The Republican., 1899-08-10
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THE BOOKKEEPER'S
MISTAKE
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L sliding window coyertly watching
Miss Dolly over the top of his ledger
She was leaning rather dciectedly over
her typewriter, with her head on her
hand and her eyes gazing wistfully
through the window.
The regular scratch, scratch of the
shipping clerk $ pen was the only sound
in the office, and presently Miss Dolly's
eyes wandered in that direction and
fingered on the curly head bending over
the desk in the corner. They fingered
there long while, then she reused her
self with little sigh and began to fold
her letters
The boollkeeper nodded to himself.
There is something wrong with Miss
Dolly. She hasn't been like herself for
a long time. She used to sing and rattle
away so cheerily, and now she sighs and
looks wistful and is too quiet. have
watched her. And | know what it is.
She is in love with the shipping clerk
] was young fellow myself once"
The bookeeper was not yet 10. but
care and hard work had brought little
gray into his hair, and his youth seemed
very far away.
Presently he opened the door of his
cage
Miss Dolly, you may as wei go now.
You don't look weA, and Mr.. Sperry will
not be back this evening"
'Oh, thank you," she said, and closed
up her typewriter and put on her hat,
When she had gone the bookkeeper
sat for long time thinking hard. He
was meditating a plan of attack. for
Miss Dolly was too nice girl to waste
her affections on tire shipping clerk.
The boollkeeper had fallen into the
habit of walking home with her in the
evening, their roads lying together, and
he knew what n sweet, lovable, woman
ly nature she had. The shipping clerk
must be made to realize this. He must
have his eyes opGned.
In his corner that young gentleman
scratched away, blissfully unconscious
of the schemes darkening over his
blonde head. He looked up when the
bookkeeper came over and sat down by
his desk.
Il think Miss Dolly is very sweet
girl, don't you, Wells?" said the book
keeper.
Yes, she is rather nice little girl"
answered the shipping clerk, a little
surprised. The bookkeeper seldom had
anything to say. But he went on.
''She is more than rather nice She
has a lovely disposition and is very
pretty, too. | have been walking home
with her at nights and have had good
opportunity to judge. l think she is a
girl in thousand"
Failing in love with her?" asked the
shipping clerk.
"Oh, no, no. Nothing like that for
me. She didn$ look we'll this after
noon, and | was thinking of her, that's
all"
The shipping clerk had his suspi-
Cions, however, and Miss Dolly acquired
a new interest for him. He talked to
her whenever he could get a chance
and found her rather dignifed and re-
served, which only made him more
eager to draw her out. The bookkeeper
helped matters along all he could. He
left them alone together whenever an
opportunity afforded, he dropped lit
tie judicious words and he gave Up
his evening walks with Miss Dolly, be-
ing always too busy to leave when
she did, so that it soon happened that
she and the shipping clerk began to
walk home together. That young man
had come to the conclusion that he
was mistaken in supposing the book
keeper to be in love with Miss Dolly.
The booklleeper game in suddenly one
day and TO, nd Miss Dolly crying. with
her pretty head dropped on her arms
Outstretched on the typewriter table.
He was much distressed and laid his
hand gently on her shoulder, but she
only shivered under his touch and
would not look up, so he went away
and communicated with the shipping
clerk. That gentleman evidently knew
what 10 do, for after waiting Il suit
able length Of time the bookkeeper fol-