Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1900-07-12

until June 1, and yet had an unreason.
ing feeling OF anger because the store
was not open.
Jones was not bad sort OF fellow
at all. We all of us are that way some
times.
Somebody was whlstling blithely
down the side street. The whistle
came around the corner. IL was &C.
companied by the little clerk. The
how gave one terrified look at the man
| in the doorway, and then at the town
clock and looked puzzled, but he stop
ped whistling.
There was no reason on earth why
Jones should not have said good
morning" blithely, but he did not. He
simply nodded and stood silent until
the little clerk unlocked the door, and
the shoe store door, which Is always
the same, and unlike anything else
swept out in his face. Then Jones
went in and watched the boy. He
watched him take the rugs out on the
front walk and mix up the sawdust and
water for the bare floor, and the soaked
paper scraps for the carpets. He went
and stood in the doorway while the lad
beat the rugs and swept and rolled the
long strips OF carpet that we're used In
front of The settees. He watched him
sweep the carpets and he watched him
sweep the spots OF bare floor and be-
hind the do up counter.
Jones didn't mean anything, but it
all seemed very real and horrible to
the little clerk. He usually whlstled
or sang as he did up his mornings
work, but he worked silently and ner-
vously on this particular morning.
Once Jones pointed toward little
patch of sawdust which had been left
by the boys broom, and once he took
the broom from the lads hands and re-
swept under the stove.
The sun peeped oyer the top of the
opposite building and shone brightly
in on the window trim. The boy did
not notice it. Jones walked rapidly
to the door and lowered the awning
The boy felt like convicted felon.
Once an early customer came in and
asked for number three and one-hall
rubber. The little clerk leaned his
broom up against the ledge and it fell
over with startling crash. The
three and one-half rubbers were al
out and the customer departed. The
little clerk felt more guilty than ever
He laid his dustpan down for mo
ment while he went to get his broom
and Jones picked up the dnstpan auc
hung it up, and it scared the little fel
low to 90 and take it down again.
He busted with the greatest care
and just as he was about to put the
' buster away, Jones walked over to the
counter. picked up pile of single pail
cartons and held them while the little
clerk busted the spot on the counter
where they had stood.
1t was sunny and delightful out o
doors, but it seemed horrible inside Il
the little clerk. And really Jones dit
not mean anything at all
Suddenly Jones seemed to think
something. He felt OF his coat pocket
and of his vest pockets, and then h
over to his light overcoat and searches
and went through several pockets. Fina
; ly he drew out pleasant looking cigar
He smelled of it thoughtfully and bi
. off the tip. He found match and dre'
. it along the under edge OF the do-u
n counter and looked cross-eyed at tn
tip of the cigar while he lighted
= carefully.
~ He had breakfasted so early that h
} had forgotten his morning cigar. ID
y took two or three whiffs and blew tn
. smoke in rings toward the ceiling.
. by Jove, Jimmy" he said, "this
y blame fine morning. I'll flip wit
you to see who goes to the ball gam
- this afternoon"
- Were you ever little clerk in
shoe store?-I. Fitem In Boots an
p" Shoes Weekly.