Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-02-07


to his language. Stebbins
laughed shortly. That was no Ian
guage. he said: that was simply vocal
exercise. Mrs. Stebbins insisted that
it was language. He reiterated that il
was not language. In the middle of
his remarks he broke his shoestring.
Then he did use language. He admit
ted II himself.
Stebbins scowled ut the girl at
breakfast. The girl scowled back.
She was a good girl. and Mrs. Steb-
bins had just broken her in according
to her ideas. To Offset her husbands
demonstrations Mrs. Stebbins smiled
at the girl. The girl. thus encouraged.
scowlcd To such 4 degree at Stebbins
that he refused TO eat his breakfast.
He muttered something intended for
a ringing defiance to every servant girl
living and banged the door behind him.
On the elevated Stebbins sat down
heavily on three stout women in sue
cession and glared ut all of them. He
also jabbed an unoffending citizen
with his umbrella and then insisted on
an immediate apology. At FOrty-sec-
ond street, by some freak of luck, he
was able to get n seat. He sat with
his back against the man to the right.
He wiped his feet on the man to his
left. Naturally they objected. Steb-
bins. in n strained. honeyed voice. sug-
gested their chartering a special car
in the future. If they did not have the
price. he kindly pointed out that a cab
might answer their exclusive purpose.
He felt little better after that
When he reached his office building
the elevator did not stop at his floor.
Stebbins Immediately opened fire OH
the elevator man. He wanted to know
what the man meant by this thing. He
insisted that the car go back to his
floor and then refused to get off. He
said he wished to say few more
things TO the elevator man and would
get off going down. Stebbins could
not be trif,ed with by any mere .ele-
vator man.
Stebbins merely grunted when his
office staff wished him good morning.
He said that the air was bad in the
Office and made the boy open all the
windows. AS he sat in his overcoat,
opening the mail. he noted with Il GER
tain amount of satisfaction that the
clerks We're working hard to keep
warm. After he had become nearly
frozen he kindly allowed the boy TO
close the windows again. He then
asked the boy to call up a man on the
telephone.
Busy" said Central.
whats that:" yelled Stebbins. sus-
piciously.
Central says they're busy" reported
the boy.
Tell her they amt busy" commanded
Stebbins. Tell her know right well
they amt busy. Tell her 10 get that
number mt once. At once. do you I'M
derstand:"
Yes. SIR said the boy. humbiy.
He tried again while Stebbins imperi-
ously returned TO his mail
Central reported the line as still busy
The boy hung up the receiver silently
and tried 10 sneak back TO his desk
without attracting Stebbins's attention.
but that gentleman had his eye on him
and pounced out of his private Office
with swoop.
BUSY, eh:' he said fiercely. Didn't
tell you they weren't? What dye
mean? Call up the telephone manager
at once
In another minute he was violently
telling the manager what he thought
OF Central in particular and of the tele-
phoae management in general. After
! he had had his say he wrote letter
of protest addressed to The president of
the telephone company. He was fight
ing for principle now and clinched his
teeth on the determination to see this
affair through.
Then Stebbins began dicta ting letters
to his stenographer. He purposely
mumbled some of his words.
What was that:" asked the girl.
What was what:" he demanded i'm
patiently.
THAT last word
IL don't know. l don't know" said
''ns peevishly. Read the letter
in. I've lost the thread
ed ut the girl with deep re-
He began TO convince him
;he too. was in this conspir.
en- the letters were brought
or signature he changed I'M
words with heavy blue
| made the girl rewrite the
.bbins wanted 4 paDer from
Ii wasn't there. Stebbins
ard. He wanted that paper
Eight away.
lie ordered grimly. Find
ne it's lost. and be quick
back to his desk while the
ID the files inside out in n
for that paper. Stebbins
aper OH his desk. He gave
understand that his desk
ce for such papers. He
this thing to happen again.
lOted that his office win
rather dirty. He had the
her up in short order. and
IN while he cleaned them.
this revelation he went
ice finding dust. He had
endent of the building
re him and called his at
filthy state of the office
lied 10 havn M morn nf