Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 67, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 May 1909 — AGENT WANTED. [ARTICLE]

AGENT WANTED.

Silas Ward was a “grouch.” That was all there was to it. And iSilas Ward didn’t care, either. He said he had no time for women, and he proved; it, for he was never seen in the company of one. Tills morning Silas was in a worse mood than usual. He fumed and his clerk in the outer room moved about on tiptoe in very fear of aggravating his master. It was at this moment that the door opened and admitted a little woman in black. Her boniuet was painfully severe and pitifully cheap, and she tried in vain to hide the holes in her black, cotton gloves. In her arm she carried a bundle of papers. “Would you like to buy a copy of the Monthly Magazine?” she asked of the clerk in a gentle voice. Coming so close upon the sound of Ward’s rear, the clerk scarcely heard it. He turned round, however, looked fearfully into the next room and then shook his head. A shade of disappointment passed over the face of the little woman. She bowed her head and was turning sadly to the door when the voice of Ward roared from the inner office: “Who is that, Martin?” “It’s just a woman selling magazines, sir,’ said the clerk. “And why do you presume to dismiss her?’’ demanded Ward, appearing at the door and eyeing his clerk sternly. Then he looked at the little woman, who still stood at the door, a gentle smile trembling on her thin lips. With men Ward could be harsh. But in the presence of this littip woman all his bluster vanished. “I want one of them magazines,” he said, anid fished in his pocket for the money. Come to think of it, guess I’ll buy two,” he added. “Want one for a friend.” He produced the money for two of the Weekly Magazines. The little wo man thanked him gently and went out. Silas Ward sat tor a time at his desk, and fo.* once his thoughts fvere not on business. In the week that followed he tried in a quiet way to find out who she was. He succeeded, as he prided himself he always did. She was the widow of Garfield Rogers, a former, hardworking citizen, who had died leaving his wife nothing but his good name. Thereafter a change came over Silas Ward. Especially on the day when the widow came with the magazines was his manner gentle and considerate. One day when Martin happened to enter the private office he saw a pile co..talninfj at least 20 of the Weekly Magazines, which was a greater number than Silas Ward could hope to “distribute among his friends.” When the eye of Silas Ward surprised the eye of the clerk ou the magazines, Slias actually blushed. The next week Martin, who was perhaps more observant than, he had any need to be, noticed that the widow did not come the usual day with the Weekly Magazine. Nor did she come the next week, nor the next, nor the next, unal the clerk’s curiosity overcame his timidity and he ventured to remark upon the fact to Silas Ward. Whereupon, Instead of the rebuke which he apprehended, something else happened. For Silas looked sharply at him. Then he arose and carefully closed the door leading to the outer room. Then he returned and slapped the clerk a great slap on! the back and smiled benignly upon him. “I am going to marry Mis. Rogers next Wednesday,” he said. To hide his confusion. Silas Ward then quickly extracted a box of cigars from a drawer in his desk, and forcing it into Martin’s hands, pushed him to the door and through It. Then he closed the door, from behind which the clerk was astonished shortly to hear the sound of cheery whistling, which he had never heard nor expected to hear from that source.— Samuel G. Peters.