The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1902-04-04
THE AFFAIR OF BUNKER,
THE BOOKKEEPER

The boys in the brokers' office al
ways had made butt OF Bunker.
Bunker was the bookkeeper, taciturn
and rather solemn looking mt alltimes.
The boys called him the old man.
Bunker was forty, and 1.-THE boys were
twenty-one or thereabouts. All sorts of
jokes were played ON old Bunker. but
he never showed the slightest sign of
resentment. If any of the shafts of
weak witticisms which were hurled ut
him day in and day out pricked, there
was no wincinH. The cubs finally came
to the conclusion that Bunker was
dense physically and mentally. How
this may have been nobody perhaps
but Bunker himself knew definitely,
but he was good bookkeeper and
that was as far as the real old man of
the office cared to inquire.
The office was on the twelfth floor.
and its windows looked out over the
roof of low building and stared into
the twelfth story windows Of big
building just beyond. Teddy Long, the
office masher, had a desk at one Win
dow. Teddy frequently was more oc-
cupled with the office behind the win
dows In the twelfth story Of the build
ing beyond than he was with the bus!-
ness In his own Office. 1t was II Inv
firm that held the premises opposite.
and the lawyers We're known 10. the
boys In the brokers' Office for the fire.
Qrelcy with which they changed their
typewrtting staff About once Il month
a new face. and always pretty one,
would appear In front of the machine
hack OF the legal windows. One morn
Ing Teddy Long cast his eyes across
the way. and there he saw new face
behind the big window pane. As he
told the other boys few minutes aft
err, this new face had all the others
that had gone before beat to death"
-she's daisy. fellows" said Teddy.
When you get chance. go to the
window and shy look over there.
Shes got black hair. swapping eyes red
cheeks and a daisy figure"
All at once the charmer looked up
and smiled. showing set OF even
white teeth In framework of scarlet.
Teddy smiled back and nodded almost
impcrceptibly. There was very de-
cidcd bow In return, and Teddy went
soaring. instantly. however, the Young
woman turned again TO her machine.
and her white fingers went flying MIN
hly over the keys. Though she might
be A bit given to flirting. the young wo-
man apparently did not mean that the
little weaknes should divert her mind
toolong from her work.
Teddy half wheeled his chair around.
the pleasurable little excitement still
glowing within him. There at the next
window stood old Bunker, the book
keeper, with a face as red rs Il peony
and standing first on one foot andthen
on the other
Great Scott, said Teddy to himself.
"Tlle old man had his eyes on the
charlner and. thought she meant that
smile for him! He looks az though he
were going to faint That smile for
him! Why, the poor old geezer he's
addle pated. I'll put the boys next"
SoTeddy told the boys OF how the
girlhad SMILED on him aud how the old
man Thought the smile was intended
for him and had hlushed like a girl
fiidled with his fingers. Well have
some fun with the old guy. fellows.
I'm going to get an Introduction to the
girl oyer the way. and III tell her all
about Bunker and how it a woman