The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1903-10-01

; TO SEE THE !
: SECRETARY !
By Katherine M'DonAld !
} Copyright, 1902 by T. C. Mcclure
By Katherine M'DonAld
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

9 Copyright, lSO2, by L. Z. Mcclure
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The secretary sat in his office and
fumed at the heat. He was born In
HOosier log cabin and had attended
college Of the northwest. He had gone
to housekeeping in a little old messy
cottage for which he found it difficult
at times to pay So month rental. Yet
at fifty he sat in that noble room whose
long windows let in the breeze from
the Potomac and framed view in
comparable for the mingling of natural
and artificial beauty-sat and fumed
at the heat. Williams, the messenger,
entered. He was like most negroes, a
sort of human barometer, and he never
failed to suit his bearing to his mas
ter's humor. On this occasion he was
obsequious, patient, but bored.
THAT woman's still theah, boss" he
said
Didn't tell you to get rid of her"
"Yassah; l been tryin', but she's
slayer Fust time l done like you say
I told her Mr.. Sectary's engaged Tell
him I'll wait until he is at liberty she
say, like she de lady Of the lam herself.
Next time l say, Beg yo pahdon,
madam, for not tellin' yo' sooner, but
Mr.. Sec'tary he's out and she look up
and say, Tell him I'll wait until he
comes in Yassah, she say them iden-
tical words
what kind of looking woman is
she, William-young and saucyY
mo; she gettin' long t'wa'ds middle
life, sab, and she mighty shabby. Still,
amt say but she is got quality eye,
and she do hor her head up nightly"
"Oh, WELL" said the secretary, with
sigh Of resignation, "I'u see her and
have it over"
The woman William ushered in was
shabby. Not only were her clothes
worn and rusty, but they had never
been either fine or tasteful. Your lady
in temporary straits always has some
bit Of faded elegance to prove that she
has seen better days. This woman was
clearly the habitual patron Of bargain
counters when she bought at ALL
Still, as William had said, she carried
her head high-a noble head, with bold,
clear lines and mass of soft, we'll
kept hair. The secretary arose, and
they faced each other for one silent
moment, she surveying him with a
calm and friendly air, he dazed by the
glimmering apparition of younger
tween them.
"Can this be Laura Camden" he
asked. Her eyes filed at all his tone
implied For an instant her bearing
changed-she lost her courage then
she threw up her head, with defiant
laugh.
This is all that is left of her. And is
this Tom Lloyd?' She swept the room
with calculating glance. 1t was as II
she estimated the cost of the massive
table and rich chairs. Instantly she
turned her eyes back upon the secre-
tary as if to measure him.
He flushed and rallied.
"Yes: this is Tom Lloyd, the fellow
you wouldn't have, you know"
WELL" she laughed impenitently,
then sank in;O the chair nearest her
and ran furtive. appreciative- finger
over the tapestry covering.
You married Tucker BartOnT' he
asked.
ooh, yes And he turned out as every
one predicted. look the character,
don't Ia drunkard's widow who has
neither hope nor pride left?"
Her voice rang clear-no tremor Of
self pity. no note of shame or appeal.
"By Jove." the secretary said to him
self, this is Laura, and she's got the
old spirit in her still!'
"Can l do anything for your" he
asked.
"Why, yes, if you will. OF course ]
didn't come merely to call-nor to re-
call. | want q place in one of the de-
partments."
"What kind Of a placer?
"I'm not particular" she said coolly.
"You know very we'll l have neither
talent nor training. You will have to
treat me as if l were a political hench-
man and find me something which will
require neither. l could keep accounts,
but l think l should like to be in the
library. There is a ladies' room, you
But that is such a menial place"
She spread out her hands, brown and
knotted and calloused. He drew back
in a sort of shame and would have hid
den his own had he dared. They were
too white and soft and prosperous to
lie in full sight on the table before her.
"The wages are small-not more than
$50 OF $40 month"
Not more! She looked at him with
glittering eyes. Her voice trembled now
and seemed to express want and de-
spair and resentment together. 'Tom
Lloyd! Sixty dollars a month--every
month? That would be riches to mel!
He shrank back in the chair. "Lau-
ra," he said, why have you never
come before? You live in Washington.
and you might have come. Any time In
the last ten years I've been here"
"Oh. yes, know-Congressman
Lloyd, Senator Lloyd, Secretary Lloyd.
And l have, as you say, been here all
the time. I've wanted to come, but she
wouldn't Let me-"
"She?
Laura - Laura Camden. the girl
you knew. She was always throwing
it up to me that things might have
been different" She fingered the tas-
sells of the chair. and she dropped her
eyes with the timidity of girl.
The secretary's heart beat fast. He
leaned toward her and spoke softly.
Eyes, you might have been the wife Of
the secretary of the navy by now, Lau-
ra." She tossed her head in her old
impudent way and looSed straight INTO
his suffused eyes.
II should not" she said. IF had
married you, Tom Lloyd, you wouldn't
have been sitting here today"
"Why notY' he asked, with sense
Of offense.
"Oh, because''-she leaned clOser-"1f
you had married me you shouldn't have
been a mere secretary at fifty. You
would have been PRESIDENT
He looked at her and answered with