Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1904-12-01
DAYS AND
DOLLARS.
By CARROLL WATSON RANKIN.

Telka, who was seventeen years old
felt very important indeed, for a sur
prising thing had happened. 1t was
only five days since she had beer
graduated from the high school, anc
here she was with working knOWl
eige of real estate business already
at her fnger-tips-literally, because
her business was principally con
cerned with the typewriting-mach
in the Office of Armstrong & Wolfe
The knowledge, perhaps, did not eX
tend far beyond her finger-tips, be-
cause most Of the letters she wrote
at the dictation of her employers con
veyed absolutely no meaning to her
mind; but this did not trouble Tekla
or anybody else.
Her copy was neat as well as &C
curate. and there was nothing about
the completed letters to indicate that
the typeWriting young person was as
innocent as the typewriter Itself OF
the difference between the east half
of lot fifty-seven and the northwest
forty in Skandia township.
you're wonderfully fortunate" said
Geraldine Pease, who was four years
older than Tekla. Eve always wish
ed | could work for Armstrong &
Wolfe-its such good place. How
did you ever happen 20 get it?'
"Oh," returned Tekla, overlooking
Geraldine's somewhat uncomplimen-
tary emphasis, MI. Wolfe and father
used to be friends. He knew I'd have
to do something to help mother out,
and so when Miss DOdd's sick father
telegraphed for her to go East, MIR.
Wolfe came to me. I'm to have thirty
dollars a month
Mr. Wolfe, who was almost sixty
but looked younger, was a large man,
so well-proportiOned in every way that
his great height did not impress one
until he stood looking down upon
some ordinary siX-footer.' His Shout
ders were broad, his hands and feet
huge, his good-natured mouth was
wide, his mild eyes stood wide apart.
Every one loved and respected him,
and because of his kindly eyes, he
had few enemies. No unfortunate per-
son ever appealed to him in vain,
yet in spite OF his amiability, he was
seldom imposed upon.
Tekla was conscious of no desire
to impose on him; but she was young,
it was summer time, often there were
no letters to be answered, and she
found idleness irksome.
The baseball match between the
teams Of her own town and OF IRON
wood was the beginning Of her fall
from grace. The Office closed at four
on Saturday afternoons and at nall
past five on other days, and work was
supposed to begin at half past eight
each morning. 1t seemed to the rest
less girl that two hours playtime on
Saturday afternoons ought not to
make much difference to the firm, and
she asked if she might be excused.
1t is probable that she would not
have enjoyed the game so we'll II she
had suspected that Mr.. Wolfe, whose
large, blunt fingers did not lend them
selves gracefully to typeWrltlnS, had
been compelled to answer at consider
able length and with much discomfort
two important letters that had arrived
in the o'clock mail.
Mr.. Armstrong, the other partner,
had not learned to use a typewriter,
and always had enough to do, besides,
in his own special department.
The ball game, however, was only
the opening wedge. Tekla was popu-
lar. and her friends and classmates
were having glorious time that
summer.
At first, indeed, the girl stood out
bravely, refusing all daytime amuse-
ments: but after that first baseball
game Tekla found it so easy to ask
and to obtain leave of absence for
part of Monday morning, all Of Tues
dav afternoon, or every bit of We'd
nesday, that Mr.. Armstrong, an iras-
chile. why man with nervous dyspep-
STA, feared Mr.. Wolfe was in danger
of being compelled to do all the type
writing.
One forenoon Mr.. Armstrong OBJ
served Tel1la, who had arrived three
quarters Of an hour late, looking at
her watch with more than her usual
irritating frequency. When she was
not occupied with this futile employ
ment, she was casting impatient
.lances at a visitor who had, in her
opinion, already stayed far too long.
Mr.. Armstrong knew what her impa-
thence portended. The door had bare
" closed behind the visitor before
Tekla had taken the intruders place
beside Mr.. Wolfe's big desk.