The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-11-14
THE NEW DEPARTMENT.
She Edited the Column on Love
and Matrimony.

| Before the nop-comnittal door leading
| into the editorial department Of a city
| daily stood a woman whose face p-ainly
| indicated painful hes itation and reluc-
tance. Her thoughts cried out almost
audibly: Where IS all the courage
with which l left home2 They Will
hear nay heart beat and think l am
knocking, anyway, so / might IS well
do it, If he is2 perfect bear, as they
tell me, when at work, he can't do more
than eat me-"
Thcn she gathered strength enough
to call the attention Of scribbler with
in, who called out: Come in,r TO her
feminine rap, as ne followed his voice
in a 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: ''Oh;
you want TO see the chief First door
to the rightly and sank into oblivion of
her presence.
Thus encouraged the intruder acccded
to the request to ''pleaso knock" on tho
first door to the right, and was told to
come in" by a business-likc voice.
New that the first awful moment OF
admittance had passed her spirits rose,
giving strength 10 her purpose and
tongue. lis. this Mr.. Barrows?" She
asked, as the sole occupant of the room
rose to his feet At sight OF the unexpccs-
cd and altogether taking individual
approaching his desk
Yes, miss" he replied, ''can I do any
thing for your
Looking straight sp 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 beon more surprised, as
no looked at tho brown-eyed girl whose
distinctively feminine and protected ap-
pearance and generally well=lkept air be-
lied her words. At last ho recovered
sufficiently to say; What kind of
work do you want? Have seat and let
US talk about it"
Eyes, thank you, might as vol sit
down and como TO Che point Immediate
ly. You and l have mutual friend in
Mr.. Jameson, the arshitect He knew
wanted something to do on a newspaper,
and men toned you as the only editor OF
his acquaintance. l did not know even
as many as ono. am still in my salad
days of Journalism, as you have probably
surmised, never having been in an otiico,
but a good many of my things have been
published over my first name-Jean-
the last name is Elford-Jean Elford. !
wrote only for amusement until my father
died two years ago, when l was twenty
one Since then my mother and have
not found life such smooth sailing.
New, / want some regular employment
on a paper, and am willing TO begin at
the bottom and work up"
Now Edward Barrows was an oditor
hardened in the ways OF feminine appli-
cants for assistance; besides bfng
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, II
ONLY for the sake Of Jameson. am
surprised at his sending any one TO me,
considering my reputotion for growing
when in my den," he added, with a
quizzical look.
She laughed and dared TO reply: 'I
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 IL he had reached his dotage
to like such impudence from stranger
In few words he explained to her
the hardships OF such q life; the army
of volunteers enlisting in tho war Of
words for bread every day; and finally
that he had no vacancies on his paper;
l., lai Of har- = -lFaQ-
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 n
sugar plum after bitter pill. AL
though can do nothing for you perma-
nentIy, If you will send me something
I YOU have done perhaps / could publish
an article now and then or help you to q
place in some other office"
After which she could do no moro
than be grateful for crumbs and rush
home to get up something fine in her
very hest style for the bear that did
/ not esrovl.
In choir 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
I Tho mother conjectured that events
| were in the air from the cyclonio en-
| trance of Jean, ordinarily as dignified
/ as a boyish face and exubcrance Of life
! would permit.
| Mother, mother, here ami
Have you gone through the fiery
furnace without a singer
Mrs. Elford's amazement increased
! as Jean described the whole scene.
She INDUCED in laugh, which atoned
for many things. when, after asserting
that M Barrows was good-looking and
distinguished if he did wear glasses
and had stern mouth, in tone o.
comical resignation Jean sighed out;
'1Jut / suppose he is married, as are
I most of the nice men one meets"
| Remember. daughter, that these
particularly nice married men have, IN
the ma iority of cases, been made So by
J the companionship of good wives. You
! will have to turn some ugly duckling
! into 4 swan some day."
! Never! Momsey; I'd rather be /.