Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 286, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1911 — The Crafty Clerk, [ARTICLE]

The Crafty Clerk,

“The late Frederick Gebhdrd,” said a New York clubman, “had a good-humored cynicism. I remember a story he used to tell, and I’ll repeat this story, because it illustrates well Gebhard's view of human nature. "A clerk—so the story ran—entered toe office one afternoon about an hour late. He had taken, that is to say, two hours for luncheon instead of one. A fellow clerk said to him on his entrance, in a low, warning voice: -.7 " ‘Look out for the boas. He’s been yelling' for you since half-past 12. Dear me, what a-temper he’s in!’ "The dilatory clerk’s face fell. He frowned. Then he hurried as fast as. he coaid go to a florist’s in the next street, where he fought a dollar bunch of violets. "On his second return the boss’s f bull-like roaring was the first sound he heard. “Tpn’t that Jones back yet? Go tetoh-JdheA, hbrnebofif! Jbhfesr ? “The clerk, the violets in his hand, hastened into his employer's office. An explosion followed. “ 'At last, eh? Well, Jones, on Saturday you can just go to the cashier and— ’ “But the clerk interrupted in a low, mysterious voice: '“I beg you pardon, sir, but the lady asked me to give you these.’ “And Jones placed the fragrant violets in his employer’s band. wbat’s Wi* “The employer was a remarkably ugly little man—a short, fat, bald little man, always badly dressed and always in need of a shave —and as he stared with sparkling eyes at the flowers in his pudgy hand the clerk could hardly keep from smiling. But he said:

“ The lady with the sable muff, sir—a* young, slender lady. She came in at noon and waited a long while—chat is what made me so late. Finally she said she couldn't wait any longer. She unpinned these flower* from her corsage and told me to give them to you. She said you'd understand.* ‘The little, ugly employer chuckled. He smelt the violets again and again. Then he said: i < *To tell yon the trutji, Jones, I’m pussled. To be sure, it might bn—no. No, frankly. I’m pussled. I can't imagine who it was. Try and find out for me if you can; and. by the way, mum’s the word in the office.” * 'f’"XL-;-. ■ ■ “Jones, from that day forth so Gebhard ended his story—stood in confidential relations with hia employer, his pay was raised and the old man all that winter stared toag and significantly at every lady with a sable muff, A liquid laugh is said to ba teas stimulating thaw a liquid “amOa.” same thing can't be said of emm.— (M|Sgo News. -