The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-02-08
MRS. H.

"Here are my stamps. Now won't
have to be forever dipping my pen in ink
as open my letters" and Herbert Am
brose tried the little rubbers one by one
on the blotter of his desk. cashier" +"
Business Manager" Foreman" MRS.
H." were the different types. At sight
of the last one he gave an exclamation,
Mrs. H. What will she say when she
sees that, 1 wonder? Mrs. HI Welt
welli wonder why she never did get
married thought She's pretty enough. /
don't know as 1 would mind marrying
her myself" and the proprietor of the
Daily Echo chuckled to himself as he
thought of what the world would say if
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. 81
would like to see her the first time a
letter is referred to her with the red
stamp on the top. 1 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 hismorning work and did not
think further of rubber stamps nor of his
stenographer who sat in her little corner
of the big room on the next floor pound
ing out orders for metal, tape, ETC., and
letters to brother editors on every con-
ceivable subject.
She was 80 ''if 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; at 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
effect the stamp would have on her, Mr..
Ambrose happened to be in the editorial
department when the first letter with the
stamp in 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 thatF 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 moi
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 tC
her address to get her excuse.
';No such person has ever lived at thai
NUMBER" was the word he brought
back, and the managing editor looked
across the desk at the city editor in {
questioning way. ut is very strange,
was all he said, but he took the word L
Mr., Ambrose as soon as that worthy gen
tleman arrived.
"Bless my soul" was that gentleman'
ejaculation, "who ever heard of such
thing? Didn't anybody ever know wher
she livedT Nobody from the Office ha,
ever been at her house.
maybe she has sent her excuse l.
me" he said, "Sure enough, here it is,
and he opened a square envelope ad
dressed in her bold, round hand.
Dear friend" (she had never calle
him that before), 81 thank you.
thought you would never know. I d
not know how you found it out, hut yo
have acted generously toward me, and
am more than grateful. MPs. II.
"AIrs, HI There's a mystery here,
shouldn't wonder If 1t would make goo
story, but we won't say anything again'
her. suppose l shall have to get som
one to fill her place, for it is evident sh
is not coming back. l would like
know what she thinks found OUT som,
thing connected with that stamp, know
l thought those stamps were going
save time, but if they all have the sam
effect as this one did and ! have to brea
in somebody new for every one of then
viii be always behind"
The new stenographer came, passe
through the ordeal of being "broken in
and in time Elsie Harley was forgotten
Forgotten by all save Mr.. Ambrose. tt
look in her clear eyes as she slow
turned toward him the last tine he sa
her haunted him, and lac would say
p. himself; Il would miss a whole edidc
Of The Echo to find out that girls hi
tory"
In the summer time Mr.. Ambro
went to his country home little VIZ
out of the city, running in every day
his business and back to the cool gre
shades at night One morning thr
3. years after Elsie Harley's mysterio
leavetaking he was coming in ON Z
morning train, and as they stopped al
q station on the way a coffin was taken (
. aud put into waiting hearse. The CO
ductor Of the train knew Mr.. Ambrc
and remarked to him after the ira
moved on, "That was the fellow we re
, about in the dispatches a day or two a
u who was pardoned from prison.
died of consumption and they've broug
him home
Mr.. Ambrose remembered the ca
t'sRe wss aGpzassdte Asvt hltEaisHl