The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1890-12-06
THE NEW DEPARTMENT.
She Edited the Column on Love and Mat
rimony.

She Edited the Column on Love ana Mat
rimony.
Before the on-committal door leading into
the editorial department of city daily stood
woman whose face plainly indicated painful
hesitation and reluctance. Her thoughts
cried out almost audibly: where is all the
courage with which left homer They will
hear my heart beat and think 1 am knocking,
anyway, so / might as well do it. If he is a
perfect bear, as they tell me, when at work,
he can't do more than eat me-"
Then she gathered strength enough to call
the attention of a scribbler within, 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: 'Oh; 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 in" by bus
iness like voice.
Now that the first awful moment of admit
tance had passed her spirits rose, giving strength
to her purpose and tongue "Is this Mr.. Bar
rows?' she asked, as the sole occupant of the
room rose to his feet at sight ofthe unexpected
and altogether taking" individual approach
ing ge:1 his desk: ! ;, i, or,;oa .oon ao .,;no
for you ?'
Looking straight up at him, with her whole
stock of courage to the front, she said: "Yes,
sir, you can. I 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 femin-
inc and protected appearance and generally
well-kept air belied her words. AT last he re-
covered sufficiently to say: "What kind of
work do you want? Have seat and let us
talk about it."
tYes, thank you, might as well sit down
and come to the point Immediately. You and
have mutual friend in Mr.. Jameson. the
architect. He knew l wanted something to do
on newspaper, and mentioned you as the only
editor of his acquaintance. did not know
even as many as one. l am still in my salad
days of journalism, as you have probably sur
missed, never having been in office, but good in
many of my things have been published over
my first name-Jean-the last name is Elford
Jean Elford. l wrote only for amusement
until my father died two years ago.. when |
was twenty-one. Since then my mother and
have not found life such smooth sailing. Now,
want some regular employment on a paper,
and am willing to begin at the bottom and
work up"
Now Edward Barrows was an editor harden
ed in the ways of feminine applicants for as
sistance; besides being bachelor on the wrong
side of forty, with the reputation of being what
has truly never existed a woman hatee. 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. / am surprised at his sending
any one to me- considering my reputation for
growing when in my den, he added. with a
quizzical look.
confess you are surprise to me, for was as
sured that it would be taking my life in my
hands, this interviewing you about newspaper
work.
The veteran glanced at himself in an adver-
| tising mirror hanging on the wall, wondering
| if he had reached his dOtage to like such inn
| pudence from a stranger.
| In few words he explained to her the hard
| ships 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 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 a
bitter pill. Although can do nothing for
you permanently, if you will send me some
an article now and then or help you to a place
| in some other Office"
After which she could do 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
In Ilelr small apartments up GOWH jean
| found her mother, who had been left in the
| dark in regard to this venture for fear of dis
couraging opposition. The mother conjectured
| that events were i'll the air from the cyclonic
| entrance of Jean, ordinarily as diginified as a
boyish face and exuberance of life would per-
| NIT.
Mother, mother, here am !'
"Have you gone through the fiery furnace
without a singer"
Mrs. Elford's amazement increased as Jean
| described the whole scene. She INDUCED in a
| laugh which atoned for many things, when,
after asserting that Mr.. Barrows was good
| looking and distinguished ifhed did wear glasses
| ard 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 particular
| ly nice married men have, in the majority of
| cases, been made so by the companionship
| of good wives. You will have to turn some
| ugly ducking into swan some day."
Never! Momsey; I'd rather be spinster
| all my days than take some callow youth to
! raise" was the energetic response.
So Jean sent the editor sample copy OF her
| wares" which he deemed worthy of publica-
| tion. Some correspondence, ostensibly on bus
| iness, ensued and along toward Christmas time
| he secured her work on another paper, which
| proved good practice if not very remunerative.
One snowy night mother and daughter were
settled in their CHEEKY little pariOr fora quiet
evening of pen-scratching and reading. The
| door-bell announced a caller. Jean, on open
| ing the fiat door, saw man covered with snow,
carrying bundle of books. Following out
her first thought that it must be belated book
| agent, she was about to refuse him admittance
| when more comprehensive glance revealed
| Mr. Barrows, who somewhat nervously said {:
| "Good evening, Miss Elford; / have brought
| you some books which need reviewing. How
| are you at that kind of work."
Overcoming her surprise, she asked him in,
| said something about his kindness in coming
| such bad night, and, before they quite real
| lied it, he was presented to her mother and
drying off before the open fire. Arrangements
were made about the book reviewing, followed
| by few moments of general conversation,
| after which he took leave as suddenly as he
had appeared, remarking that he was on his
way to bachelor dinner given monthly by a
| dozen friends of that order of misauthropists.
''Your new friend seems to partake some
what of the nature of awhirlwind, Jean," Said
Mrs. Elford after the door closed upon the de-
| parting surprise.
Eyes, mother; but what more astonishing
| / verify belive he is an old bachelor after what
| he said about the dinner. 1t is fortunate did
| not know that when went to see him, for the
halo of suppositous wife and family around
him softened my horror of asking favor of a
strange man."
Between the time of the first call and the
| summer Mr.. Barrows found considerable busi-
ness attracting him to a certain quiet uptown
| fiat. Occasionally the ladies found them
selves at the theater or opera, followed by a
| dainty supper with the acquaintance whose
entrance into their lives had been as abrupt in
every particular as the conspicuous character
| istic of man.
During the winter Mr.. Barrows talked OF
| going abroad in June Whenever the subject