The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-10-11
THE NEW DEPARTMENT
She Edited the Column on Love
and Matrimony.


Before the non-committal door leading
tnto the editorial department. of city
aaily stood woman whose face plainly
indicated painful hes itation and reluc.
tance. Her thoughts cried out almost
audibly: "Where is all the courage
with which / left home? They will
hear my heart beat and think / am
knocking, anyway, so l might as we'll
do it. If he is perfect bear, as they
Tell me, when at work, he can't do more
than eat me-.
II Then she gathered strength enough
60 call the attention OF scribbler with
in, who called out: "Come in," to her
feminine rap, as he followed his voice
In dazed fashion from out the heaps of
papers, books and dust in which he had
been immersed.
/, To her intimidated request for Mr..
Barrows, the editor, he replied: sob;
you want to see the chief! First door
to the right" and sank into oblivion of
her presence.
, Thus encouraged the intruder acceded
TO the request to "please knock" on the
first door to the right, and was told to
''come I'M by business-like voice.
Now that the first awful moment of
admittance had passed her spirits rose,
giving strength to her purpose and
tongue. "Is this Mr.. Barrows?" she
asked, as the sole occupant of the room
rose to his feet at sight of the unexpect-
ed and altogether taking" individual
approaching his desk.
"Yes, MISS" he replied, "can do any
thing for you?"
Looking straight up at him, with her
whole stock of courage to the front,
she said: "Yes, sir, you can. want
work Have you any to give me?"
If she had asked for bread the editor
could not have been more surprised, as
he looked at the brown-eyed girl whose
distinctively feminine and protected ap-
pearance and generally well-kept air be-
lied her words. At last he recovered
sufficiently to say: What kind of
work do you want? Have seat and let
us talk about it."
''Yes, thank you, might as we'll sit
down and come to the point Immediate
1y. You and ] have a mutual friend in
Mr.. Jameson, the architect He knew
wanted something to do on a newspaper,
and mentioned you as the only editor of
his acquaintance. did not know even
as many as one. / am still in my salad
days of journalism, as you have probably
surmised, never having been in an Office,
but good many of my things have been
published over my first name-Jean-
the last name is Elford-Jean Elford. /
wrote only for amusementuntilm my father
died two years ago, when 1 was twenty
one. Since then my mother and l have
not found life such smooth sailing.
Now, want some regular employment
on paper, and am willing to begin at
the bottom and work up"
Now Edward Barrows was an editor
hardened in the ways Of feminine appli-
cants for assistance; besides being a
bachelor on the wrong side of forty, with
the reputation of being what has truly
never existed, a woman hater. But the
way in which this girl ''struck from the
shoulder" as he told her afterwards,
overthrow his defense at one blow
"Well, Miss Elford, shall be glad to
do any thing in my power for you, If
only for the sake of Jameson. lam
surprised at his sending any one to me,
considering my reputation for growing
when in my den," he added, with a
quizzical look.
She laughed and dared to reply: 81
must confess you are surprise to me.
for was assured that it would be TAX
ing my life in my hands, this interview
ing you about newspaper work."
The veteran glanced at himself in an
advertising mirror hanging on the wall,
wondering if he had reached his dotage
to like such impudence from stranger.
In few words he explained to her
the hardships of such life; the army
of volunteers enlisting in the war of
words for bread every day; and finally
that he had no vacancies on his paper;
moreover, he knew nothing of her capa-
bilities as he had never happened to
come across articles signed "Jean." "''But
because / know nothing of you is no
sign you can't write" he put in as
sugar plum after bitter pill. SAL
though can do nothing for you perma-
nently, if you will send me something
,you have done perhaps could publish
an article now and then or help you to
place in some other Office"
After Wnlcn Sne cOulu 90 no more
than be grateful for crumbs and rush
home to get up something fine in her
very best style for the bear that did
not growl. H4
In 5heir small apartments uptown
Jean found her mother, who had been
left in the dark in regard to this vent
ure for fear of discouraging opposition.
The mother conjectured that events
were in the air from the cyclonio en-
trance of Jean, ordinarily as dignified
as boyish face and exuberance of life
would permit.
"Mother, mother, here ami"
"Have you gone through the fiery
furnace without singer"
Mrs. ElfOrd's amazement increased
as Jean described the whole scene.
She indulged in a laugh, which atoned
for many things, when, after asserting
that Mr.. Barrows was good-looking and
distinguished If he did wear glasses
and had stern mouth, In tone Of
comical resignation Jean sighed out:
"But / suppose he is married, as are
most Of the nice men one meets"
: Remember, daughter, that these
particularly nice married mon have. in
the majority of cases, been made 80 by
the companionship Of good wives. You
will have to turn some ugly duckling
into swan some day."
"Never! Momsey; I'd rather be a