The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-01-17
TAKING HIN DOWN.
SNOW, Miss-er-er-Miss
"Fosdick."

"Fosdick.'
.Thanks, very much! Now, Miss Eos.
dick, in commencing your work as a
stenographer for the firm of Poplin d
Son it is necessary for me to instruct you
as to your duties. have charge Of the
houses orrespondence-entir charge.
MY name, Miss Fosdick, is Nipple"
eyes, Mr.. Ripple" the girl replied
meekly.
sin the first place" Mr.. Ripple went
on, leaning back in his chair SO as to ex-
pand his chest to it's utmost capacity, and
and twisting the ends of his mustache
both hands as he spoke; ''in the first
place, always insist on my stenograph-
er's taking me down verbatim ct htera-
tim. l suppose you know what that
means. It's Latin" he added conde-
scendingly.
"Yes, sir.
"Well, Miss Fosdick, I have had the
houses correspondence in my hands for
several years. and the Messrs. Poplin
have come to rely implicitly upon me. In
deed | do not really see how this depart
ment could move along without me. !"
The girls gray eyes looked at the in
dispensable clerk with an amused
twinkle.
II think can say, Miss Fosdick, 2 the
young man proceeded as he settled him
self more comfortably in his chair, ''and
think can say it without the slightest
egotism or desire to boast, that have
made the letters of Poplin & Son famous
throughout the business world as models
of English composition and ornate die
tion."
The clerk watched the countenance of
his new assistant closely to note the
impression of his words.
Miss Fosdick nodded understandingly
and smiled. 1t was a sweet smile, for
she could not smile any other sort had
she tried.
.eThose are the reasons why always
insist on absolute accuracy on the part
of my stenographer. do not permit
even the alteration of single word or
any other change whatever. l trust
you apprehend me clearly"
"Quite so, Mr.. Nipple"
"Then we will begin
Mabel Fosdick's first days work was
perfectly satisfactory to the hyper
critical correspondence clerk. He found
himself taken down with unvarying
accuracy. In the transcribed letters,
too, the words were all spelled correctly.
She never struck the wrong character
on her machine-a fault SO common
among typewriters, and one which some
times helps to make typewriter COM
munication resemble Egyptian hero
glyphics.
The firm of Poplin & Son had beel.
served by masculine typewriter, but
the style of the correspondence clerk had
become too oppressive for him, and he
had resigned.
This was exactly what Mr.. Ripple
wished, for he longed for typewriter
with laughing eyes and golden hair
upon whom to lavish his flowers of lam
guage-such a being as he had read
about in the funny papers.
At last he had bund one 20 suit him,
after much examination of applicants,
l., the person of Miss Fosdick.
Everything went on with apparent
smoothness for about a month"; The
members of the firm noted with APP
prevail the modest demeanor of, their
new typewriter, and the other male
clerks in the establishment envied Hip
pie his pleasant duties
One day the elder Mr.. Poplin sent for
Miss Fosdick to come into his private
Office.
"Sit down, please" he said when she
arrived. 81 have here letter from my
friend Mr.. Shaw, of Shaw & King, who
SAYS that communication from this
firm contains much irrelevant matter"
Poplin looked over his glasses at Miss
Fosdick and found her blushing, with
her eyes cast down. He asked. not I'M
kindly:
did you write a letter to that firm
lately?"
Eyes, sir"
"Then you know its character?"
Eyes, sir"
"What have you to say about it?'
II wrote it down just as Mr.. Nipple
dictated 1t, Sir"
80 | supposed after reading it; but
is it not rather unusual to insert in let
ters extraneous remarks made during
lictation?'
HE has always insisted on being
taken down verbatim ct literatim, sir"
the pretty typewriter went on with some
confusion. land really, sir, Mr.. Nipple
has annoyed me so much with his at
tentions and has refused to desist that
felt must do something to crush him.
I'm sorry took the method did
oughtnt to--oh, dear, what shall do?"
And Miss Fosdick put her dainty CAM
brio handkerchief to her eyes, and her
speech dissolved in tears.
"There! there! my dear girl, don't
cry" said Mr.. Poplin soothingly.
He took her hand to assist in the COM
forting operation and placed her head