Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-11-13
A New CaSabianCa.
By w. r. ROSE.


3d. a illdh loohOd uD.
What's that?" he sharply asked.
"a girl to see you, sir"
Tell her to talk to Mr.. Randall"
"She says she must see you, sir.
She has a letter."
"Show her in" And the busy mans
eyes dropped again to his work.
He vas so absorbed that he did not
hear the girl when she entered. She
looked at his profile for a moment
and then seated herself.
Presently he glanced up with his
hand outstretched to take a book
from the top of the desk. He caught
sight of the girl.
"Oh, yes" he said. "You wished to
see me. Pardon me for keeping you
waiting. How can 1 serve your"
"You are Mr.. Jasper Gregg?"
"Yes."
81 have a letter for you from Mr..
Cleghorn."
mi. Cleghorn asks me to give you
a position on our clerical force. What
a you do?"
81 am a fair stenographer and a
good typewriter"
"Any experience in Office work?"
mo"
Jasper Gregg seemed to study
over the matter for a moment.
"Mr Cleghorn's Recommendation is
a strong one," he said. "We will give
you a trial. There happens to be a
vacancy. The work is not easy and
the hours are long. Kindly give me
a weeks notice when you make up
your mind to quit. Report to Nh.
Randall, the head bookkeeper, in the
next room. Wait. We will pay you
SIS a week to begin with, and there
will be no raise for the first six
months. That's ALL"
'"Thank you," said the girl, and she
smiled, but whether over the pros
pect of receiving the place or at the
extremely brusque way in which the
young superintendent conducted the
negotiation, is was difficult to tell.
Jasper Gregg looked after the girl
as she passed through the doorway,
and it suddenly struck him hat she
had a firm and yet elastic way of
walking, and that her simple frock
was neat and becoming. Then he
leaned back and softly sighed. Some
how the appearance of this stranger,
with her big gray eyes and her firm
chin and the little bunch of violets at
her throat, had quite upset his COM
fortably prepared train of business
thought.
He half turned in this chair and
looked out of the window. He could
see the green hills, cutting ridges
against the blue sky beyond the linn
it's of the little town, and his eye
sought the shady woods that crowned
them, and the big world beyond
seemed to be reckoning him away
from the great throbbing factory. He
bit his lips, and turned back to his
desk. He had no business to feel
tired. He had no business to have
any feelings save those that were in
spired by his work. He was a machine.
Machines might wear out, but they
never felt tired. He picked up his
papers. Then he touched a bell and
the boy entered.
"Send Miss Bellamy."
"If you please, sir, Miss Bellamy
sent word that her mother was sick,
and she couldn't come down this
morning"
"Send in Miss Storer."
StNTicc CtDrap Ia~op how rooofin-
this morning, sir" The boy paused.
''There's the new girl, sir. She amt
doing anything"
Bring a typewriter and send in the
new girl"
The boy brought the typewriter
and it's table and placed them close
to Jasper's desk. A moment later the
girl entered.
81 want you to typewrite a few let
ters from d%iction, Miss-Miss Yer
nor" said Jasper. ''They are impor-
tant letters and must be carefully
worded-so I will not hurry you"
She seated herself at the little ia
BILE and prepared her paper in a delft
and business-like way. And Jasper
noticed, too, that her hair was very
pretty and neatly arranged. He had
not noticed this before because he
was a slow observer along these lines
and besides she had worn her hat.
Then he began to dictate.
When the girl handed him the first
letter he looked it over carefully.
You spell WELL" he said.
"That is an accomplishment I for
got to MENTION" said the girl. She
did not smile as she said it.
"Take the next letter." said JAS
per.
He kept her busy for an hour.
There" he said, 81 think that
clears up the lot. 1 am pleased with
your work. Mr.. Cleghorn did not
overestimate your intelligence. If you
stay with us for six months and con
tinue to give satisfaction / think
] can promise you a raise in wa
ges."
"Thank you," said the girl, as she
arose. Then she hesitated. 81 want
to be perfectly frank with you, Mr..
Gregg" she said. "Mr. Cleghorn had
another object in view in sending me
here" She spoke a little ~hurriedly.
"He has taken a kindly interest in
my welfare, and could have found me
work in the city, but he preferred to
send me here. He wanted me to give
him an idea of the way in which you
manage the force and conduct the
works."
~"Cleihorn never did quite believe In
me-" said. "He still thinks ! am
too y ng. But you needn't have
told 1 this, Miss Vernon. 1t will
not make the slightest difference in
the present conduct of affairs. Every