Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-08-05
MY TYPEWRITER.

Some few months ago had occasion to
require in my business the services OF a
typewriter. and / made my wants known.
AS consequence was visited by no fewer
than AZ candidates in person, without
counting the hundred and odd who applied
by letter OF the AZ, 80 were Of the weaker
sex, and as these demanded slightly lower
wage than their male competitors decided
for that reason, and that only-to employ
one of them.
Now, the 30 had all brought samples of
.heir work, and as all possessed the need
ful qualification and as one typewriter
letter is precisely like another did what
every other man would have done under
the circumstances and chose the best look
ing one.
She was very handsome girl and very
charming one too. i say it In spite Of the
trouble she brought me. For a time she
was a complete success. Apart from the
fact that had to dictate to her continually,
twas obviously undesirable that she should
sit with my male clerks So allotted her
q corner In my own room, and she set up
her machine there.
1t was pleasant to have some one to talk
to when one was not busy, and Miss King,
being of lively disposition, interested me
much with accounts Of her experience as
beautiful and meritorious young woman
fighting the battle of life in London.
am not in the habit Of 'taking the Office
home with me" and worrying my wife
with "shop." So, naturally, i never men,
toned my typewriter In the domestic circle.
That simple omission has been thrown In
my teeth many hundreds of times during
the past two days. begin to fear 1t always
will be.
My typewriter. as have said, worked ad-
mirably until within about fortnight ago,
when she became restless, melancholy and
distracted in manner.
For time took no notice of It, but last
Saturday, business being dull, called her
to me as / sat at my table, and placing her
near the window looking over Old Broad
street far below, where could get the light
ON her face and observe her expression, I
began to interrogate her In a kindly way,
as an employer always should interrogate
his clerks II he thinks they are in need of
his help or advice.
While was doing SO the o'clock mail
came In. l did not look at my letters for
moment. as / was saying to my typewriter:
Gertrude" Il make rule of calling my
younger clerks by their Christian names),
Gertrude" said, 'there Is something on
your mind. You are anxious and dis
tressed."
1T is nothing" she answered.
Nothing be hangedr' said in my friend
ly way. Nothing does not make q girl
pale and absent and silent for 10 days at
time. / simply do not believe you"
'icannot help it,"
my dear Gertrude, }" said q am not sure
that / ever called young Bob Smithers. my
junior clerk, my dear Robert" but cir
cumstances alter cases). II want you to
try and let me help 1t or help you in any
way can"
"You have not opened your letters There
Is one marked Immediate"
know she was only trying to put me off,
as my clerks as a rule do not dictate to me
in such matters However, as could see
the girl had tears In her eyes, / took up the
envelope she spoke of and opened il, to give
her time to recover from her evident emo
tion.
At a glance / saw, to my surprise, that
the letter was note from my wife, whom
/ had left at home in the Cromwell road at
$50 that morning 1t ran as follows:
DEAR RCHARLEs-I want to take you to the shop
In the city where saw the sealskin was tell
ing you about have decided that must have
1t at once, as Mrs. Carruthers has just got Q
new one. know the shop closes at Q ON Satur-
day, but IL you can leave your Office with me
when call for you, a little before 1:30, we can
do it. Your affectionate wife,
ELIZA JOHNSON.
p. S.-Have your checkbook In your pocket
I read her note and at once grasped the
fact that she might come In at any moment.
The presence of stranger, even Of my
wife, who is really In her way a very kind
woman, would Of course have been unwel-
come to my typewriter in her distress, so
said, without looking up:
II will not press you further today, Ger
trude, but on Monday shall expect to be
treated with more confidence. l am ex-
pecting some one here ON important private
business, so you may go at once"
She made no answer, and turned to look
at her. She was standing with parted lips
and wide staring eyes, her tear stained face
tightly pressed against the dingy window
pane took her hand in mine Then she
turned, uttering cry:
"Charlie, Charlie, my darlingI"
At the moment she did so-in fact, before
the words left her lips-I was conscious of
the door opening and that my wife was
there and must have heard her with as
much surprise as myself and even more
horror
But before another word could be said
there was a rush across the room, an ink
pot, a pen or two, sheaf Of letters and a
typewriter-the machine-were lying over
turned upon the floor, and q typewriter
the operator-had dashed into the small
closet where she kept her hat and cloak,
seized them, and almost upsetting my wife
in her flight vanished down stairs, her lit
tie heels Gathering In wild tattoo ON the
stone tagged stairs.
Then scene took place which was only
the prelude to the ordeal have spoken Of
It was useless for me to argue and aver
that was innocent myself and az unaware
of any passion for me indulgcd In by my
typewriter-a mere clerk, as I repeatedly
said-as was Of any insanity In her family
or in her individual constitution.
Now suppose the worst Of my misery
has been practically put an end to by the
following letter-not typewritten-which
have Just received at the Office and am tax
ing home to show my wife;
DEAR Mr.. JoHNsoN-I hope you did not
think me quite crazy when left you alb
ruptly on Saturday, especially after your very
kind conversation with me. The reason Of my
anxiety and sadness was that the man have
been engaged TO for two years was coming
home from Australia, and his ship was much
overdue owing TO the gales. He never let me
tnov ha had arrived hut want sf fraioht IN NV