The Republican journal., 1900-02-08
Mr.. Truelove's Vanity.

Mr. Truelove was fluent dictator and
was proud of it. 1t was gratifying to his
self esteem to watch the frantic struggles
of his lady stenographer to record the
steady flow of eloquence, and when, as
often happened, she was obliged to inter
rupt and beg him to moderate his speed,
be would comply with ALI air of patroniz-
ing condescenson.
But in the course of time this young
lady left the office, and another and
smarter operator supplied her place.
This was self possessed and somewhat
naughty damsel, and Mr.. Truelove found
to his annoyance that, so far from being
hurried and confused by the readiness of
his dictation, she took his letters with
bored, Indifferent air, and whenever he
paused or hesitated would glance up
with an inquirng, almost impatient look
All this was, of course, very wounding
to Mr.. Truelove's vanity. One day, in
the privacy of his own room, he remarked
to his confidential clerk:
''There's a letter from those people
down at Southend. l intend writing
them a good long letter, showing clearly
that they have no claim upon us. 1t will
have to be very carefully worded, and
wanted to consult you about it. In fact,
l think it would not be bad idea for you
to write it down briefly from my dictation.
L shall have to be very careful with my
facts, and | need your assistance"
Now, the Dom which Miss Carter, the
young lady under discussion, occupied
had formerly been pant of Mr.. Truelove's
room, and was separated from it only by
thin partition. Miss Carter had nimbe
ears as we'll as nimble fingers.
''Then, Mr. TrHelove went op, "when
we have GOT it satisfactorily arranged,
can use your notes to test Miss Carter S
speed and see if she is really worth the
excellent salary which pay her
''Indeed?" said Mi Carter to herself
And she took her notebook and pencil and
stationed herself against the thin dividing
wall.
The letter completed and other business
matters discussed MI. Truelove entered
Miss Carter's room with his usual air of
importance to dictate his letters. MI.
Noble also Stgolled into the room, osten
sibly for the purpose of speaking to his
employer about some trivial matter but
in reality to witness the humiliation of
the young woman who was cheeky enough
TO earn salary nearly equal, to his own.
Mr.. Truelove started to give out few
letters at his usual rate of speed Then
he pulled out his watch
by George he said, ''it's later than
l thought | have one more letter for you,
Miss Carter-a long one--and l want you
to take it down as quickly as you can,
please, as am pressed for tme.'
And he straightway started off with a
speed of utterance which it would have
taxed the powers of even tirst-ra rate re-
porter to follow. Miss Carter, however,
sat at her table in the most careless atti-
tude she could assume, tracing the out
lines with one hand and with the other
idly playing with paper weight, and
even occasionally glancing out of the win
dow to see if it had stopped raining.
Mr. Truelove was puzzled, not to say
annoyed.
''Am | going too fast for you?' he ask
ed presently. ''Sure you're getting it
down all right?'
Miss Carter raised her eyebrows with
an air of mild surprise.
''Oh, dear, yes, Mr.. Truelove," she re-
piled, 81 can do much quicker than that
if you like. In fact should prefer it. |
find am getting out of practice in rapid
writing
With an incredulous snort Mr.. Truelove
braced himself up for fresh effort. Still
she sat unmoved and composed.
Mr.. Noble could scarcely believe his
y
ed and, going over to Miss Carter and
leaning over her chair, watched with alb
sorbing Interest the wrigglipg, scrigglng
forms as they flowed rapidly, yet easily
from her pen.
Had he understood stenography he
might have noticed that only about one
word in six was being recorded, but as he
did not, all he could do was to look on
and wonder. At length Mr.. Truelove
stopped, quite ont of breath.
"Miss Carter,'' he said, fixing her
sternly with his eye. ~ hope you can
transcribe your notes. It's most import
ant letter. you know. One incorrect
word might spoil the whole thing.
''Oh, yes; | fully understand that" re-
piled Miss Carter, with a half smile.
''1 GU will excuse my saying it, MI. True
love, but | wish you would always die
tate at that rate. 1t exercises my fingers,
you know"
Mr.. Truelove felt himself beaten In
deed, his feeling of annoyance now be-
gan to give place to one f pride in hav-
ing secured the rviceS OF such IA marvel
GUS young woman.
Not SO Mr. Noble. He still clung
desperately to the idea that perhaps after
all Miss Carter had made a hopeless mud
die of it in her determination not to own
herself beaten
81 would suggest, if you have time,
Sir, he said, with assumed carelessness,
THAT it might be well for Miss Carter
just to read over the letter as it stands.
1t is possible that some amendment might
suggest itself to some of us
Without any OF the hesitation and con-
fusion which they expected, she took her
book and turned back--right back to the
neatly and accurately written notes she
had taken before they came into the room.
Then quickly but clearly and distinctly
and with ali due regard to punctuation
and accentuation she read off the letter
from beginning to end without one slip
OF stumble.
THAT will do said Mr. Truelove, and
he put on his hat anC went out, while Mr..
Noble returned to his desk crestfallen and
bewildered.
II don't think they will want to test
me again just YET thought Miss Carter
as she sat down to her typewriter. Lon
don Telegraph.
Good TempIars.
Beacon Light Temple, recently organ
10nd utA Vol ri hH,S IN.,.