The Afro-American advance. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1899-19??, 1899-07-22
There wa. n curious ache at his heart,


There was curious ache at his heart,
aud he began to feel most unTeason-
able dislike toward the shipping clerk.
What an inpudent young follow lie
/ was; be positively forced his attentions
| upon Miss Dolly. Was he the man for
her? Tte bookkeeper had meant IL
/ for her good. but had he done the
| wisest thinR2 lie never could man.
age TO walk home with her at all now
/ and he missed the little condolences
| she had been went TO give him. She
| hardly ever spoke TO him nowadays,
she even appeared to avoid him aud
he turned TO his work with sigh.
One evening he watched them going
away together and be noticed what a
handsome, eleaH-Iimbed young fellow
the shipping clerk was and how dainti-
| Is Miss Dolly lifted her skirts, and what
handsome couple they made, and he
turned away TO the little mirror and
serutinized with earnest eyes the face
TINT greeted him there. lie noted Bit
terly the gray sprinkled in the dark
| hair and the wrinkles about the eyes
and the grave mouth.
What a fool ! have beeni" be cried,
passionate. All, poor. clumsy, great
hearted spider, eaught in the web he
had so carefully woven for he un-
suspecting fly.
But now that he had begun this work
he would not go back, no, not fit
brought the keenest torture into bis
life. lie had deliberately brought 1t
upon himself and must bear the conse-
qucnces. And IL Miss Dolly loved the
shipping clerk, why. she must have
him-her happiness came first OF all.
So he crushed his heart sternly and
bore the anguish as silently as he
could.
But II was hard, hard work, as the
days went by. Miss Dolly had grown
gay again. sometimes il seemed almost
fevcrish gayety, she was 80 bright
and restless. The bookkecper caught
himself watching her and was nston-
ishrd 10 remember how long he had
uneonsciously been doing 50.
Once he came upon them standing
close together and the shipping clerk
was bending over her slim, eloyed hand
fastening most refractory button and
looking up at her with ardent eyes.
Miss Dolly started, and then dropped
her eyes. flushing rosily. And the
bookkecper clinched his hands.
mighty impulse came over him 10 fling
the shipping clerk through the open
door, and he took one quick step.
Then he controlled himself by an effort
and went on to his desk.
After that he hardly dared look Mt
Miss Dolly and seldom trusted himself
to speak Ills only safety lay in work,
SO he toiled away from morning till
evening with the tireless energy of
machine.
Then one day came the news of the
shipping clerks promotion. "a good po-
sition. u snug salary. The bookkeeper
knew what that meant. lie wondered
DULY how long Il would be before the
shipping clerk took her away oh,
what would the Office be like without
heri However. she would be happy he
was No glad she would he happy
lie stood beside her at the window
as she was getting ready to leave, aud
thought what lucky fellow the ship.
ping clerk was. All things had come
To him.
THAT promotion Is a fine thing for
| Wells" he said. II am so glad II came"
"Yca, | am. too" Miss Dolly an.
swercd. pausing 10 watch the sunset.
| She looked subducd and thoughtful in
its red glow.
tile deserves IT," the bookkeeper
said gently. And | am so glad for
your sake"
| Miss Dolly turned on him.
"And why are you glad for my sake9"
| "Ncll, because, of course, IL must
mean so much To you
Miss Dolly flung out her hand inn
patiently,
"And why should IL mean 80 much for
mos" she demanded,
The bookkccper noundcrcd stupidity.
He did not understand these heW iller.
ing woman's moods.
II thought. you know, you acted rs
/ ". II seemed like YOU cared, IL
thought Sou were in love with him
"Nou seemed determined that
should bel" flashed Miss Dolly Then
she said softly: Twas ia lovc--but not
with him.
Her eyes were fixed drchmily ON the
| purple clouds IN the west. but there
was something In her face that made
| the hookkceper take sudden stride
toward her and cry out, hercely;
Dolly | have right 10 knowl
Who was II that you were in love
wlth2"
Then Dolly dropped her coquetries
and lifted her clear eyes 90 his face
and held out her hands.
at was you" she said. simply.
Aud the bookkeeper- well, no matter
what he did. y. Y News.
i