Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-08-21
DAILY SHORT STORY
Miss Graham's Reprisal.
Copyright. 1903. by T. c. McClure.I

John Graham hardly inquired out SUM-
GENTLY to pay his debts. And like
many another girl who has been
brought up in luxury, Helen Graham,
aged twenty, had her choice between
being Il poor relation" or going out
into the world to make her own living.
She had acted as her fathers secretary
for years, and in that position had mas
tered both stenography and typewrit-
ing.
1t wasn't the girls good looks or am
bition that secured her a place after
meeting with many failures. She hap
pened into the brokerage office of
Sweet & Son just as one of their four
or five typewriters had tainted away
and had to be sent home. AT the end
of the week her place was made perma-
nent, and the austere and dignitied Mr..
Joseph Sweet astonished his good look
ing twenty f1ve-year-Old son by saying:
tom 1 think Miss Graham a trifle
superior to the ordinary girl, and you
may advance her salary u couple of dol
lars week if she holds out as she has
begun"
When he saw that Tom was casting
sleeps eyes in the direction OF the lat
est arrival he remarked:
Thomas. l hope you won't encourage
Miss Graham to engage in converse
ton with you. She Is an employee, you
know"
but a lady from head to heel. ia
ther," replied Tom as he toyed with his
pen.
ut is possible, Thomas-it is posi-
BILE; but all female employees are ladies
nowadays. l really think, my boy, that
you ought to administer n snub to
keep her I'm Check!'
Tom took day to think the matter
over, and then administered the snub
by asking Miss Graham to lunch with
him. The senior Mr.. Sweet happened
to see them together on the street
Tom had refused to snub and he de-
cided to do ii himself. That very aft
ernoon he took advantage of an oppor-
tunity to say:
Miss Graham, I am so well satisfied
with your work that 1 shall advance
your salary. l think 1 have heard
some of them say that there is a clean.
cheap restaurant around the corner.
the future"
Tom renewed the invitation after
day or two. but it was not again ac-
cepted. He could not make out just
what was wrong until the father ex-
planned:
Thomas. l attended to that little
snubbing matter myself a few days
ago. and you may have observed that
Miss Graham seems to have profitcd by
it, Please don't forget your dignity
again"
1t was the first time in her life that
Helen Graham had been snubbed. She
decided that she would pay it back
with interest if the opportunity was
ever afforded. 1t came with surprising
swiftness. A week hardly passed when
the senior partner entered the office
with anxious face and sat down beside
his son to say:
tom, l have a confession to make.
have put about 100000 into the Ris-
ing Sun mine to find that my interest
will be worthless unless l can secure
a majority of the stock of the Red
Dog mine. That mine was a dead 'un
long ago, but it's charter is still alive,
IL
Here are the names of several parties
who may be possessed Of shares in
the Red Dog. Call in Miss Graham
and dictate letters to them at once, If
you please"
Miss Graham was called, and Tom
had not dictated twenty words when
her heart gave a sudden bound. The
Red Dog mine had been one of the
chief causes of her fathers financial
ruin. Among his papers she had found
certificates Of stock to the value Of
half a million dollars. She couldn't
tell why Mr.. Joseph Sweet was so
anxious to pick up this stock, but she
would bide her time. At the end of
the week she queried of the Junior
partner:
How much Red Dog stock is want
ed to control matterSF
Half a million at least, but so far
we can locate only about $25O000
worth"
Five minutes later the junior was
saying to the senior:
Look here, father. I'm sorry you
felt it your duty to snub Miss Ora
ham. She can lay her hand on half q
WOILH Va INCu LUZ.
Miss Graham was sent for. She was
not at all frustrated.
Miss Graham" he started off, SIS it
true that you know where can Sc
cure half a million of the stock Of the
Red Dog miner
1T is quite true" she quietly re-
piled.
"And may 1 ask who holds it?"
81 do"
HIN! l am astonished. You are
aware that L need that stock-need it
very badly. 1 have offered 20 cents
on the dollar to other holders. Would
would you take that figure?"
81 think 1 would-after you apollo
giZe for that snub."
MY dear, dear Miss Graham" be-
gan Mr.. Joseph Sweet after choking
for a moment, 'if 1 said anything