The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-11-10
A STORE
ROMANCE

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William French prided himself on the
fact that he was not an ambitious man.
He was won't to say that envy and
discomfort are the twin roots of all evil
and that to be satisfied with ones lot
in life is the sum total Of all earthly
philosophy.
William did not put it that way ex-
actly, for he hadn't much more educa-
tion than he had ambition. But that
was what he meant when he would oc-
casionally announce to his fellow clerks
over the bowl of mush and milk that
formed his MONDAY meal at the "quick
lunch counter, "What l can get is
good enough for ME. and don't you for
get it,"
And his fellow clerks, mostly unam-
bilious men like himself. would general
ly reply, with laconic vagueness of ss-
sent, "That's what.
Williams lot in life was sufficiently
humble.
He sold tin bathtubs in the poorly
lighted basement of big department
store six days in the week His Sundays
he spent in riding secondhand bicy-
Gle, if it was fine, and reading the pic
torial papers or sewing refractory but
tons and reluctant patches on his cloth
ing when the weather precluded any
idea of outdoor amusement.
For William was a bachelor and
looked askance at the fair sex as the
lovely promoters of much of the dis
content he so sternly deprecated and the
gentle inciters of the reckless and wick
ed extravaganza whose existence in the
world he so greatly deplored.
So when he caught the tutter of a
skirt on any stray bicycle he CHANGED to
pass on lonely road he would scorch
sternly ahead and never once glance
around to see if the fair traveller was
riding for fun or to reduce her waist
| measure
From which it may be seen that Mr..
| French was very much of philosopher.
But, alas, even philosophers are not
exempt from the visitings of the tender
| passion, and it CHANGED one day that
| Cupid, for want of something better to
| do, chose to visit the basement of that
oarticular store and plant his dart deep
the heart of the young man who sold
tin bathtubsl
1t happened this way:
| A young woman came to fill a vacan-
cy in the graniteware department. next
to Williams own, and he, 50 long in
different and even callous to the charms
of woman, no sooner saw the new clerk
busy over her saucepans and teakettles
than he was smitten with desire to
possess her for his own.
Miss Thompson was not beautiful, te
be sure, nor was she at all imposing oi
appearance, that she should thus capti
vate the heart of this severe critic al
first sight And she trotted about with
brisk alertness of movement quite in
compatible with grace and elegance o.
movement.
But she suited William right dow1
to the ground.
no particular color perhaps. but some
, how when their gaze rested on William
he felt that here, at last, was one wht
could appreciate his true value almos
as keenly as he did himself. Her brown
hair, of a very ordinary shade, wa
parted very neatly over her smooth
brow in fashion extremely plain ant
unambtious compared with the impos
ing pompadours worn by the magnifcen
young ladies who sold ribbons and neck
ties at the counters up stairs and who's
airs and graces made William so un
comfortable that he frequently went t.
rival establishment to purchase tn
modest "made up" cravat which com
pleted his humble toilet.
Moreover. Miss Thompson's simpl
black alpaca gown, with its trinity belt
ed waist and spotless cuffs and collar
betrayed none of the wickedly extrava
" CANT ideas William had long considere
the prevalent weakness of the sex.
1t wasn't very long before the tw
young people became very friendly.
Stewpans and teakettles being NOR
in demand than bathtubs, Williar
was frequently called upon to assis
Miss Thompson in her department, an
this association with her afforded tn
young man moments of exquisite joy.
At other times he would watch hei
: busy over her cooking utensils, an
imagine how she would look in littl
kitchen of her own manipulating sin
liar implements in the preparation {
his own supper.
The thought was Intoxicating. He1
at last he had found a girl who woul
be willing to share his humble lot, h
told himself. A plain little thing lik
= her would probably regard tiny thre
room fiat such as he had in mind as
very palace of luxury. He himse
would seem to her a sort Of speci;
Providence through whose benevoler
intervention she would realize all thos
dreams of home and husband most gir
Y. indulge in.
"a This thought he found ever mol
D. agreeable than the other and he foun
u himself assuming a protecting and eve
patronizing air with 'r at times.
The enamored yo-ls man went {