Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-05-10
Nv. w w W 81. W ~ ~ ~ 81 81 q
THE BOOKKEEPER'S
MISTAKE .
~ NIS7sHNS7llSSa ~ sIS7lS alS7IS 9lS7EN

/ M UOOkkeepeT Sal Denlnu MS little
sliding window covertly watching
MSS Dolly over the top of his ledger.
She was leaning rather de ectedly 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
the desk in the corner. They fingered
there u 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
long time. She used to sing and rattle
away SO cheerily, and now she signs 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 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 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 Il l)", IF attack. for
Miss Dolly was too nice a 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
he knew what IL sweet. lovable, woman
ly nature she had. The shipping clerk
must be made to realize this. He must
have his eyes opened.
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.
II think Miss Dolly is very sweet
girl, don't you, Wells?" said the book
keeper.
Eyes, she is rather nice little girl
answered the shipping clerk, little
surprised. The bookkeeper seldom had
anything to say. But he went on.
'She is more than rather nice She
has lovely disposition and is very
pretty, too. Ihave been walking home
with her at nights and have had good
opportunity to judge. think she is
girl in thousand"
Failing in love with her?" asked the
shipping clerk.
"Oh, no, no. Nothing like that fol
me, She didn't look well this after
noon. and l 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 chance
and found her rather dignified and re-
served, which only made him more
eager to draw her out. The bookkeepel
helped matters along all he could. He
left them alone together whenever an
opportunity afforded, he dropped lit
tie iudicious words and he gave W
his evening walks with Miss Dolly, be-
ing always too busy to leave wher
she did, SO that it soon happened that
she and the shipping clerk began te
walk home together. That young mar
had come to the conclusion that ht
was mistaken in surprising the book
keeper to be in love with Miss Dolly
The bookkeeper came in suddenly ont
day and found Miss Dolly crying, will
her pretty head dropped on her arms
outstretched on the typewriter table.
He was much distressed and laid hi
hand gently on her shoulder, but sh'
only shivered under his touch ane
would not look up, SO he went ava,
and communicated with the shipping
clerk. That gentleman evidently knew
what to do, for after waiting suit
| 1oo &ol