Bridgeton pioneer., 1908-06-04

would marry within year, but he had
made no change whatever. The boys
had winked and smiled over the mes
sage from the inner Office, but all Of
them knew that the junior partner had
deep seated respect cor womanhood.
and in turn they respected him for it.
For weeks and weeks after Kitty
Burnham had taken her place it might
have been said of the "old man" that
he hardly knew that she was in the
office. The work was done quietly and
without mistakes There was hardly
any conversation outside of business
matters. When the first month was up
he quietly informed her that her salary
was raised to $12 per week, and her
simple "Thank you, SIR" seemed to
cover the occasion. There were no in
Productions to the clerks and no invita-
tions to lunch. In one case out of
hundred the girl was being given a
fair show. She instinctively recogniz-
ed the fact and was grateful for it.
One night after hard days work
the ''old man" sat alone in his room
in family hotel and indulged in
reverie for the first time in years. He
found himself thinking of home, Of
wife and children, of some one to kiss
him goodby in the morning and well
come him home at night. And present
ly there came creeping into that reverie
face that startled him. 1t was the
face of his stenographer.
He rose like guilty man and waved
the vision away, with laugh. But it
would not depart for good. He went
out on the street and walked about,
but he seemed to see that face. He
fought to put away the idea Of wife
and home, but when it still clung he
said to himself that he was getting
nervous from overwork and ought to
take a week off. Next day when he
dictated his letter Kitty noticed
change in his voice, and she marked
that he avoided looking her in the face
There was some subtle change in him,
and it worried her little.
That reverie came back to the Junior
partner and that face came back in
connection with wife and home, and
finally he welcomed them. Why
shouldn't he have a wife and home?
He was rich enough now, and he was
longing for a change from his lonely
existence. At the Office he was the
man Of business; at his own room he
was the man of reveries.
By and by there came legal holi-
day, and the Office was closed. At
such times the ''old man" usually hung
about for half day anyhow, but on
this occasion he did not go near the
store. Instead, he took a train for the
beach and saw the sea for the first
time in years. Without really plan
ming it he soon found himself in the
suburb where Miss Burnham lived.
He had carried her address in his
head for days and days. He walked
by the house. He would have laughed
at the idea that he hoped to see her.
At the gate he almost halted, as if he
would enter ard pay a call, but he
caught himself just in time.
An hour later, in seaside park half
a mile away, as he sat alone on
bench with his reverie strong upon
him, young man and a girl took
seat back Of him. A bush hid them
from sight, but his heart gave a leap
as he heard a well known voice. 1t
was saying:
mo, Walter. there is no occasion for
jealousy on your part. Mr.. Gray is
one of the incest men ever met but
he is an old bachelor and has never
thought of love. Besides, he is at least
forty-fve, while I am only nineteen.
The idea Of my marrying a man old
enough to be my father! Why, it's
perfectly ridiculousv'
There was more conversation, but
the junior partner heard nothing fur
ther. He rose softly and tiptoed away
some distance. Then he sat down on
another bench and held his face In his
hands until the ache ceased. He forty
five, she nineteen. Old enough to be
her father! Old bachelor and never
thought Of love! A ridiculous idea!
Walter was young. Youth mated with
youth.
And the reveries and the dreams and
the face passed away to return no
more, and the boys at the Office said
that the "old man" was pitching into
work as If he wanted to get something
off his mind.