Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-11-09
CatchingHis Eye


II Bowman, the assistant bookkeep-
ar. had a heart he was as unconscious
of 1t as he was of any other or the
practical working organs that went
to make up his physical man.
Bowman loved his big ledgers. He
reveled In long, terrifying columns OF
figures. He liked good things to eat
in an Unconditional way, which LETT MIN
unmoyed II the steak happened to be
done too much or too little. He was
devoted to his mother. He enjoyed
HI, pipe IN the evening after dinner.
However, up to the age of 70 he ap-
narently had never needed or been
disturbed by the swish OF a petticoat'
nor had let his head be turned even
the fraction of an inch by the glance
of a bright eye.
He wasn't afraid of girls; in fact, he
rather liked them. They were pretty,
he thought, on account OF the bright
co,ors they wore, and some Of them
wars graceful. so he enjoyed seeing
them fash about, but somehow they
ALI looked very much alike to him and
he regarded them all with tenevo-
Iart indifference. He was quite an or
d,narv stout, plain person, who wore
hIy snectacles across his big nose, had
vide kind face and twinkle In his
eye.
powman was probably the only man
ha~ q, the Office force who remained
rnmoyed the morning Miss Finley
rnade her first appearance. Quiet and
sr,al, and dainty as she was. she was
-, such p vivid creature that even
~. manager, who believed that busi-
0ass and social relations should be
lent distinctly separate, noted her and
aarad her name However, the first
.,r,a Rowman remembered seeing her
vroa one morning several weeks after
her initial appearance. when he raised
h,s ayes from his work to find her
standing at his elbow, looking just a
trlAe audacious. trifie shy, but very
pretty. with piece Of paper held up
anpealingly in her hand. She laid the
aaper on the desk IN front OF Bow
man and he noticed that she had to
stand on her tiptoes to do 1t.
VIII you add them for me. Mr..
RowmanY" she pleaded. You don't
know how mean they act for me-"
Bowman's slight interest in the fiuffy
topknot Immediately changed to a pro-
nounced interest in the column Of fig
ures she handed him.
Certainly" he answered. He ran
his pencil rapidly up and down the
column. while she stood beside him
huSnming a little tune In moment
he handed the slip back to her. Il
think that fixes you" he said hap
PLY.
"Oh. thank you ever so much" she
replied, softly She stood for mo-
ment. sliding the paper back and forth
IN a ridge at the side OF the desk.
.T'm afraid you think 1t was awful
h,nny of me to ask you." she contin-
ned. hesitatingly. You always seem so
busy"
why. I'm never too busy to help
Won" he said. With quiet imper-
sonal pleasure he watched the pretty
color surge up into her cheeks. "Or
any OF the ether girls" he added
genia1ly.
Miss Finley turned on her little heel
and walked away so quickly that Bow
man was unaware of the smile that
was curling her lips. A little ripple OF
gtggles greeted her as she returned
20 The stenographers' corner.
was 1t frostg" inquired Miss Tenn
pie.
Maybe" replied Miss Finley non
committally. But one frost deesn'.
make q winter. You lust watch me-
Il ives perfectly astonishing the