The Portland daily press., 1894-12-31
THE NEW TYPEWRITER.
She Was So Interested In the Reporters
Story That She Wanted to Stop Quito
Often and Talk About It-Had to Fix
Her Hair and Get Her Chewing Gum.

Her Hair and Get Her Chewing Gum.
For reporter with but little to write
and plenty of time in which to write it
there is nothing more pleasant than to
8ictate a narrative to cheerful type
writer, particularly if she be young and
have nice soft hair to distract the eye and
well formed, white fingers and be, ex-
ceedingly pleasing. But for reporter
with long yarn to write and limited
amount of time to finish it things some
times have different aspect
Near the newspaper office is a typewrlt-
ing office which many men frequent. A
new. girl came there one day last week-a
real nice girl and an excellent operator
but she had never done that kind of work
before. While she was sitting in the main
room upon the afternoon of her first day
newspaper man came bustling in, and
Mrs. j., have you got anybody to take
two column story in hurry?'
Eyes, replied the manager. Here is a
young lady who has just come to us. Miss
Brown, Mr. Smith. You can go into
that corner room.
In three, minutes the young lady was
seated at her machine, the newspaper man
was sorting out his notes, and the door
sturbed
Now, if you will, please Begin" the
newspaper man said. 'sIn these days Of
for existence a romantic episode comes
upon one with the refreshing delight with
which a traveller in desert beholds an
oasis
Clickety, clickety, click went the keys,
ard then:
Isn't that lovely? Is it going to be a
novel;"
The newspaper man looked up in amaze
ment, but it was utterly impossible to be
angry with such blue eyes regarding him
in admiration.
NO." he said "Please go on. In the
monotonous routine of police court cases.
however, there was one yesterday behind
which lay story so romantic and SO pic
turesque that it would almost seem to
have been created by great novelist who
had striven to exceed all his past efforts"
When this had been recorded, and while
che newspaper man was wondering what
he ould say next, the young lady, smil-
in. most rsdiantly, prattled on in this
fashion:
"That's just splendid. It sounds like
real novel. Did you ever read 'Clarissa;
OF, The Forlorn Hopee' 1t begins some
thing like that only it isn't so interesting.
Dosyou know never took diotation like
that before? The last place worked in
had nothing to do but copy letters. Oh,
dear, wasn't it tiresome, thought"
The newspaper man felt his collar get
ting too small, but after swallowing some
thing that seemed to stick in his throat
no cold Oapf;lv az nQSSifia.
won't you please go on? I'm in some
what of hurry What have you got
theres''
"Where?" in great surprise.
"I mean please read over what I have
dictated"
.'Oh, how stupid am! In these days
of stern realty'-how do you pronounce
that word, in two syllables or threef
Thank you-'stern reality and suffer
ing'''-
And she read what she had written.
Then Just as the newspaper man had set
tied back in his chair, determined to do
tate to the end without giving her another
opportunity to interrupt him, she said:
EXCUSE me. I think my hair Is coming
down."
She went to a little mirror in a corner
of the room, examined her hair carefully,
and then after touching up the puffs OF
her sleeves and smoothing her waist she
sighed and returned to her seat.
ssThere, now, I'm all ready"
For the next few minutes she had to
work so hard that she hadn't time to say
a single word. But soon the page was
filed, and she had to insert a new sheet,
and that was her opportunity.
"Graciousl How fast you dictated 1t
almost takes my breath away. But do
you know, I like it. I think it's good
practice. Were you there when all that
happened? Myl wish I could be a re-
porter"
The newspaper man went on with his
dictation. He was fast growing hopping
mad, but he hadn't the heart to say
harsh word to the girl She was really
very pretty, and as she became interested
in the story a delicate flush mantled her
cheeks, and it was positive pleasure to
watch her. But newspaper man has no
time for pleasure during business hours,
and these charms did not interest him as
much as they might have done under 9th
er circumstances. But he struggled brave
" ON.