The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-11-20
The Assistant
Bookkeeper
How EdgertOn Got His
Start.
By THOMAS r. DEAN

.s-s.-t~s-t~i-i-s-t-s-i-i-i..;.
Jimmie Edgertou's father died when
Jimmie was fifteen years old. He had
no mother. brother or sister. and he
had not II hundred dollars In the world
His father told him on his deathbed
that he would lind In stocking in the
chimney some money that no one but
the two of them knew was there. Aft
er the fathers death Jimmie found
enough to pay his fathers funeral ex-
penses and leave a small balance.
Realizing that he must 80 TO work.
the boy went about seeking a posi-.
ton He was delicate looking youth
his features being finely nodded. Ev-
erywhere be was told that he was
not rugged enough to do hard work
and he noticed that all the positions
that did not require bodily strength
were given to girls. He kept up his
hunt for week. then gave 1t up-that
is. he gave up trying to get a job un-
der bis own identity.
He was not boy to be discouraged.
and If he couldn't make a living in
one way he determined to try another
If the only positions for which he was
fitted were given to girls, why not
make a girl of himself and get a job
as such? He spent the remainder Of
what he had found in the stocking In
such wOman's apparel as he needed
and started out again on his search.
Jimmie made up as a very pretty
girl. He possessed pair Of mild blue
eyes, sensitive mouth, and. his light
hair being cut like a mans, he used a
curling iron to make it wavy. His
voice was naturally soft and readily
mistaken for girls contralto. He
was of medium height and for boy
was very we'll shaped. One who had
not seen him in boys dress would sure
ly believe him to be a girl
Arrayed as q member Of the gentler
sex. Jimmie. under the name of Ellen
Forsythe. started again on his errand
This time he met with better success
A storekeeper, Henry Perkins, was
keeping his own books and getting
tired of working nights on them. He
hired Jimmie to make such entries as
would facilitate the work on his books,
intending to teach him the principles
Of double entry. The salary was small.
but enough to pay for his keep.
The only barrier to Jir,"!r's getting
on in his nosit.~:. = - .,nai he made too
pretty Il girl. Perkins. who was a
bachelor twpnty-seven years old EN-.
ployed Il saleswoman. Sara Cartright.
few years younger than himself
Miss Cartright had set her cap for her
employer and was much disgruntled
when he took into his service the pref
ty assistant.
1t was not long before Jimmie found
himself between two fires. Perkins be.
gan to show him little attentions and
to express a fear that he was working
too hard. Every attention. every bit Of
solicitude her employer expressed for
the assistant bookkeeper was to the
saleswoman like a red rag waved be-
fore a mad bull Then. too. the per
formances of man who supposed his
employee to be woman were not only
disagreeabe to Jimmie. but must re-
suit. sooner or later. i'm a revelation Of
his sex and Il consequent probab bic loss
of his position.
Miss Cartright made herself especial.
ly disagreeabe to the supposed Ellen
Forsythe. If Jimmie made mistake
In an account Miss Cartright would
make as much Of it as there was in ii
and rs much more as she dared. Per
kins would mildly reprove Jimmie and
do what he could 10 pacify Sara, but
be dared not openly defend his book
keeper why. no one knew. though il
was surmised that. since he had been
devoted 10 Miss Cartright before Jim
mics appearance. he might have been
too seriously involved with her to
shake her Off
Whenever Perkins would show Il dis
position to make love TO Jimmie the
boy would do what ne could to stavC
him off. This only added ZeSt TO Per
kins' passion. At last he became so
marked in his attentions that he
brought about II rebellion on the part
OF Miss Cartright.
One day Perkins appeared to be
much dScrunticd. Miss CartriGht APP
peared To be much disturbed. and an
atmosphere preceding storm pervad-
ed the store. The same evening. when
Jimmie was working on the books.
Perkins came into the store and after Il
few commonplace remarks said:
ELLEN. Miss Cartright has insisted
upon my discharging you"
.lndeed!'
Yes: she says that either you or she
must 60"
why not send her off instead OF
me!"
It's a delicate matter to talk about.
nut II you'll promise TO keep the Sc
cret III tell you"
II promise"
Before you came here ] was fool
ish enough to make love to her She's
Jealous Of you"
What can she do to harm your"
"She's got a letter from me making
a proposal If send her away she'll
ruin me"
How
ION. there are lots Of ways wo
mnn can ruin man II she chooses Ia
do so. In this case she can sue me
for breach Of promise. II she does
she may get damages but ] wouldn't