Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-31
A Reform
In Spelling
A SHORT STORY BY
PEARL HOWARD Campbell.

PEARL HOWARD CAMPBELL.
II that man down stairs stays I shall
be obliged to move. | will not have my
personal correspondence continually in
spected by a stranger. It's an outraged
Miss Paula Seyton looked up angrily from
her morning mail.
II should hate to go away she said
refectively, as she glanced around her
cozy domain. Il love these rooms and
they are so convenient to the Office"
Miss Paula Seyton was an enthusiastic
journalist whose friends addressed her as
Paul. She had enjoyed the possession of
her charming fiat in the Arlington until
the arrival of one, Paul Seaton, who took
the apartment below.
Their mail from the first was confused.
Letters intended for Paula and addressed
simply to Paul Seyton or P. Seyton were
sure to find their way into the letter box
below. AS Mr.. Seaton was manuscript
reader for a downtown magazine and Paula
was doing night work on the Daily Dis
patch, it naturally followed that they
might have remained in total ignorance
Of each other but for the letters which
persisted in going astray.
On this particular morning the epis-
tolary confusion was more exasperating
than ever TO Paula. She was unusually
tired and she laid down a letter from a
tailor with a sigh Of sYexation.
81 did not order a,isack coat with my
spring suit, so l suppose that is for him"
Taking up the next letter she read:
my Dear ~Paul.-Ailow me to copgratu-
late you on your unexpected good fr,tune."
paula had lately received an inc. ease in
salary, so she read on.) 81 was not sure
at first whether the plum had fallen to
you or that plucky little journalist whose
name is so like yours, but the verses were
unmistakable."
80 he is a poet" Paula unused. "He
probably wears his hair in r~inglets and
goes abou. reading his poetry to every
body who will listen. 1 detest poets. and
this one above all others
She laid the letter down as IL deter
mined to read no farther, but, seeing her
own name mentioned, her curiosity over
came her ~scruples and she read on.
by the way, have you met Miss Paula
yet? II not, ! advise you to do so. A
friend of mine who is working on the Dis
patch knows her, and says she Us charming
and not a bit like your description of her.
Better cultivate her acquaintance. Yours
fraternally, JACK"
80" she said to herself, che has ac-
tually discussed me with his friends. Per-
haps shall have something to say about
his making my acquaintance
Then her eyes danced.
at must be from Haskell. He has been
very nice to me Of late. / suppose that
| ought to take these letters down to
Mr.. Seaton and ask for mine"
Half way down the stairs she met a
man coming up.
Miss Paula seyton, l believe" he said,
with a smile and a bow.
Paula gave a frigid little nod and looked
down into the most eloquent pair OF brown
eyes that she had ever seen,
Il am your neighbor just below, he said.
g~enially. II believe these letters were in
tended for you, although they were
addressed simply to Paul Seaton. I nm very
sorry that l opened them. II was a great
impertinence on my part, but you see, !
could not decide by the outside that they
we're not intended for me-
These are doubtless yours" said Paula
stifiy.
Thank you, yes. It's a great annoy
anee, isn't it?" trying TO be friendly.
ct is, indeed" Paula replied. 81 really
think that l shall be obliged to move"
His voice disarmed her and she glanced
down at the tall figure with a half smile
on her face.
"oh, l. hope you won't do that, Miss
Seyton," he said, noting the change that
had come over her. II am sure that !
can prevent all further trouble by asking
my friends to key my letters"
key? Howe" she asked, with some
show OF interest.
why, like an ad, you know"
Drawing out his notebook he wrote his
name and added the letters H.. c. within q
circle.
Now whenever you receive a letter ad.
dressed to Paul Seaton without those magic
letters you ere at liberty to open it. Coco
morning, Miss Seyton. You are tired from
your nights work, and l will not detair
you longer"
Paula retreated to her room.
He did not offer TO move" she reflected
"and he really should. because be cam
last. But he is ever so much nicer than
thought he would be, and he apologizeI
beautifully. l wonder what those letter
mean that he wrote after his name? II. c
what can they mean"
Then, like a sensible little woman. Paul
went 10 sleep.
Paul Seaton read his letters and indulge
in a reyery before he went TO his work.
She Is charming" he said 10 himself
How could I possibly have imagined he
as fat and forty? I shall make a desperat
EFFORT TO know her. l wonder II she rea
all of Jacks letter.? II she did. she prob
ably despises me"
The ietters no longer went astray. bu
Paula was Euzzling over = new eircun