The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1904-12-02

every time | aim for key. LOOK az
that Figure 2 for a every time.
But bad as it is, it's more legible than
my handwriting.
why don't you give the girl a good
talking to, if she's worth taking pains
within"
well" confessed Mr.. Wolfe, insert
ing fresh sheet, and with one heavy
forefinger laborously ticking off the
date, ito tell the truth, have. | went
around there one night about three
weeks ago and talked to her like a
grandfather You know you can't be
right down hard on little ligl.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. "Tn talk to her."
mo, 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 a 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 a day,
the way you do, before I'm done with
her. | haven't quite figured the way
out yet, but l 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 hers the morning
she was so disgracefully late from
oversleeping after Mildred Hulls
coming-out party For three days aft
erward Tekla had experienced, at
breakfast time, something surprising
ly like a sense of duty. 1t hurried her
to the office and kept her there until
closing time ut the glamour Of the
check and the unprecedented sense Of
duty flickered oft together by the aft.
ernoon of the fourth day, when Tekla
succumbed, at half-past two, to temp
tation in the form of a 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 50 engaged, he serb
b1ed something in little book that
he carried in his waistcoat pocket.
Toward the end of the month the puz-
zled expression departed, but the sor-
row remained. Mr.. Armstrong cOuld
see that although the klnd-hearted
old man had made up his mind to deal
with Tekla, he was far from happy
over the prospect. She herself had no
misgivings. She continued to arrive
late, to go home early. and to absent
herself whenever she happened to feel.
like it.
You do have an easy time in that
Office, don't you?" said Geraldine
Pease, meeting Tel1la one noon in holt
day attire Il don't dare ask for a
day off once in six weeks"
ooh, I'm not afraid" retorted Tekla,
airily. "Mr Wolfe isn't the scolding
kind He says I'm the neatest type
writer he'd had-when I'm there. Mr..
Armstrong looks like a thunder-cloud
all the time, but Mr.. Wolfe lets me
go any time l ask"
But" asked Geraldine, curiouSly,
haven't you any conscience in the
matter?"
mot scrap" laughed Tekla.
81 should think" said Geraldine,
'that you'd like to feel sure you were
oorpipor XyO,,r salary"