Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1894-06-22
SHE COULDN'T KEEP STILL


10 III .z q - 81 @&c% :
Renorter's Narrowing Experience With
the New Typewriter Girl.
L For reporter with but little to write
and plenty of. time in which to write it
there is nothing more pleasant than to
dictate narrative to cheerful typewriter,
particularly if she be young and have nice
soft hair to distract the eye, and well
formed white fingers, and be withal ex-
ceedingly pleasing. But for a reporter
with a long yarn to write and a limited
amount of time to finish it things some
times have different aspect.
Near Printing House square Is a tvpe.
writing office which many newspaper men
frequent. A new girl came there one day
last week-a real nice girl and an excel
lent operator-but she had never done that
kind of work before. While she was Sit
ting 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
; q two column story in hurry?''
''Yes," replied the manager Here is
a young lady who has just come to US.
Miss Brown--Mr. Smith. You can go in
to 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
was closed SO as to leave them undisturbed.
Nov, if you will please begin," the
newspaper man said. 50 In these days of
stern reality and suffering and struggle
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,
| and them
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 Tombs police court
cases, however, there was one yesterday,
behind which lay a.story so romantic and
SO picturesque that it would almost seem
to have been created by great novelist
who had striven to excel all his past eff
forts.''
When this had been recorded, and while
the newspaper man was wondering what
he would say next, the young lady, smil-
ing most radiantly, prattled on in this
fashion,:
''That's just splendid. 1t sounds like
real novel, Did you ever read 'Clarissa:
or, the Forlorn Hope?' 1t begins some
thing like that, only it isn't so interest
ing. Do you know I never took dictation
} like that before. The last place worked
in had nothing to do but copy letters
Oh, dear, wasn't it tiresome, thoughr'
The newspaper man felt his collar get
ting too small, but after swallowing some
thing that seemed to stick in his throat he
said as gently as possible:
won't you please go on? I'm in some
what of a hurry. What have you got
there?''
''Where?" in great surprise.
Il mean please read over what have
dictatcd''
'Oh, how stupid am! In these days
of stern reality'-how do you pronounce
that word, in two syllables or threei
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 die
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 q little mirror in 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.
"There, now, I'm all ready
For the next few minutes she had te
work SO hard that she hadn't time to say
a single word But soon the page was
filled, and she had to insert a new sheet,
and that was her opportunity.
"Gracious how fast you dictate! It al,
most takes my breath away; but, do you
know, like it. I think it's good prac
tice. We're you there when all that hap
pened? My, I wish could be reporter!'
The newspaper man went on with hi<
dictation. He was fast growing hopping
mad, but he hadn't the heart to say g
harsh word to the girl. She was really
very pretty, and as she became interested
in the story delicate flush mantled he1
cheeks, and it was apleasure to watch her
But newspaper man has no time fo1
pleasure during business hours, and these
charms did not interest him as much a.
they might have done under other circum
stances. But he struggled brave1y on.
"Oh, she suddenly exclaimed, stopping
in the middle of a sentence, did that
really happen?''
Eyes, yes! Will yea please 20 on?''
''Well, the idea! I wouldn't have be-
]ieved it. Do you know, don't believe
half what read in the papers. But, OF
course, if you say SO, it must be true.''
I'm sorry I can't chat with you, Miss
Brown, but, really I'm in a great hurry"
"Oh, beg your pardon! forgot all
about that
For nearly 10 minutes there was not q
break in the -dictation save where a sheet
became full and a fresh one had to be in.
serted. The typewriter kept her lips firm
~ pressed together, as if she We're exerting
all her strength to keep silent. It was
clear to see that it could not last much
longer. In the middle of paragraph she
suddenly stopped, and with a brief lex
cuse me for a moment left the room. II
a few seconds she returned, with her jaw:
moving convulsively and a piece of chew
ing gum in her hand.
won't you have some?' she asked 20.
litely.