Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1900-08-24

business.
Miss Mehetabel," he said, 'T have
known of you for several years, and
part of that time have been
acquainted personally with you What
l have heard of you has been most
highly to your credit and my own per.
sonal observation has only confirm
ed the common report of your in
dustry, your economy and your talents
for business" Abijah paused a mo-
ment to let his words sink in before
he continued. "I am, myself, not
wholly unknown to you" he went on,
with slight drawing up of the figure
and a little swelling out of the chest.
For many years | have been con-
Dected with the First National Bank
of Squawtunket, and | have been, per-
haps, If | may be allowed to say so,
not unimportant factor In the steady
growth and deserved success of that
Institution"
Miss Mehetabel stood bolt upright
behind her counter, he arms folded
her gray eyes with their piercing
black dots of pupils, fastened un-
winkingly upon the countenance of
Mr. Abijah Jopling, while her own
maintained its normal impassive grav-
ity. She was listening attentively,
but not eagerly. She may have won.
dered what object he had in view,
but curiosity was an emotional weak
ness not to be expressed. She neither
commented nor encouraged but mere
ly waited for him to unfold himself
my present salary" he continued,
'is 81 200 per annum, and I have. in.
vested in shares in the Squawtunket
and Squawoag Railroad company, ST.
$50, which is, at present, paying 7
per cent. dividends and which will,
when the Vanderbilts have purchased
the controlling interest, yield, at least,
10 per cent. per annum." Mr.. Jopling
paused again; this time to note the
effect of his statement but Miss Bas-
com, displaying no perceptible evi-
dence of emotion, and still regarding
him silently and without blinking he
experienced a slight feeling of dis
appointment.
"As an employe of the First Ma
tional Bank of Squawtunket," he re
sumed, "it has come under my no
tice Miss Mehetabel, that you have
on deposit there at present, the sum
of $S,543.06, on which you are receiv-
ing, of course, in a bank of deposit,
no interest whatsoever. Suppose, Miss
Mehetabel-now do not be startled at
what am about to say" miss Mehe-
label looked about as likely to be
startled as a wooden Indian, and fully
as self-contained as a hard-boiled
egg;) suppose, I say, that 81 ,653 were
added to $S,543.06; the sum would
amount to s16,196.06. This sum, in
vested in shares of the Squawtunket
and Squawoag railroad, paying divi-
dends of 10 per cent-for l have it
on the highest authority that the
Vanderbilts fully intend to take the
control-would afford an annual in
come of, in round numbers, 81 800;
this, added to my salary, would a.
mount to $4,000; and, as l take it, the
annual profits of your business here
amount to not less than $1,000.
may place the grand total at $4,000.
Now Miss Mehetabel," said Abijah,
throwing back his head and eyeing
Miss Bascom with the air of an at
torney who had made out lucid and
all but unanswerable case, "you will
| perceive the end of this somewhat ex-
traordinary interview. / have the
honor to offer you-that is, I would
like to no | mean-er-er-will you
marry me, Miss Bascom?"
Now, Abijah, in thinking out the
| possible contingencies of this cam
paign, had supposed it not unlikely
that Miss Methetabel, on hearing his
| proposal of marriage, might throw her
arms around his neck and embrace
him, and perhaps caress him, after
what he had vague notion was the
feminine usage of like circumstances.
| The thought of this possibility had
at first somewhat dashed him but he
| made up his mind to submit graceful
/ ly, and even to return those lavish
caresses in a chaste and methodical
| manner.
Rather to his disappointment, but
much to his relief, nothing of the kind
happened. Miss Mehetabel kept her
head in a truly remarkable manner,
indeed, and gave way to no such pas
sionate outburst of affection. In
stead of that she continued to regard
him immovably, arms folded, bolt up
right, the little black points in her
gray iTises seeming to pierce the
| glasses of her steel-bound spectacles
and to gimlet into the very brain and
soul of Abijah Jopling.
After she had thus continued to
gaze for about twenty seconds, and
when Abijah had been reduced to a
state bordering closely on imbecility.
she spoke.
THAT would De a very nice ar
rangement," she said, very deliberate
! ly, "a very nice arrangement"
Abijah frightened up at once and
mao hafrauad into annufaoofpo NVac
indeed" when abe continued, Fur
you. Es fur me, now, thet I've found
out thet folks is a-pryin' and a-peepin'
ento my private effairs an thet them,
en- fack, thet's got my money en-
charge is a-devisin an intriggin to
lay hands into ct to put ct ento wild
cat railroad sheers an buillin' an
bearin' an other onchristian bedevil-
ment, / intend to dror all my money
out of the Squawtunket Bank to-mor-
rer mornin' an to take ct over to
SqUawoag, where l knew ct will be
safe. And you, young man" she add
ed grimly, "can be very thankful to
me of l don't tell the directors all
about your little speckerlatin' COINS
on an cuttin's-up. Marry you? Why
you oughter be thinkin' about a fun.
eral instid Of a weddin'-you're old
enough"
When Mr. Abijah Jopling reached
home fve minutes later he was some
what flushed from the rapidity of his
motion thither, If not from other
causes, and as he glanced at himself
In the mirror of his bureau he noticed
that not only was his hat rammed
down very tightly upon his head. but
that 1t had been put on backward.
| naxor hafCwn kh1