The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-08-30
yet not seeK MIN, he determined TO sel.~
the auspicious moment and to deal with

"is n woman of business. | will waste
no words, but talk straight business and
4 come to the point without needless cir
cumocution.'
That very evening, having carefully
smoothed the nap of his respectable
stovcpipe and looked well to the general
neatness of his attire. he betook himself
with deliberate and dgnifed footsteps to
the shop Of Miss Mehetabel.
He found that lady behind her counter,
having waited upon her last customer
and being about to close for the night.
Without beating about the bush and in
cool and measured but most respectful
tones, after he had exchanged greetings
with Miss Bascom. Mr.. Abijah Jopling
began to state his business.
Miss Mehctabel." he said, "l have
known Of you for several years. and a
part OF that time have been acquainted
personally with you. What | have heard
of you has been most highly to your cred
it, and my own personal observation has
only confirmed the common report OF
your industry, your economy and your
talents for business" Ahtjah paused
moment to let his words sink in before he
continued. Il am myself not wholly un-
known to YOU" he went on. with a slight
drawing up Of the figure and a little
swelling out of the chest. For many
years have been connected with the
First National bank of Squawtuuket,
and have been pclhaps. il may be al
lowed to say su, a not unimportant factor
in the steady growth and deserved sue
cess of that institution
Miss Mchctahcl stood bolt upright be-
hind her counter. her arms folded, her
gray eyes, with their piercing black dots
of pupils, fastened unwiulingly upon the
countruauce of Mr.. Ahijah Jopiing. while
her own maintained its normal impassive
gravity. She was listening attcutivcly.
but not eagerly. She may have wonder
ed what object he had in W, but curl
osity was am emotional " Nuess not to
be expressed. She neither 1Cnted nor
/ encouraged but merely waited for him to
unfold himself.
"My present salary he continued, "is
/ $1,000 per annum. and have invested in
/ shares in the Squawtunkct and SQuawo-
az Railroad company $1,613 which is at
present paying : per cent dividends and
which will when the Nandcrhilts have
/ purchased the controlling interest yield at
/ least 10 per cent per annulu. Mr. Jop-
! ling paused aglln. this time to note the
| effect of his statement, but Miss Bascom.
/ displaying ua ucrccptihle evidence of
! emotion and ~. regarding him silently
and without blinking, he experienced a
slight feeling of disappointment.
AS an employee of the First National
bank Of Squawtunket," he resumed. 1T
has come under my notice Miss Meheta-
bel that you have ON deposit there at
present the sum of SS,1l3O6, on which
you are receiving of course in bank of
deposit no interest whatsoever. Suppose,
! Miss Mchctabcl-now, do not be startled
| at what | am about to say tAliSs Me
! hctabel looked about rs likely 10 be star
tied rs a wooden Indian and fully as self
contained rs n hard boiled cggl. Sup
pose. say. that $I,6J3 were added to
! SS.543.06. the sum would amount to SIC
1906. This sum. invested in shares of
the Squa wtunket and Squawoag railroad,
paying dividends of 10 per cent, for
have ii on the highest authority that the
Nanderhilts fully intend to take the con
troll would afford an annual income Of in
round numbers, $1,000. This. added TO
my salary, would amount to $500, and,
as | take it the annual profits of your
business here amount to not less than
81 900. | may place the grand total at
$500. Now. Miss Mehctabel," said
Abijah. throwing back his head and ey-
ing Miss Bascom with the air of an at
torucy who had made out lucid and all
but unanswerahle case, you will per-
ceive the end of this somewhat eXtraor-
dinary interview. | have the honor to
offer you-that is. | would like to-no; |
mean-er-cr-w-will you be kind enough
to marry me Miss BascomE'
Now. Abijah. in thinking out the posi-
bic contingencies of this campaign, had
supposed ii no. unlikely that Miss Mehet-
abel, on hearihOis proposal of marriage,
might throw her arms around his neck
and embrace him and perhaps caress
him, after what he had a vague notion
was the feminine usage of like circum-
stances The thought of this possibility
had at first somewhat dashed him, but
he had made up his mind to submit
gracefully and even to return those Law
ish caresseS in chaste aud methodical
manner.
Rather to his disappointment. but
much to his relief. nothing of the kind
happened. Miss Mchctabel kept her head
in truly remarkable manner indeed and
gave way to no such passionate outburst
of affection. Instead of that she con
tinucd to regard him immovably, arms
folded, bolt upright. the little black points
in her gray irises seeming to pierce the
glasses of her steel bound SpectaCles and
to gmlet into the very brain and soul Of
Abijah Jopling.
After she had thus continued to gaze
for about 20 seconds and when Abijah
had been reduced to n state bordering
closely on mbcCility, she spoke.
'Thet would be very nice arrange
ment," she said very dcliberately-"a
very nice arrangement"
Ahijah frightened up at once and was
betrayed into acquiescing. Yes, indeed"
when she continued; Fur YOU. Ez fur
| me. now thet I've found ont thct folks is
a-pryin an a-pcepin cnto my private ef-
fairs an thet them, en- fack thet's got my
{ money en- charge is a-dcyiSin an cntriggin
to lay hands onto ct to put ct ento wild
cat railroad shecrs an bullin an bearin
an other on-Christian bcdeviment | en-
tend to dror all my money out of the
! Squawtunket bank tomorrcr mornin an
to take ct over to Squawoag, where |
know ct will be safe An you, young
man, she added grimly, "can be very
| thankful to me ef | don't tell the direct
ors all about your little spcckcrlatin go
ms on an cuttn's up Marry you? Why,
! you oughtcr he thinbin about funeral
enstid of a weddin-you're old enough
When Mr.. Abijah Joping reached
home five minutes later, he was some
what flushed from the rapidty of his mo-
ton thithcr if not from other causes, and
as he glanced at himself in the mirror of