Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-05-10

him sitting on the table and Miss DOL
ly laughing and talking gayly, with
flushed cheeks and starry eyes.
After that Miss Dolly was no longer
dignified with the shipping clerk. She
smiled ut him bewitchingly and gave
him shy. coquettish gIances and lei
him button her gloves. He thought her
charming and matters were going
along swimmingly, but somehow tie
bookkeeper did not feel SO elated over
his success as might have been ex.
pected.
There was curious ache at his heart.
and he began to feel most unreason'
able dislike toward the shipping clerk
What an impudent young fellow ht
was; he positively forced his atten lions
upon Miss Dolly! Was ale the man fol
her? The bookkeeper had meant II
for her good, but had he done the
wisest thing? He never could man
age to walk home with her at all now
and he missed the little condolences
she had been wont to give him. She
hardly ever spoke to him nowadays,
: she even appeared to avoid him and
he turned to his work with a sigh.
One evening he watched them going
away together and he noticed what a
handsome, cleanlimbed young fellow
the shipping clerk was and how dainti'
| ly Miss Dolly lifted her skirts, and what
a handsome couple they made, and he
turned away to the little mirror and
! scrutinized with earnest eyes the face
that greeted him there. He noted bit
terly the gray sprinkled in the dark
hair and the wrinkles about the eyes
and the grave mouth.
What fool have been!" he cried
passionately. All. poor, clumsy, great
hearted spider, caught in the web 1t
had so carefully woven for the I'M
suspecting fly
But now that he had begun this wor,
he would not 60 back, no, not it it
brought the keenest torture into his
life. He had deliberately brought il
upon himself and must bear the conse
quences. And if Miss Dolly loved The
shipping clerk, why, she must have
him-her happiness came first of all
So he crushed his heart sternly ant
bore the anguish as silently as h'
could.
But it was hard, hard work, as thu
days went by. Miss Dolly had grow
CAV again, sometimes it seemed almos
a feverish gayety, she was so bright
and restless. The bookkeeper caugh
himself watching her and was aston
ished to remember how long he ha(
unconsciously been doing so.
Once he came upon them standing
close together and the shipping clerl
was bending over her slim, gloved hant
fastening most refractory button an'
looking up at her with ardent eyes
Miss Dolly started, and then droppe'
her eyes, flushing rosily. And thu
bookkeeper clinched his hands.
mighty impulse came over him to fling
the shipping clerk through the ope'
door, and he took one quick step
Then he controlled himself by an effor
and went on to his desk.
After that he hardly dared look a
Miss Dolly and seldom trusted himse'
to speak. His only safety lay in work
SO he toiled away from morning til
evening with the tireless energy OF
machine.
Then one day came the news of tn
shipping clerks promotion, good pc
sition, snug salary. The bookkeepe
knew what that meant. He wonders
DULY how long it would be before tia
shipping clerk took her away. or
what would the office be like withoN
her! However, she would be happy; h
was so glad she would be happy.
He stood beside her at the windo,
as she was getting ready to leave, an
thought what lucky fellow the shil
ping clerk was. All things had com
to him.
THAT promotion is a fine thing 70
Wells" he said. II am so glad it came.
"Yes, l am, too," Miss Dolly al
swered, pausing to watch the sunse
She looked subdued and thoughtful i
it's red glow.
"He deserves it," the bookkeepe
said. gently "And l am SO glad to
your sake"
Miss Dolly turnedon him.
"And why are you glad for my sake?
"Well, because, CT course, it mus
mean so much to you."
Miss Dolly flung out her hand in
patiently.
"And why should it mean so much fc
me?" she demanded.
The bookkeeper foundered stupid.
lie did not understand these bewilde
ing woman's moods.
Il thought, you know. you acted
if, it seemed like you cared. i
thought you were in love with him."
"You seemed determined that
should bel" flashed Miss Dolly. The
she said. softly: II was in love-but NJ
with him."
Her eyes we're fled dreamily on IL
purple clouds in the west, but thel
was something in her face that mac
the bookkeeper take sudden strid
toward her and cry out, tiercely:
I bnvo 1irhf knOV