The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1889-12-12

uer mySoI, ana the prOprletOfS& y
Daily Echo chuckledt to himself as he
thought of what the world would say il
he married his typewriter girl. All the
papers would have three-line heads be-
ginning, Married His Typewriter" and
their pictures would be published all over
the land probably. No, on second
thought he guessed he wouldn't. II
would like to see her the first time a
letter is referred to her with the red
stamp ON the top. bet she'll blush like
a schoolgirl, and she's thirty if she's a
day."
With-this not altogether kind remark
he took up his morning work and did not
think further of rubber stamps nor of his
stenographer who sat in her little corner
She big room on the next floor pound
fng %eut orders for metal, tape, ETC., and
letters to brother editors on every con-
ceivable subject.
She was 30 eff she was day." but her
face was one Of those that never grow
old and never grow ugly. Her eyes were
a steady gray, her hair dark and smooth,
her lips firm and full, face that you
might pass every day for year and not
notice. Elsie Harley had been in The
Echo office two years, and the managing
editor often said: ''It is strange that we
cannot get acquainted with that girl"
She came and did her work day after
day, she answered when spoken to, the
city editor had her name and address on
his city book. but that was all they knew
about her.
Carrying out his desire to see what
Seffect the stamp would have on her, Mr..
Ambrose happened to be in the editorial
department when the first letter with the
kstamp N bold red letters was handed
to her. She took it, glanced at it, then
raised her eyes slowly to the proprietor's
face as he stood by her desk. Her glance
was steady but her lips were closed
tighter than usual
'Do you know anything about that?" he
asked, meaning of course the matter in
the letter.
II do" was the answer and she stuck
it on the hook in her old methodical
, manner, but he noticed that her hands
trembled and that her face was paler
than usual.
The next morning Miss Harley was not
in her place in the corner. Never before
had she been late when the clock pointed
to eight. She must be sick, the manag-
ing editor said. Girls were always get
ting sick just when they were needed
most, and he sent the office boy down to
her address to get her excuse.
''No such person has ever lived at that
\ number" was the word he brought
hack, and the managing editor looked
across the desk at the city editor in a
questioning way. "It is very strange"
>f&as all he said, but he took the word to
Mr.. Ambrose as soon as that worthy gen.
tleman arrived.
t'Bless my soul, was that gentleman's
ejaculation, "who ever heard of such a
thing? Didn't anybody ever know where
she lived?" Nobody from the Office had
ever been at her house.
maybe she has sent her excuse to
me-" he said "Sure enough, here it is"
and he opened square envelope ad-
dressed in her bold, round hand.
"Dear friend" (she had never called
him that before), II thank you. /
thought you would never know. I do
not know how you found it out, but you
have acted generously toward me, and
am more than gratefsd. MRS. H."
"Mrs. H.. There's mystery here.
shouldn't wonder if it would make good
story, but we won't say anything against
her. suppose shall have to get some
one to fill her place, for it is evident she
is not coming hack. I would like to
Know what she thinks found out; some
thing connected with that stamp, know.
Il thought those stamps were going to
save time, but if they all have the same
J, effect as this one did and l have to break
/ in somebody new for every one of them,
u will be always behind"
II The new stenographer came, passed
\ through the ordeal of being "broken in"
n and in time Elsie Harley was forgotten.
Forgotten by all save Mr.. Ambrose. The
look in her clear eyes as she slowly
turned toward him the last time he saw
her haunted him, and he would say to
himself: "I would miss whole edition
6f TIE Echo to find out that girls his
tory"
:, In the summer time Mr.. Ambrose
went to his country home little way
n,