The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1899-04-06
An UNPROFITABLE HURRY.
BY FRANK NJ. BIChN ELL

81
back Of Our figures, aad-well," he
concluded, significantly, 1T Will make
difference 10 us"
Eyes: sir assented the girl, IN faint
tones.
''That's a wretcAedly poor copy,
Miss Chalbourne," he remarked after
a few seconds of uncomfortable silence
Uncomfortable to her, at least. 'Ycu
must speak to George. He Is getting
to be unpardonably careless. Hes
thinking too much about his own con-
Germs, J. fear
gives, sir" stammered Mildred.
reAdening fu iousl,r. Il will mean
-Mr. Vaughn, to tell the truth,
George didn't take that copy. He
happened not to he about, and so I
took it,
"Indaed:"' said her employer, with
al accent that caused her to Hush still
more; but to her relief he made no fur
ther comments. "Wcll," he coz
cluded. shutting up the letter book,
Il don's see what we can do about it
now. Thirteen is held to be an Ut
lucky number, and it would be partic-
ular:y so here. Let us hope this non
desc:ipt blotch stands for five"
Mildred went home that night al
most wishing she had never been
born. Nearly month now she had
been with Theophi!us Vaughn s; Go.
it was her first situation and ste
had begun to Aat:er herself, with rea-
son, that she was giving satisfaction.
At the end Of her first week Mr.. Vaughn
had gone so far as to tell her so.
Il rather think you vii suit u.s.
be said. You are quick eurate. ard
Inank you, sir; I hope I know
something about spelling.@ was her
wondering response.
The young lady who preceded you
knew something about spe!ling," pro-
ceeded Mr.. Vau yha, with queer shrug,
'sand proved the truth OF the familiar
assertion that little knowledge may
De dangerous thing. ''See here!"
and opening the letter book he showed
her the copy of lettec of about a
dozen lines in which he had under
scored with a pencil three misspelled
words, aud words not usually coasld-
cred ''hard' ones, either.
II shouldn't want to employ stem
ographer who was obliged to consult
the dictionary continually" he went
on, "but one who didn't know enough
to look in it when she ought wouldn't
have at any price. : girl who can't
spell, or who can't learn to spell,
misses her vocation when she starts
out to become a s:euogr"phe:.
"You would perhaps lie surprised at
the number Of such cases there are,
Miss CAadbourne," he proceeded.
"Gigls who have had only common
school education and have neglected
their opportunities at that, whose
knowledge Of spelling and grammar Is
wofully deficient, and who couldn't
write a preseatable letter to one Of
their own friends to save their lives,
and vet who expect to do the CORE
sEondence in a business counting
room. 4 steno2rapher who has to be
watched continually, lest she send out
something like this thing kere-a let
ter that any reputable house would
blush for-such a stenogfapher ~
we'll. I have no use for her.
Now, as she took her homeward
way, Mildred reflected upon these
words Of her employer, realizing with
shame and contrition that she Lad
been guilty Of sending out on one CT
Theophiius Vaughn & Co.'s letter
heads thing for which any repu-
table house would blnsh.' There
were no misspelled words there, the
grammar was faultless, the sentences
properly constructed, and every figure
in it, with the possible exception Of
the blurred one, had been set down
correctly; Yet to send off such a letter
"a letter that looked as il il had been
left lying out overnight il the rain
was discouctesy toward the firms
correspondents that barely fell short
of an insult.
That evening occurred the party to
which for weeks she had been looking
forward with the liveliest anticipations
Of pleasure; but her regret over that
unfortunate letter, Joined to her anxiety
concerning her future standing with
Vaughn & Co., h d brought on a head
ache which Of itself would have spoiled
her enjoyment effectually. So, after
a dismal attempt to take part in the
gayety, she left early and came home
ready to cry with disappointment.
The next day CHANGED to be holi-
day, and the one following it was Sun
day. Forty eight hours Of greater ap-
parent length Mildred was sure she
never had passed. On Monday she
probably would learn whether or not
Vaughn & Co. were to lose several
hundred dollars by her blunder-i if
blunder it was; meanwhile the sus-
pense she was being kept in seemed
intolerable.
If the firm were called upon to bear
the loss, would Mr. Vaughn visit the
adasssnuences. so far as he could, upon
nE lie that he had no
90 unfaithful stenog-
= ~. ,,;1rI,t Ia tho oran&