The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-12-25
GERTRUDE'S REWARD.
Ry Harry Armstrona.

i, llOpSTlSnI, 1888, DN W.. II. ltedFSl.) e
In the inner room was the roar Of ma.
tchinery and the constant click of typeset-
ting machines. But In the outer Office
there was d calm scarcely broken. when
the door was opened and the scream of
presses surged in.
The desk by the side. of the door Lloyd
Grant had held for a dozen years, and all
that time by his side sat Gertrude WAL
ker. turning to him when she took dicta-
ition and away when she wrote the letters
on the typewriter. Worked by his side
until she knew the business as well as
he, though Lloyd knew the ms and outs
better than any other member of the
printing firm of Crimes Normandy &
Grant.
What are you going to do holiday
week 2" Lloyd asked as he brushed his
desk before beginning the days task.
"Do?" The door came open and closed
again, the clatter Of machinery coming,i
staccatoed, from the inner room. Il am
afraid I cannot tell Gertrude laughed
as she spoke. There was plenty to do
at home. with a brother n sister IN the
high school. But why should Mr.. Grant
know anything about tllat?
ut will be playtime for you.5 But l. DO
mot see how the rest of us are going to
get along"
you will be trouble very little. i
guess. Some of these days I shall be sue
ceeded and another viii do your writing"
Perhaps. 1t Is to be hoped the day is
4 long time off"
"Well. hesitate about fixing the date
Tell me. Have you any idea? You see
I am awfully in earnest now" Lloyd
| was standing in front of his desk with the
buster in his hand. Why he was SO in
earnest and had so suddenly discovered
it caused the young omar tolool1 up and
ask:
Why"
rs there a chance of you leaving u.s."
Not Of my own accord, though that
time will come-some day. AT present,
however. I have no idea Of quitting"
Lloyd sat down to his desk and opened
| a letter. Gertrude found her book and
pencil and took his dictation. -Four hours
they worked, and many times the. door to
the press room had opened and closed,
and as often the multitude of noises
strove with each other and the odor OF
burning gas crept across the floor.
Gertrude remembered the words that
had been said, and was not surprised to
have a girl come to her desk directly
after dinner and demurely inform Ger
trdue that she vas to have help. Ger
trude showed the newcomer the mys-
teries Of the filing case and how the let
| tiers were put away for future reference.
Night came and brought with it the
suffering electric lights and the hurrying
| crowd upon the streets. Over the town
and lake fell a mantle of snow and melted
in the water and about the lamps. Whis-
ties sounded the hour of 6 O'Clock, the
presses stopped running and the typeset-
ting machines ceased their clicking. OPP,
| orators and pressmen and electricians
went home and the room was turned
over to the shadows and the janitors.
Miss Walker" called Lloyd as Ger
trdue pinned on her hat. What I said
this morning was only half said, after
ALL" Gertrude opened wid her eyes at
this. Then there were but few to leave
| the office, and they went on to the ele-
vator, for it was not unusual for the man.
ager and his typewriter to be there at
| that hour.
."Only half said!"
II meant to ask you-if there was any
prospect Of you quitting"
"You did ask that, Mr.. Grant
81 meant-well, what I meant is hard to
Itell. You see, I have sat by your side for
so long"
"I seem part Of the office fixtures, to be
i~nvoiced once a year" Gertrude smiled
at the discontinued her superior.
Now, look here. I was going to say I
had been by our side SO many years 7
could not get along without you. / mean
at my home. OF course there is nothing
and nave feared for years-you would CO."
Gertrude sank into her chair. The hour
for her had come, unexpectedly, like a
thunderbolt from a clear sky.
But my brother and sister,"
.'They will be cared for"
And they were. There was q wedding
at Gertrude's fiat those holidays. and
there was a strange typewriter by the
side of Lloyd Grant.