The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-21
SHE WAS so GREEN
SHE WAS A VERY NICE BUT A VERY
FRESH TYPEWRITER GIRL.
ehe Was So interested In the Reporters
Story That She Wanted to Stop Quite
Often and Talk About It-Had TO Fix

Her Hair and Get Her Chewing Gum.
For reporter with but little to write
md plenty of time in which to write it
there is nothing more pleasant than to
dictate a narrative to a cheerful type
writer, particularly if she be young and
have nice soft hair to distract the eye and
we'll formed, white fingers and be, ex-
ceedingly pleasing. But for 4 reporter
with long yarn to write and a limited
amount of time to finish it things some
times have a different aspect.
Near the newspaper Office is typewTit-
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 busting in, and
''Mrs. J., have you got anybody TO take
q two column story in a hurry"
Yes" replied the manager. Hero 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
was closed, so as to leave them undis-
turbed.
Now, if you will, please begin" the
newspaper man said. "In these days OF
stern reality aud suffering and struggle
for existence romantic episode comes
upon one with the refreshing delight with
which a traveller in q desert beholds an
oasis. "
CIickoty, cliokety, click went the keys,
and then:
isn't that lovely? Is it going to be a
novel?''
The newspaper man looked up in amaze
rnent. 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 a story SO romantic and so pic
turesoue that it would almost seem to
have been created by great novelist who
had striven 10 exceed all his past efforts"
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 a
real novel. Die you ever read 'Clarissa;
ne IL
thing like that, only it isn't so interesting.
Do you know never took dictation like
that before? The last place 1 worked in
bad nothing TO do but copy letters. On,
dear, WASH I it tiresome, though
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:
vnir r1lpaSp nnt I'm in Come
what of hurry. What have you go.
there:''
"Where?" in great surprise.
II mean please read over what I have
Hictatad. I"
.'Oh, how stupid ami In these days
of stern realty'-how do you pronounce
that word, in two syllables or three?
Thanh 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. l think my hair is coming
down.
She went to 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
"There, now, I'm all ready"
I 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
filled. 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, think it's good
practice Were you there when all that
happened? My! I wish L could be a re-
porter
The newspaper man went on with his
iiictation. He was fast growing hopping
mad, but he hadn't the heart to say a
harsh word TO the girl. She was really
very pretty. and as she became interested
in the story delicate flush mantled her
cheeks and il was a positive pleasure to
watch her. But a 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
ly on.
Obi she suddenly exclaimed, stop
ping in the middle of a sentence. did
that really happen
-, YES ~ III At E1tCsiSc 10 Os-
well. the idea. l wouldn't have be-
lieved it. DO you know, 1 don't believe
half what / read in the papers, but of
course if You say so it must be true
Tn very sorry / can I chat with you,
Miss Brown, but really I'm in great
hurry"
oh, beg your pardon. 1 forgot all
about that.
For nearly ten minutes there was not a
break in the dictation save where n sheet
Became full and a fresh one had TO be in
serted. The typewriter kept her lips firm
" pressed together, rs if she were exert
ing all her strength 10 keep silent. 1t was
clear to see that il could not last much
longer In the middle of Il paragraph she
suddenly stopped and with brief . TX
cuse me for q moment left the room. In
a few seconds she returned with her jaws
moving convulsively and u piece of chew
ing gum in her hand
Won't you have some?" she asked Do
litely.
"N-n-no-and-Il tell you what-er-
guess l won't have time TO finish this
story today I'll come back some other
time
oh, you're not going are your I'm
awful sorry. was just getting interested
in the story"
Very sorry-er-how much? Here
All right? Good day"
And selling the few sheets that lay or
the desk the newspaper man went away
and finished the story with a pen--Chica
go Times.
Narrow EScape.