The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-03
WOMAN WHO WAS GOOD FELLOW

staff Of q country newspaper &c the
society editorship OF the Times-Star
doesn't matter except that the feat
proved that she had both ability and
nerve. She appeared as a surprise 10 the
other women of the staff because she
didn't look half as smart as she vas IN
I the matter of snlartness the thing usu-
ally works the other way. Then she
was neither young nor pretty. which
means that her body was scrawny, her
face thin and her years nearer TO % than
%, If she had been beautiful and young,
as well as courageous and clever. the
other women would doubtless have driven
her into exile or disfavor with the iEfal-
I lihle weapons OF envious rivalry, but as
they did not perceive her less apparent
attributes till long after they had agreed
on her physical shortcomings, she was
we'll intrenched in her position within
fortnight
Then she began to do things" The so
ciety columns began to scintillate- Pho
tographs of inaccessible debutantes. dow
ayers and millionaires began 70 appear
with startling frequency. The managing
editor realized that Henrietta was
find and thereafter there was no stop
ping her But il wasn't her professional
success that worried the other women;
it was the sudden and astonishing slOries
of her wardrobe. She burgeoned forth
!
able trick in hats. boots or jackets The
worst of it was that she wore them with
cOnsumnate ease and ignored the envi-
Gus glances and whispered criticisms Of
the others. The clever ones made carica-
lures of her skinny face, sketched her
sawkish shape with cruel mirnicry and
exaggerated the crow-iilSe projection Of
her truly ugly nose. Miss Knox, who
was a prim beauty OF no particular abil
ity, then began 10 discover that Henri
eta was becoming wonderfully condden-
tial with the reporters. that she called
the elevator man "Bnl' and that she
had no particular horror of the stan
drunkard, the fight editor or any of
the other shocking characters.
The indomitable old maid being near
50 and homely, she was an old maid, you
know, refused 10 be discounted by the
hostility Of her women associates. Her
brave little heart was strong enough TO
keep the smile alert upon her pinched
face, and there was a song on her lips
every time she came into the enemy's
camp. She was hurt, deeply, grieyously
hurt, but she didn't show it, striving
rather to gain comfort from the thought
that every male creature about the place,
ever the yellow tom cat, was her friend.
And it was so. From the old man
down 10 the most hardened and unro-
mantle police reporter, every man or
the Herald allowed that she was "a good
fellow" The sporting editor called her
'Hetty." the city editor took her TO din
ner with him. the elevator boy waited for
her and even the iuexorable copy read
ers handled her STUFF with a consid-
Grafton born of personal esteem for the
fiat-chested but radiant Miss Chalmers.
All this gentleness from the rude sex was
balm to the starved little heart Of Hen
rieUta and she repaid il with loyal gen.
crosby, but
Even the hungry heart cannot thrive
upon balm and incense only. There was
no tenderness. in the rough and ready
friendship of the men. who agreed that
Hetty was "a good fellow" Motherless.
alone in her silent rooms. tired of years
hard work. conscious of the hatred of the
women, yearring for the sole possession
Of some strong. loving companion, she
found the Tuletide crowding upon her.
and felt a few singing tears start from
her wide gray eyes and trickle down TO
the point of her long nose. She thought
OF each and all the dear, honest faithful,
rollicking chaps at the office and Won
dered which Of them might have cherish
Cd some dearer, nearer name for her
than good fellow" None had gone so
far as to squeeze her bony hand. she
hlushed as she found herself regretting
that no man had ever shocked her i'm
pregnably virtuous soul with even a flash
of unmistakable passion. Kisses: She
remembered only those her own people
had given her long years ago. She
wondered whether she lacked some wo-
manly quality.
surely, she murmured TO her look
ing-glass. surely homely women have
been woed and won and priced for The
qualities OF their minds and hearts"
She lighted another gas jet and preened
the masses of her red-brown hair. That
al least, was beautiful. She tried some
rouge powder on her thin cheeks and
pinched her blue nose till it was red, but
the cosmetic looked garish to her honest
eyes. ana she sighed admission that no
amount of pinching could lend beauty
to her indescribabIe beak. Then she
lOlled gloomily back to her Morris chair
and sought comfort in an old book Of
poetry. Reading Under the NIistletoe
Bough,' she dozed away and dreamed
that the sporting editor and the eleva-
tor boy had both caught her under a
branch of misGetoe and were struggling
for the first kiss, when-
OF course she awoke.
Henrietta Vane Chalmers appeared at
the office on Christmas eve arrayed in
her bravest. Her plain face was trans
figured with the joy which a glimpse Of
her desk gave her Il was covered with
III AotlldS pafCt4S d4feIug. Sle Nll5ilt4
little carol 10 herself as she read the
cards and opened the packages. Merry
Xmas 10 Hetty, From Your Pal"
The Dog Editor Greets the Society Ed
itor." etc. etc. She turned them over
and over, and in them all found not q
word Of love. Then she took of her
hat and Miss Knox, cycling her across a
pile OF exchanges, almost gasped aloud
when she saw topping the pillows Of
Hetty's hair, q sprig Of rlisuetoe.
The indecent MINK she snarled to
herself.
The word spread like q scandal.
Wonder if she really expects anyone
10 kiss her Never saw such bare-faced
nerve in my life"
The women talked ike that among
themselves, and then sought oct q plan 70
warn the men.
Have you kissed Miss Chalmers yet2''
asked Miss Knox OF the city editor
NO? Why not? Haven't you seen her
under the mistlotoe2
When she fitted into his Office after
awhile 60 thank him COR his gifts, his eyes
wandered uneasily as il striving 10 erade
the green challenge in her couture. but
be did avoid looking at the mistietoe tiu
she was eoinv-ber back toward him
Thor he shock his head sadly and uur-
INJURED.
The poor thing, hope Jeusirsu
take her On i hope there's somebody
gamer than I am"
SIZE met The sporting editor in the hall
lie grabbed her hand as II he were going
TO teu one Of MS long stories. out his
quick eve fen upon the Enistletoe. ne
coughed nerv ously. biurtee Good dan
7 mean Aierrv Christmas. Het-Iiss
Chalmers and fed. Poor Hetry was