The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1899-03-30
NOTHING PER CENT.

iNffAk ffGm tbNec NAtFA"bNSr
ltha tse do.n stair. hoei sipdos boz
the legend, aLysn 0tfise." 10 large bise'
ltilefs 10 v i,e sfoond. qaies' ofde
10, middle aged msn wss Nj. johnson
and people sho met him 10 The st'eet sn'
dli noi kuox hin sonld have taken hiu
iot 90, tbiss rsIh,r ibsn man Who po
ont be money to usnrv,
Certainly there wss nothing oil ihe sb!
locK about bin ss be sat one II riug mori
iB bis Dizzy etiee soips over mnei
ihum bed secount book. he vas tall
spare lrosely built man, With pale f.c'
sod thie. struggling crop Of beard sut
wbisket that always looked 81 II u hsd
stosa 10 patches Uususily uhsn be ss'
no, taking to hl. clients he carried :
qaIi pen 10 his mouth There "" soms
isine 10 this habit which gave him The
appearance Of o. sbsirscted poodle carry
ins stick.
Mr johnson vas deeply en, rossed 10
the consideration Of . certain entry 10 1is
.ccoout book when the door OF the losn
G N 20 opened very suddenly sni 80, the
bell ringing With sharp dissonsnoe. de
hear a light step 10 the little lobby
sblcb w.s psrtitioaej ofl from the rest oil
the room. For moment be dad mol
answer the sumnoDs oi the bell. IL vas
| a. H. taa hat N "a
come callers. fut presently he rose and
opened the door. the Quill pen still retain
Jog its hor.z zlDtil position 10 bis nonsb.
Il. lifted bic eyes csrelessly from the little
swipg counter to the person who stood be
hind 1t He was no. easily surprised, Tor
he bad seen m ny strange tbines IN his
time, but what he nov saw surprised Lin
into vague, uncomfortable silence.
Rebini the little counter stood young
lady nay. 3 girl OF some Is or 10 years.
lash ionsbly dressed. evidently OF good
position aud pslpsble refinement Her
pretty, fresh face. revealed itself to Mr..
J0hnsons ssionished eyes from beneath
the ravishmeats OF much bt bthowered pic
ture hst and seemed strangely out Of keep
log WITH the dingy color OF bis little lobby.
Ga er you are Mr.. William JohnsonH
abe said
Y,s. answered Mr.. johnson.
| | want to tor ow some money, she
said, looking out Of hall sverted eyes st
the money lender
Nr, Jo1oson's hnt impulse was to
stretch Gu his hand for one OF the sppli
cation forms which stood ready IN email
box on the counter, but upon rhsction be
lifted the swinging shelf and asked this
new client to step inside. When che had
passed into the ofiice he closed the door
and joined her. aud from sheer force OF
habit be restored the quill pen to his
mouth. The girl saw the resemblance to
the abstrActed poodle, and q smile ripPled
over b, r face. Mr. johnson did not oh
serve IL. He indicated chair at the side
Of his desk. snd when the girl had taken
/. resumed bis own seat and looked Ut ner.
What amount did you wish to borrow,
ma am? said Mr.. johnson.
Wa -sh well, fl0.
Now-sid Mr.. johnson. | suppose
you could furnish good securityp
l Thought that you lit says 10 your I'D
vertisement, you know. that you lend
money on borrowers note Of hand alone
| think that's how it's put, isn't it and no
iuquiries and no securities Isn't that it?
To approved borro wers -yes, answered
AFR Johnson,
Oa. said the Girl, o., then you -
We don't lend money Without security,
said Mr. Johntoo. OF couree II We know
the party and know that it's .ll light and
safe. Why, OF course, in that case
see. said the girl. Yes OF course You
don't know anything about me. How
silly OF mel thought one bsd llst to
come snd get the money and u,ns paper
or somttoing.
The girl looked up from hfr psrasol,
With whish ehe had been tracing imagin
,ry patterns on The noor
Perhaps Id bitter tell you all about II.
she said, or cours, you woL't tell any
body, will youf
Never divulg g. professional secrets, said
Mr.. johnson.
Well. / want 10 b ROW go 10 boy
bicy Gle. Their, said the girl. With = deei
sive p oi the psrasol upon the hoor
You see, I've spent every penny OF my
quarters sllowsnce. and there's still .
month before I'se any more due and
simply must have that bicycle, aud
looked over all the Advertisements sbout
money snd saw Your, and so ! came TO
you.
Might ! e; quite VIA, name. ma'smf
said MIR. johnson.
Oh, I'm Mrs Ls,timerl OF course yon
know my father. Mr.. Robert L,t,imer2
Certainly, replied Mr. J1bnsop. more
setonished tLsn tvtr. I've 90 doubt he'j
buy you bicy cIe nov.
No. be voi. I he thinks tso hnnlred
yesr quite enoasb for girl t, speud.
No: shall b.ve TO tuy ny oan bicycle.
Mr. johnson took The quill pen oct Of
bis nou aud scr.teh3l bis head wnh
the ieslhir enj OF II,
I'm sifsii your father vculjnt sp
prove N IAN he began
0a, bat hes not 10 hnos. Tits 10
ht,ls oe.i bel~een you snd ne. Alter
III its 10, getting thinss on credit, 10 IN
Bsesass the monty sill really be rlre
when youve leo, 1t to me. Won't ~