The Forrest City times., 1899-07-14
THE BOOKKEEPER'S
 MISTAKE
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 sliding window covertly watching Miss Dolly over the top of his ledger. She was leaning rather dejectedly over her typewriter, with her head on her hand and her eyes gazing wistfully through the window.
 The regular scratch, scratch of the shipping clerks 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 I 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 bookkeeper 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 I know what it is. She is in love with the shipping clerk. was young fellow myself once" Il The bookeeper was not yet 40, 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 well go now. You don't look well, and MT. 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 plan of attack, for Mss Dolly was too nice girl to waste her affections on the shipping clerk The bookkeeper had fallen into the habit of walking home with her in the evening, their roads lying together, and ne knew what a sweet, lovable, woman y nature she had. The shipping clerk must be made to realize this. He must nave his eyes opened.
 In his corner that young gentleman scratched away, blissfully unconscious ol the schemes darkening over his blonde head. He looked up when the oookkeeper came over and sat down by his desk.
 T think Miss Dolly is very sweet fgirl, don't you, Wells?" said the book Keeper.
 les, she is rather nice little girl" answered the shipping clerk, little surprlsed. The bookkeeper seldom had rhythlng to say. But he went on.
 She is more than rather nice She has 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 elrl in a thousand"
 Falling in love with her?" asked the Shipping clerk.
 oh, no, no. Nothing like that for ne She didn't look we'll this after loon, and l was thinking of her, that's
 Inc shipping clerk had his suspi- iohs, however, and Miss Dolly acquired
 new interest for him. He talked to er whenever he could get chance hu found her rather dignified and re- eNed, which only made him more aser to draw her out. The bookkeeper eiped matters along all he could. He ei' them alone together whenever an pportunity afforded, he dropped lit e Judicious words and he gave up iS evening walks with Miss Dolly, be-
 always too busy to leave when ne did, so that it soon happened that ns and the shipping clerk began to ak home together. That young man au come to the conclusion that he as mistaken in supposing the book
 eper to be in love with Miss Dolly. ue oookkeeper came in suddenly one
 s and found Miss Dolly crying, with
 pretty head dropped on her arms u1s're'ehed on the typewriter table.
 -ie was much distressed and laid his
 nu gently on her shoulder, but she
 " shivered under his touch and ,aid lot look up, so he went away
 u communicated with the shipping
 IN that gentleman evidently knew nat 10 do, for after waiting a sur.-
 'e length of time the bookkeeper fol-