but I'll give him life in wheat
some of these days; see if don't"
"The bankrnptcy courts have been KEEP