The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-07-21


Pythias act with old Martin. I'm forced
to abuse your generosity. Thank you,
thank you'll It's been boon to talk to
you. 1t has indeed. I'llwork the racket
with Calvert little slow. May be a day
OF two before I get it around to him
That the coast is clear. Then I'll have
70 wait upon occasion for good excuse
TO Jump down there and take his place.
II the Office gets on to me, there's no
telling what'll be to pay. Good day,
good dayl I'd jump at the chance to
help You get married.
Bentley picked up his hat and his
cigar. put the one on the back Of his
head and the other in his mouth, just
as he gave me what was in spirit
courteous. grateful little nod Of fare
well.
Old Martins little girl still bent her
pretty head studiously over her copy
without hairbreadth's variation Of
attitude.
T. Calvert had just come in and seated
bimsef in scowling introspectlve preoc-
kppation at his desk.
That was the last saw of the Office
for three months. On the way home
through the untimely movement of
car, I sprained my ankle, and for
weary while was confined to the house
In few days, however. I began
work again, writing as lay on sofa
and depending on messenger boys and
visits Of mingled business and condo
lence from other members of the staff
to keep me in touch with the Office
had been at home perhaps month
when one day Mr.. Maloney, gentle
man who had filed by turns many diff
ferent positions in The Appeal office,
each, as rule, being less important
than the last, was ushered in. The joy
OF gossip lighted up his bleary blue eyes.
And how are you, Miss AddingtonY"
he began. He had charming touch of
brogue. "And indeed it's enough to
make the old one himself sorry for you
to see what a good time you get out of
the worst Of OCCASIONS That is a bit of
paradox, you are Saying, and SO is
every other true thing that ever was
remarked in this topsy turvy world, and
you are the one that's got the philo-
sophical head on your shoulders to find
that out long ago without waiting for
an observant old blind mole like me to
tell you. Yes. I'm an illustration-al-
low me. Maloney shakily stopped to
pick up my pen. 81 can serve as an IL
lustration when you write your cele-
brated treatise on the paradoxical And
now don't interrupt me for the space of
minute. You're a sad chatterbox,
Miss Arlington.
he stopped and laid an unmanicured
forefnger against his grizzled temple.
'sI'm preparing the way to graceful
transition. would be telling you some
thing that is for your amusement. I
am an observant old mole, was say
ing. and now can't be giving you one
particle of useful information as to
whether or no the boss is going to sell
the paper out to the Republicans next
week nor as to what will become Of
you and me if he does, though I dare
say there are other blind moles that
have discovered all that, but I'm about
to tell you that that big brute Bentley
is in love with that old proofreader' 9
little girl, and none in the Office knows
it but me and him, and it's ten to one
4 AAOW AZ OCSb1 Les sure, i UuOuRub
you'd be grateful to me for little di-
version like that. It's not every day
you can see or even hear what brass
monkey like when it's in love. Its ex-
perience much more resembles that of a
white man than you would ever mag
inc, and that $ the truth. No, he's not
trying, as he would say himself-worse
luck to him-he's not just trying to
mash her; he's in love, I'm telling you,
and his feelings are not dissimilar to
those depicted by Tom Moore and other
poets that the hulking ignoramus never
heard of. and there is the paradoxical
for you. Ne bald spot was bigger than
a trade dollar before could have be-
lieved such contradiction possible. SO
think what an inexplicable surprise it
must be to him, that has no more power
Of ratiocination than me blackthorn
there. have been industriously gath
ering the evidence for days. till me con-
viction was complete. before I'd come
to tell you.
"Well. now, the first noticed was
the way he went white and red when
she came to speak to him about his copy
OuS udy. Az AAAS Alo WAGu rags 10 IuluR
Of that; it does indeed. To think Of him
having the additional impudence to ex-
hibit capacity for changing color like
grill"
Maloney staid an hour and 1 am
sure missed an assignment. telling me
with infinite relish of detail all the ms
and outs of Bentley's maneuvers.
"He used to write exceptionally clear
copy. you know" said he. ''He has no
more education than me pet cat, but
he can write like grocer's clerk, and
he used to do it. I've edited his copy
for all he makes such big money. When
old Sheffield was managing, he used to
call on me to help him out when he
was incapacitated with drink. He said
but it's no matter what he said; his
betters have said more But I've edited
Bentley's copy when it was clear as
print. and now, if you II believe me. it
Iool,, l;<<1o hoffor <bop yo,,, ax,,,, 100.