St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-09-10
THE SLENDER HAND
ROMANCE OF A
LONELY YOUNG BCoKKEEPER.
illustrating What Cruel Jests Fate
VIII Sometimes PIay-Hunt for
the Hand That Fed the
Pigeons.

Every day as he sat at his desk he
noticed the slender white hand that
stole out of the window across the al
leyway to throw crumbs to the
pigeons.
1t was an inconsequential act, that
of throwing crumbs to the pigeons but
it appealed to the young bookkeeper.
Any girl that would bring bread to the
ofice-or perhaps 1t was part Of her
meager monday lunch-just to feed
the pigeons that lowered about her
window sill, must be girl Of amiable
disposition, the sort one could tell
ones troubles to with the assurance Of
finding a ready sympathy. It made
him think of the picture on the back
of plush album at home showing
woman standing at the back steps Of
farmhouse throwing crumbs to the
English sparrows. The album had also
contained many family portraits, and
the recollection heightened the senti-
ment that the bookkeeper felt when
he saw the slender hand across the
court.
He found himself wondering about
the appearance Of the owner of the
hand. She was not pretty, perhaps,
but he was certain that she wore
clinging. becoming gowns, and
sweet girlish expression, no matter
how trying might be the days work
in the office; and that she had COM
plexion as soft and smooth as the
goods in h1gh-priced dress suit
Day after day he regretted that the
windows were at such an angle that
he could see only the slender, soft
white hand. Just a glimpse Of the
face, with its indubitable expression Of
tenderness, would have frightened
each day like the sight of the sunrise
DER distant mountain peak.
The bookkeeper wondered, too, II
the young woman of the slender white
hand would not find Joy and gladness
in knowing of the sentiment she had
stirred in the bosom of an entire
stranger by her simple act of kind
ness in feeding the birds each day.
The other afternoon the bookkeeper
made up his mind to make the &C
quaintance Of the young creature.
It was not a difficult matter to cal.
culate where the young woman's win
dow would be. She would be on the
floor corresponding to that on which
he worked in the other building. By
entering one or two Office suites on
that floor and looking across the court
he got his bearings and soon found
himself in the rooms where she must
be employed.
An Office boy with thick, round
glasses sat at small table just out
side the door-HER door.
II want to see the-I wish to see
the people in that room," said the
bookkeeper, pointing to the door with
his thumb.
well. gwan in," the office boy told
| him.
He looked about him. The sole &C.
cupant Of the room was an underted,
anemfc, sourfaced-looking man Of
perhaps IS years, with watery blue
eyes and scrambled, ready-tied neck.
tie. He had long, thin wrists, in con.
sequence of taking little exercise
which lack of exercise had made him
a dyspeptic and given him an irritable,
Grabbed disposition.
"Who Is it that feeds the pigeons
there at the window every noon?"
asked the visitor.
II do" replied the dyspeptic. Il
can't eat much myself, so try to give
the pigeons a good time. Got any
objections?"
The bookkeeper said he had none
whatever and made hurried exit.
"Wonder what that guys name was
anyhow" muttered the dyspeptic to
himself after his caller had escaped.