Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-11-03
Catching His Eye
- : - ! -. :
SS:zSssss5;=;Ss.2S

II Bowman, the assistant bookkeep-
or. had heart he was as unconscious
Of 1t as he was Of any other Of 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 left him
iunmoyed il 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 % ne APP
parently had never needed or been
disturbed by the swish Of petticoat,
nor had let his head be turned even
the fraction Of an inch by the glance
Of bright eye.
He wasn't afraid OF girls; In fact, he
rather liked them. They were pretty,
he thought, on account Of the bright
colors they wore. and some Of them
were graceful, SO he enjoyed seeing
sthem fash about. but somehow they
al looked very much alike to him and
ha regarded them all with a tenevo-
lent indifference. He was quite an or
binary. stout. plain person, who wore
bie spectacles across his big nose. had
. vide. kind face and twinkle in his
eye.
bowman was probably the only man,
her OF the office force who remained
,,nmoyed the morning Miss Finley
made her first appearance. Quiet and
ANAL and dainty as she was, she was
yat such q vivid creature that even
ina manager, who believed that busi-
i,e.. and social relations should be
rant distinctly separate, noted her and
asked her name. However, the first
time Bowman remembered seeing her
waa one morning several weeks after
her initial appearance. when he raised
his eyes from his work to find her
standing at his elbow, looking just a
tribe audacious. a trifle shy. but very
pretty. with piece Of paper held up
appealingIy In her hand. She laid the
paper on the desk in front OF Bow
man and he noticed that she had to
stand on her tiptoes to do it.
"Will you add them for me, Mr..
Bowman?" she pleaded. you don't
know how mean they act for me-"
Bowman's slight interest in the funny
topknot Immediately changed to a pro-
nounced interest in the column of fig-
ures abe handed him.
Certainly, he answered. He ran
his pencil rapidly up and down the
column. while she stood beside him
h,mming little tune. In moment
he handed the slip back to her. Il
think that Axes you" he said hap
PLY,
ooh, thank you ever SO much" she
replied, softly. She stood for a mo-
ment, sliding the paper back and forth
in a ridge at the side of the desk.
I'm afraid; you think It was awful
funny of me to ask you" she contin.
ued. hesitatingly. you always seem so
busy"
Why, I'm never too busy to help
you." he said. With quiet imper.
sonal pleasure he watched the pretty
color surge up into her cheeks. "Or
any Of the other girls" he added
genially.
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
giggles greeted her as she returned
to the stenographers' corner.
Was 1t frost?" inquired Miss Tenn
pie.
Maybe, replied Miss Finley non
committally. But one frost doesn't
make winter. You lust watch me-
II was perfectly astonishing the