What The Bashful Clerk Wanted

Oíd Pincheni sat in liis private office tlic other day figiiring up his profits tor May, when his head clerk, looking as palé u a sheep and as redasacow by turn.s, entend and licúan: ".Mr. Pinchem, I - I " "llave you gat those goíxls off for Kjilamazoo?" interrupted the ld man, "Yes, sir, tliey are off. Mr. Piíiel.cni, I nave loiyj " Ai. a alioat tliat onlerfor stureh?" "That has been attendcd to, sir. Mr. Ptnchera, I Iiave loug wanted to gpeak lo "Áh ! s])eak to me. Why, I thoiiglit you spoke to me fitty times a day." "Yes, sir, I know, but Uiis is a private matter." "Private? Oh! Ali ! Wait till I sec liow much we made on tliat last 10,000 poumls orsoap. Six times four are twenty-four; five times two are ten, and two to carry are twelve; tliree times seven are twenty-one and one- ali, well, jo aheud l'll fiuiali tliis aflerwards." "Mr. Pinchem, I have been with you ten lona years." "I'fn, eh ? long years, eh ? Anv longer tlian any other years ? Go aliead.1' "A',1(I I "ave always tiied to do my "Have, eh ? Go on." "And I now iiinkc linlri ' KolU on ! Wlmt is Hiere bokl about it but never miml- I'll hear you out." 'Now I want to ask- ask- I want to ask "Well, wliy don't you nsk tlien ? I don t see wliy you don't ak, if you waat "I raat to ask, you' for- for- for- " "You want to ask me fon tile hand of uiy Qaagliter. Ah ! wliy dkln't you speak righl out y She'S yoiirs, my boy ! Tuke her an.l be hsppy. You mKht have liad hcr two yearsago If jtu had memtioned t. Oo'hnxr nokv- I 'm busy." "Mr Pincbem." ¦ .,Wlmt' y(m liere Jr;t ? well, wli,it in "I wanted to ask yon for, for- " "Didn't I give her to you, you rascal '" "Yes, but wliat I wanted to ask you for was, iiotthehandofyourdaii'liter, Ijui foí 11 raise of snlary." 'Oh, thutwaslt, eh? Well, sir, tliatisan cntircly different matter, and it reqnlres times for serious thoubt aud earnest consultation. Return to your woik, and some lime uext fall I'll see about giviug yon a raise of a dollar a week. Six times four are twentyfour and two to carrv; and Ihree times "