The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1902-02-14

10 nlHl-ell-d loHR, loW WHlstIe. Inc
very thought Of some other maj mar
rying Alice Travers had made him
clinch his fists, but till that minute he
had never thought Of marrying her
himself, or Of marrying any other
woman, for that matter.
In the next room Alice Travers.
who had just finished transcribing a
lot Of letters Mr.. Merton had dictated
to her in the morning, was writing a
letter to her brother in college.
Strangely enough. il was full Of Hen
ry Merton. II said:
"Doar Ted: You'll excuse me. I know.
for writing 10 you on a typewriter. ! can
do II so much quicker and easier this way.
We have just moved Into the new offices
and l am nrcly fxed. Mr.. Merton has
given me a nice little room 10 work In,
all by myself. and | have nothing to do
row but attend to his correspondence.
which Is quite enough since he came to be
general manager. Really. he doesn't seem
to have the sweiled head "A bit on account
Of II, and he's quite a young man. too;
not more than 20 or 30. I should say. He
hardly looks happy. even.
"He has been very Kind to me, ana
raised ms salary last month. though I
didn't ask him to. That's why ! send so
this month Instead Of So. and now ! can
do u every month. I like TO work for him.
He treats me more c~ourtcously than any
man ever worked for before. lie has
never called mo by my first name. but
always Mis- Travers. and instead OF tell-
Ing me to DO this and do that. he always
ncis as II he were asking a favor when he
has work for me TO do.
lie seems n lonesome sort Of a man.
! often wonder how he lives and what he
does TO enjoy hlmseif-lf he ever does en-
Joy himself. lie l. a hard worker and
men admire him. I don't know whether
he's married or not. but | don't believe
he y, for no woman ever comes TO see him
at the once.
But there; your know him probably
some day. Al least I want you TO, when
you get ready to 40 into business. for
there's no man 1 would rather have you
take for a pattern than Mr.. Merton.
Let mo know how YOU are getting
along. and save what you can. for you
will need q little TO 20 on when you get
through college In June. Write soon.
Lovingly. ALICE"
Henry Mertop was not a man TO de-
lay matters. With him. n problem no
sooner presented itself than he set
about to solve it. aud q decision to do
a certain thing vs.. always followed at
once with the doing. While he was
listening To the click Of Miss Tmvcrs'
typewriter. which TO him was music
for a reason he had not realized be-
fore, he had reached an important de-
cision-thc most important Of his life
thus far-and he set about putting il
into effect in a way that was thorough
ly characteristic of the man.
He went into Miss Trayers' room
and seated himself in the chair he al
ways occupied when debating letters.
lie did not a. some business men
would have done. call her to his desk
to take notes on a sliding shelf with
no place TO rst her arm.
Miss Travers," he said. and she
noticed a queer sound in his voice.
will You please takea letter for me
a letter TO INV mother"
al last" thought Miss Trayers,
81 am to know something about Mr..
Merton. never knew before whether
he had a mother"
~ on need not mind totake notes"
said Mr.. Merton. Gust take il on
the machine. for / shall not dictate
rapidly. Are you ready"
Dear Mother: | have been 50 busy
lately that ! have had little time TO
write. and now what ! have TO say will
surprise YOU; perhaps pain You a lit
tie at first. Ever since | left home
and came TO this smoky, noisy town.
YOU have been the only woman in the
world who In, really known me, or
anything about me; and now | am
going to get married.
Pardon me-" said Mi. Traycrs.
with a slight blush. She had written
the last word "marrdie" and had
stopped To erase the last three letters
and write them over. II wa, an UNI
heard of thing for Alice Travers to
make a mistake. With no sign Of an
noyancc Merton went on:
Though no woman knows me, /
know a woman. and one Of whom |
am sure you will approve us u daugh-
ter. First Of all, she i. a lady. do
not know her people, but ! am sure
from her manner and character that
they must be most admirable persons.
am not a judge of woman's beauty,
but | do not think you would call her
a pretty girl, She i. something bet
ter than that. There is a womanly
dignity and sweetness about her that
gives her a charm far greater than
mere beauty. She is not a girl, really,
but a woman--a gentle, true. sweet
| urnnaup