St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-05-24

looked down at the pretty, embar-
raised girl with eyes that twinl1led.
Thank YOU" he said. IF your I'M
Gle can spare an old hat or cap
anything that will stick on my head
l shan't be too proud to accept it,
| They discovered the girls uncle in
the office of Cotsford & Co., the only
accountants in Kingsbrigg. Old Cots
ford was the principal member of the
firm; the go" was his niece, Dinah.
$50 you rescued the lost bank note,
eh?' said Mr.. Cotsford, cycling Austin
critically. The young man, thinking
anything would do for kingsbrigg,
had put on his oldest and most COM
Portable clothes, and did not present
particularly aristocratic appear
ance.
Il was fortunate enough to stop it
| as it blew toward me, sir,'' said Aus
tin, secretly enjoying his unique posi-
ton.
The old man rubbed his chin. clad
anything to eat lately?' he queried,
abruptly.
"Not since morning, Sir" answered
Austin, sitting his merriment.
'Um! Then perhaps you'd prefer
ten pounds in cash to a stool in nv
office? I've three clerks too many al
ready-idle vagabonds they are, too
but one more won't make much differ
ence. You'll take the money, eh?"
The amused young man, happening
to look in Dinah's direction, saw that
pretty little lady gesticulating wild
ly. He didn't understand her in the
least and shook his head ruefully.
'You won't take the money, Ell?
Then stay in the office,'' he said. ''I'n
waive testimonials. You're honest
enought, Ell? OF course, or you'd
have pocketed the bank note. Will
40 shillings week suit your book?
Right! Take him away and find him
desk, Dinah. Not another word
now. You're wasting my time, child"
Outside, Dinah turned charmingly
apologize face to the young mans
preternaturally grave one.
Don't take offense, will you?' she
pleaded. "Uncle Benjamin, in his &C.
centric way, is really grateful to you,
and he means every word he says;
but you will not dream of accepting
his offer, 1 know"
'Why not?' asked Austin, affecting
lamblike innocence. "Is your uncle
bad master to work for?"
She looked at him with eyes that
hr o1 with v,,i~nhiof
she pointed an accusing little finger at
his well-shaped, gentlemanly hands.
'You are not one of those who
need work for living" she said, de-
murely, land you will find clerking
very poor pastime. Kingsbrigg is a
frightfully dull town. /
"Beggars can't be choosers, Miss |
Cotsford," he responded. "Your uncle !
asked you to find me desk in the Of |
fee. Shall we look for it now?"
The desk was found and in an in
credibly shot space of time Austin
Cooke demonstrated his unftness to
occupy it. His handwriting was a
puzzle that baffled everyone; he made
his figures look like Egyptian hero
and the simplest little sums
proved too much for his
powers of reckoning.
Cooke" said the head clerk, when
the end of the month came, "Mr. Cots
ford's generosity outran his discre-
ton when he offered you 40 shilings
a week. You're not worth it,
"I'm afraid I'm not, old man." re-
sponded Austin, with combination
of frankness and familiarity which
took the head clerks's breath away.
Make it rs shillings and call it bar
gain. I don't want to bring the firm
to ruin"
The head clerk had no right to tam
per with the wage sheet, but he. took
Austin at his word, and paid him re-
luced salary with much inward chuck
ing. Cotsford & Co., he felt sure,
would give him a good mark for this
bit of economy, and perhaps
who could ten?-even transfer to
lis salary some part of the money
1e had saved.
But his castles in the air fell disas-
,rously when the &c.," according to
Ter custom, ran her eye down the
edger and saw how he had locked the
lew clerks wages. She fell into a
pretty fury.
"Mr. Waters" she said, ego down
md apologize to Mr.. Cooke, and pay
Tim the balance of his wages
After that, as may well be mag I
ned, Austin did not find his life in ,
he Office bed of roses. He was {
blamed for so many mistakes which /.
we're no fault of his, and made the {
ictim of so many insidious lies that 1
lie seemed perpetually in hot water.
He took care good care, however, to
i've the other clerks no chance of s
his real motive for endur-
ng his martyrdom SO tamely. He I
listed the room where Dinah worked
ut rarely, and was always particular !
O carry business-like heap of pa i
ers with him-a heap that generally
ook an unconscionable time to sort. f
But the head clerks persistent eff t
orts to degrade him in the eyes of /
is principal were crowned with sue '
ess at last. One May day, when {
)inah's absence made the routine
f the Office strangely irksome to
i'm Austin was called into old Cots |