The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-06-07
The Furry In
Wilkinson S Office
BY ESTHER VANDEvEER

When Farmer Mccoy died his daugh
ter. Helen. found herself alone In the
world. The evening after the funeral
she sat in the house where she had
taken care of him for ten years since
her mothers death and wondered what
she should do.
She must get out of that lonely
house 1t seemed to her that when
her father went out solitude stepped
In. And yet something snapped with
In her when she thought of leaving 1t.
She could not go forth TO battle with
the world as girl. Then came the
thought of entering the fight as man.
Her voice was low pitched. but not
harsh. Her woman's figure might be
concealed by wearing loose. baggy
clothing. She had no beard, but many
young men had no hair on their faces
till nineteen or twenty years old and
even then so little that when close
shaved it was not to be detected. She
resolved to try the experiment.
A few days later youngster who
called himself Henry Mccoy entered
store and asked for employment. He
had been hunting for a situation all
day and looked weary and discour-
aged. Possibly 1t was this that led
John Wilkinson. the proprietor. to say
to himself that he needed a boy, but
not man. but there was chance for
promotion. 1t ended in the applicant
going to work at a boys wages. his
work being to do errands and odd jobs
in the office.
Henry Mccoy was very attractive
young fellow, in appearance especially.
His smile alone was enough to win
the sympathy Of any woman, and II
soon won the heart of Wilkinson's
typewriter. little Miss Betty Leslie,
only seventeen years old. Henry at
first was disposed to be friendly with
her, as he was with every one, doing
little favors for her that lightened her
work. but when he saw that these at
tentions were producing serious ef.
feet on her young heart he desisted and
strove to undo what he had done by
letting her severely alone. This. how
ever. only intensified her love for him, |
and she was not capable of conceal |
Ing it.
Wilkinson was a young man, only
twenty five years old. He had begun
business for himself at fifteen by set
ling up newspaper stand on street
:orner, which had grown into general
store where newspapers. periodicals
and an infinite variety of 9th
sr small goods were sold. He was IN.
married. and was making up his mind
1t the time Mccoy entered his service
hat his little typewriter would look
Tery pretty at the head Of his table.
1t was a great disappointment. there
ore. when he noticed that Miss Leslie
vas leaning toward Mccoy. Mccoy
loticed signs OF jealousy. and II was
his that led him to show unmistaka
lily that if the girl had gone daft about
lin it was not his fault. Wilkinson
vas manly fellow. who would not
axe any advantage OF his position to
vim girl from rival. but the fact
hat the girl be wanted wanted Nc
10y was CALLING to him.
And so Ii was that in the store OF
ohm Wilkinson. which had been bar.
lonious place before the advent OF Nc.
10y. there came an inharmonious tn
ercurrent. felt, but not expressed. The
Tom Arnold, II young mar
wenty two years old, who had In the
eginning noticed that there was trou
lie brewing for Mccoy If he did not
eep away from the typewriter. gave I
Ienry hint to that effect Cant |