The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-01-29
TIE GIRL WHO WANTED
A MASTER.
BY Augusta kortrecht.

From her childhood the girl had felt
a vague longing to be controlled. Hers
was the Woman-heart that craved the
word of authority now and then; and
yet she had gone through some twenty
years in a. world where all sorts of
words abound, and had not met that
kind. She knew just where the trou-
BILE lay. She had been shielded from it
-unwisely, foolishly-by too tender
family of male relatives. She had been
kept out of her right, as it were. When
she merited rebuke she got only gen.
tie remonstrance; and when she need
ed to be led she was followed instead,
sometimes far in folly.
But now that she had come to New
York to earn her living she meant to
change all that. She had thought it out.
She intended to take service with
high-handed master; to throw off re-
sponsibility; to put her thinking appar-
atus down in camphor balls as unnec-
essary; and to do only what she was
hidden. Her brother was away from
home on a business trip, and did not
know her plans.
Fate and Want AID led her to the
establishment of Mr.. Barney Blevins,
and a red-haired youth led her on into
Mr.. Blevin's own office. MIR. Blevins
was a stout gentleman and coatless. He
saw no real reason for rising or remov-
ing his cigar. He looked the dainty
figure over from top to toe; his eye
dwelt a moment on the face, which was
delicate and yet had a strength of its
own. Then he remarked: You're a
likely looking girl. Want work do ye,
eh?"
She should have known better, but
she didn't She beamed at him. The
burr in the voice was strange to her,
and the choice of words was not what
she would have heard at home; but I'M
derneath both there was deep sound
of mastery that was grateful to her
ear. This was what she had Travelled
miles to hear. She wished he would
do it again.
1t developed that Mr.. Barney Blevins
had increasing outside interests and
that he wanted some one in his office
as confidential clerk. He thought she
would do.
"And check up the cash register he
explained "And watch the Others, the
cheats! Watch every one of them. And
Il hope you're honest" he shouted
suddenly. Are we honest, Ell? Well,
about how honest now-what's the very
lowest price for your honestly"
The week passed slowly by. The girl
watched the others and saw many
things: but she kept them to herself
Somehow it seemed difficult to lay
them before Mr. Barney Blevins. The
cash came short every blessed night;
and grins-quiet, ghostlke grins-
went the rounds when the confidential
clerk squared things each time out OF
Ter little purse. =. 1,
Mr.. Blevfns took her to his bank and
introduced her, and said to the cashier;
"Watch out for me. will We? | amt
sure of the girl yet. She better be hon
est. be-dad! There's better ones gone to
the bread line that's went against mel"
And the cashier. had looked at her
with wonder in his eye and she had
IolD
Was this the word of authority?
Gould a vine-woman cling comfortably
to an .oak-man like this. Then Mr..
Rleyins showed her the combination OF
a little safe, his personal safe, that held
some hundreds of dollars in cash, and
a box of diamonds. These she was to
consider her charge-nobody else knew
the combination.
She did what she was told, and she
was told in English strange to her ears
S-ne got real criticism, outspoken,
fresh from the heart, and frank withal.
Her every action was dictated But she
did not throw off responsibility. In
stead she grew pale and nervous. She
counted the diamonds and the cash
manv times in a day, lest they grew
fawer. and the register followed her
home and perched on her chest all
night. and by day ate up her surplus
small change while she lunched on two
cent frankfurters.
On Saturday Mr.. Barney Blevins ar
rived early at the office and called his
employees before him. 1t seemed to DO
a weekly custom. He began at the top
of the line and went impartially along
telling them things in vigorous Ian
suage. you're thief" he roared to