Not Likely to Return

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 96, 23 January 1886, Page 3

Not Likely to Return

A tall, smooth-shaven man who . r walked int«;the office of a wjeil-iknowi broker: early one morning. H« carried a small brown- coloured bag ii his hand, and over his arm hung 8 • fashionably-cut topcoat. He was evidently, just from the country, although his clothes were of a receni city make. No one was in the office except the office bey, whom he found sitting in the cushioned chair of the • ; brpker, with his feet on the desk, industriously engaged; in smoking a cigarette. As s the visitor appeared at the door of the back office, the office; boy glanced at him through a cloud of blue and : ill-smelling smoke and; exclaimed 'between puffs : " Come in, oW fellow, don't be afraid. . The visitor's face expressed surprise, but he said nothing. . > " L suppose," said the office-boy, with, ready nonchalance, " that ypu * liave come in to see old Blank ? Well," went on the youth glibly, "he ain't in. He's out in the country on a toot." \ . ■ i '. : " On a what," asked the visitor. "On a spree. You see he sent the ©Id girl— -" " The what ?." inquired the visitor, as he seated himself in a chair. "That's rights. make. .yourself at home. Have a cigar ?" as he opened Mr Blank's desk and pulled out a box <6f . Havana*. . . "You were speaking of the old gbl," interrupted the; visitor, as he declined the proffered cig^ar. ■ ' « Oh, yes," went on ! the lad. "He sent his wife to her horn« in Tasmania: Did you ever see Mrs.R? #0.?. "vYeIL ane's a show. She has tftat duffer right under her thumb. He has some '■' friends dome down tq the city to see him last sprinel ' They wanted him to take them around the town and show 'em the elephant. Old Blank was afraid to go. " H^said he'd sep, about it Then he sent me' over to his hopse with a note to B. I took it up to the ; house. Mrs B.Tead it. • •••.'• «m What!' she saidj *Mr Blank will "have tb be away to-night?. No, sir. You tell him I sjiall expect him home to dinner? He went home to dinner, j too. Well, as I was saying, old Blank sent. Mrs.. B. off -to her home •" and then, started on a royal pld burst. He left me a! stack of letters to mail to Mrs B/ every day to make her ' think he was in town. attending.^ his business. Oh? I'm tip to his tricks, . I tell you." _.j 7/ , V Yon seem to know a "gi;eat deal about your employer/: observed the visitor. ..-."• ~rr , „ « Well, I should say so. We're all on tohiih.' The book keeper says if he had such a i '^e'Wd i c6mijait.sui.cide Why,' would y6u ' believ^ , it, he'B^ afraid to breathe when Mrs B.s m town. I'm the junior partner of this firm. Is there any business I can do Joryou? Waiii, to buy any shares: •Hello, here comes thp book-keeper . ' r At this ni>:nent the boy tossed Ins <>igaivfcte into "the 'waste-basket, and look his .bouts o£ the desk. " Ho\V are you?" inquired the book-keeper as he ent>rd the back room. " I didn't except you home so soon How did you tmjoy the trip ?" " M'^rj ;-.mu^h," rei>lied the visitor. i " I declaim, ilv Blank," continued the book-keeper, " I w6uld hardly ■-''•iiiow-'you, siuceyou shaved .0^ .vpiu-. whiskers- Well, Ilk-hard," I*<? tedded to the office boy, " you can go." But he spoke too late. The box had already left. He dulh't come baiek either. This is the explanation given by Mr Blank for a card which appeared in the front window of his office the jjextafteriiobnywhichreadasfollows:— "A quiet, industrious, discreet office-boy wanted. No idiots need apply." ■■ • ' '