Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-06-09


! NMSG/ ness Of his nature.
W(@EmSSN> He was as rough
W. WIZ as burr, but he
had the heart OF boy.
He came to Cleveland to be near
the concern that was making the pat.
terms for an improvement in mining
machinery Of his own designing. He
secured an Office room in one OF the
big skyscrapers aud passed much time
over his drawings.
The day he took possession OF his
Office he stopped at the news and
cigar stand in the lobby and bought
q paper. =,
Good mornin', SIR" said the
weazen faced boy who stood behind
the counter. He was lame boy,
Jim Griesby noticed. If you've got
any typewritin' or shorthand to do so
to Miss Merriam, ninth floor"
"Friend OF yours?" inquired Jim
Grigsby.
Friend of everybody's," replied
the lame boy.
Good Endorsement" said Jim
Grigsby.
A few days later he had some spec
ifcations to typewrite. Ordinarily
he would have gone to man and had
the work done. He wasn't used to
women, but he went down to Miss
Merriam's Office with his manuscript.
She was neat little woman with
remarkably fine gray eyes. She
wasn't particularly young, thirty at
least, jim concluded, and she was
strictly businesslike. She looked the
work over, told him when it would be
done, and as he Turned to go she
named the price.
"In advance?" asked jim as he
fumbled i'll pocket.
ooh, no, not in ADVANCE" she
said, "but + find it better to have a
clear understanding Of the price before
the work is begun" The price she
named seemed extremely reasonable
and Jim Grigsby went away well
pleased with her manlike 'directness.
Perhaps it wasn't strange that he
had more work for her in couple Of
days. In fact, scarcely day passed
thereafter that he didn't find occasion
to make use OF her nimble fingers
She was remarkable type of woman-
kind, he assured himself. He knew
very little about women, and had no
wish to know more-until he met
Jane Merriam. And yet their &C.
quaintance remained purely business
one. Jim Grigsby, bold as brass in
the presence of his own sex. anaturnl
leader of men, was timid and shy in
his dealings with this neat fairy with
the clear gray eyes and the flying
white fingers. He softened his voice
when he spoke to her, he took infinite
pains to smooth down his somewhat
wiry locks when he sought her door.
One afternoon he had detained her
longer than the usual hour of quit
ting, and when the work was finished
he dashed up stairs with it, locked his
door quickly and caught one of the
elevators going down. He meant to
ride down with her, perhaps walk
with her to the door. Sure enough
she stepped on board at her floor. 1t
was a little late, and they were the
only passengers on the car.
Jim looked around at his fellow
traveller with ., cautious yet deter
mined air. He:meant to speak to her.
He would mention the weather, and
that might lead to something else.
She opened her LIPS, and then
And then there was jerk, grind.
ing crash, shrek from the boy,
something fell heavily on the roof OF
the car, the lights went out, they
were falling, falling-then with hor-
ril jerk they stopped! The air was
full of dust. They were in almost
total darkness.
As the Car floor seemed to slip from
under them the woman felt a strong
arm pass quickly about her waist, and
with a natural desire to grasp some
thing helptul she caught aud held fast
20 tho mans firm shoulder. When
tho car stopped he slowly Withdrew
his arm.
"Are you al! right?" he gently
asked.
eyes," she answered. "What has
happened9'
1--WE seem to have fallen anu stuck
between floors" L9 answered. ''Sit
down on tho sea. and don't worry.
They'll soon get Us out"
1t was o short winter day, and nj
ready dark outside. It vas still darker
IN tho car.
"Whe.a is tie boy?' she asked.
I'm trying 20 locate him." he an.
swercd. ''I'm af, cid he's burt. Here
he is"
Here" she quickly sail. 'plece
him on The sesi aud let me hold his
head on ny lap"
A moment l.tor Jim 3o::ly laid the
uncops cious .sd beside her.
He seems 10 lie bleeding from a
cut on his hca H. said Jim. "Do yon
rainl that?"
I ''Ch. no." sec answered quickly.
floor ko-.'
eve n.usi have A light" cried jim.
"Why doesn't somebody Gomez
"Hu'lo. halo, there came mnf-
fed -oicc from above.
Yes" saouied Jim.