Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-12-07
Il would do me good!' declared MT.
Armstrong. She's utterly impossi-

wv Soiu WI. WOIle, tUeTe b SOOu
stuff in that girl. 1t means some
thing in this business where figures
count for so much, to have girl
who is absolutely accurate
And absolutely ignorant" sneered
Mr.. Armstrong, whose love for the old
err partner made him quick to resent
anything that seemed like an imposi.
ton.
WELL" returned Mr.. Wolfe, mildly,
"as long as typewriting is all eX.
pect of her, don't mind that. So far.
those quick little fingers of hers
haven't made mistake. Miss Dodd,
as YOU know, got us into hot water
about eighteen times last year by her
inability to stick to straight copy.
Yes, there's good stuff in that li.tle
girl, but she certainly, lacks realiz-
ing sense"
"Or any other kind of sense. She
isn't giving you three solid days work
week."
She's giving me more" said Wolfe,
smiling whimsically, and casting a.
rucful glance at his outspread fingers,
as he sat down at Tekla's typewriter.
IF they weren't built SO like sausages
wouldn't mind, but it seems to me
that hit everything within six inches
every time l aim for a key. Look at
that! Figure 2 for "A every time.
But bad as 1t is, it's more legible than
my handwriting"
why don't you give the CIR! good
talking to, If she's worth taking pains
WITH"
"Well,' confessed Mr.. Wolfe, insert
ing fresh sheet. and with one heavy
forefinger laborously ticking on the
date, ito tell the truth, have. went
around there one night about three
weeks ago and talked to her like
grandfather. You know you can't be
right down hard on little ligi:t-heart
ed thing like that. Her mother
doesn't seem much older than she
is, and they certainly do need the
money. talked to them both. They
they seemed pleased"
"Humph!" exploded Mr.. Armstrong,
Indignantly. "Ill talk to her.
NO. you won't" said Mr.. Wolfe.
resting his large, calm eyes for long
moment on his partners perturbed
countenance. Talk Just rolls off that
girl like salad dressing from an iced
tomato. Some sort of kindergar-
ten method might work better. I'm
willing to take little pains with her
because of her father. Mighty nice
chap was old Samuel Bliss. Now
don't worry, Armstrong. She'll be
trying to work thirteen hours day,
the way you do, before Pm done with
her. haven't quite figured the way
out yet, but / think see light"
Nothing on paper had ever looked
quite SO beautiful to Tekla as the
check she had received at the end of
her first months sadly neglected
work. The envelope. addressed to
Miss Tekla Bliss, and placed on her
table, had greeted her the morning
she was so disgracefully late from
oversleeping after Mildred Hull's
coming-out party. For three days aft
erward Tekla had experienced, at
breakfast-time, something surprising
ly like sense of duty. 1t hurried her
to the Office and kept her there until
closing time. But the glamour of the
4 check and the unprecedented sense Of
duty flickered out together by the aft.
! ernoon of the fourth day, when Tekla
succumbed, at half-past two, to temp
; tation in the form of naphtha- launch
picnic.
Mr.. Armstrong noticed that his
partner frequently paused in his work
; to lean back and regard Tekla with
puzzled, almost remorseful eyes
Sometimes, while SO engaged, he serb
bled something in little book that
he carried in his waistcoat pocket
Toward the end of the month the puz-
zled expression departed, but the scr.
row remained. Mr.. Armstrong could
see that although the kind-hearted
old man had made up his mind to deal
! with Tekla, he was far from happy
over the prospect. She herself had nc
misgivings. She continued to arrive
= late, to go home early, and to absent
herself whenever she happened to fee
like it.
"You do have an easy time in tina
office, don't you?" said Geraldine
Pease, meeting Tekla one noon in holi
!, day attire. ~ don't dare ask for ;
day off once in six weeks"
r "Oh, I'm not afraid" retorted Tekla
!. airily. "Mr. Wolfe isn't the scoldinl
u kind. He says I'm the neatest type
writer he'd had-when I'm there. MI
y Armstrong looks like thunder-clou'
r all the time, but Mr.. Wolfe lets M
. go any time ask"
But" asked Geraldine, curiously
matter?"
mot scrap" laughed Tekla.
y Il should think" said Geraldine
"that you'd like to feel sure you wer
y earning your salary"
;, "As long as I'm getting it," returne1
II Tekla, I'm satisfied"
X Payday was approaching and Tekl
II was glad. Just before that importan
$ date Mr.. Wolfe said, one mornin.
i Never mind Miss Bliss's check, Arm
s. strong. I'll attend to it myself"
D. 1t was the thirty-frst of August, an
u for the first morning in two week
= Tekla was not late. After hangin
up her hat, she turned expectantl
y toward her table; but no white Ell
.. vclope greeted her. A moment late
u Mr.. Wolfe rose from his chair and lai
u large, oddly lumpy envelope befor
- her. AS Tekla picked it up, Mr.. Wolf
y. turned suddenly-to his partner.
II Armstrong" said he, you remen
u Der that appointment with Johnso
3. at the bank?"
a. Thus considerably left alone, Tekl
= opened her large envelope. Insid
'e were twenty-seven smaller envelope
- on the outside of each of which wa
printed Sill. Please count immed
y ately." Besides this, each small el
10 velope bore date. one for every da
% in August, the Sundays excepte
81 Tekla, wondering what this mean
+ opened one of the envelopes, sprea
le the enclosed coin on her table, an
q. counted