The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-20
Squareness Of Jim Grigsby.


He was big and strong, and good
nat1red. He had been schooled I'm a
rough academy, but IL had not soured
the sweetness of his nature. He was
as rough as burr. but he had the
heart of boy.
He came to Cleveland to be near the
concern that was making the patterns
for an Improvement i'm mining machin-
cry of his own designing. He secured
an office room in one Of the big sky
scrapers and 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 a paper.
Good mornin'. sir" said the weazen-
ter. He was a lame boy, Jim Grigsby
noticed. IF you've got any type
writin' or shorthand to do go to Miss
Merriam. ninth floor"
Friend OF yours" inquired Jim
Grigsby.
Friend of everybodys," replied ths
lame boy.
Good Endorsement" said Jim Grigs-
by.
A few days later he had some specific
cations to typewrite. Ordinarily ne
would have gone to a man and had tne
work done. He wasn't used TO women.
but he went down to Miss Merriams
office with his manuscript.
She was neat little woman WITH
remarkably fine gray eyes. She wasn'i
particularly young 30 at least, jim
concluded, and she was strictly pusl-
nesslike. She looked the work over,
tod him when II would be done. and as
he turned. TO go she named the price
I'm advance?" asked Jim as he rum
bled in a pocket.
"Oh. no, not I'm advance" she said,
but / find IL 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 IL wasn't strange that he had
more work for her in couple OF days
In fact. scarcely a day passed there
after that he didn't find occasion 10
make use OF her nimble fingers. She
was a remarkable type OF womanhood.
he assured himself. He knew very 1T
tie about women and had no wish ia
know more-until he met Jane Mer-
riam. And yet their acquaintance re-
mained a purely business one. Jim
trigsby. bold as brass i'm the presence
OF his own sex, natural leader OF men,
, was timid and shy in his dealings with
this neat fairy with the clear gray eyed
and the flying white fingers. He soft
ened his voice when he spoke to her,
he took infinite pains to smooth down
his somewhat wiry locks when ne
sought her door.
One afternoon he had detained her
longer than the usual hour OF quitting.
and when the work was finished ha
dashed upstairs with II. locked his door
quickly and caught one OF the elevators
going down. He meant TO ride down
with her. perhaps walk with her In
the door. Sure enough she stepped on
board at her floor 1t was n little late,
and they were the only passengers on
the car.
Jim looked around at his fellow trav-
eler with a cautious yet determined
air He meant TO speak to her. He
would mention the weather. and that
might lead 60 something else. Sh,
opened her lips. and thea
And then there was a jerk. a grind.
ing crash. n shrek from the boy, y,some-
thing fell heavily on the roof or the
car. the lights went out, they were
falling, falling-then with horrid jerk
they stoppea. The air was full or dusts
They were In almost total darkness
As the car noor 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 helpful she caught and held fast
to the mans firm shoulder. When the
car stopped ne slowly withdrew his
arm.
Arc yo,f all right" ne gently asked.
YES" ghc answered. What has