The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-05-27

Il believe 1t Is the employers pre-
rogative to name the salary, said the
girl simply.
Bradford, after searching hopelessly
in his mind for a combination OF words
and figures In which to adjust the
financial end of tie transaction, named
the amount which he had had In mind
when inserting the lad"
THAT wiz do very nicely" said the
girl, rising After all, this business
life was not so hard; men were not 50
heartless.
And your nameT' asked Bradford.
Henderson - Marjorie Henderson, =
she said, smiling.
And when will you come" Brad
ford surprised himself at the way In
which he let her suit her own con-
Tenience.
That, too, is your prerogative." she
replied, an odd little expression OF def
erence in her eyes.
Tomorrow? Is that too soonT He
had not expected to have his stenog
rapher until the following week, but,
after all, no doubt the sooner he had
one the sooner his business letters
would commence TO bring good re-
suits.
Every well, tomorrow. And at what
hourT' This man had not told her
anything of his demands upon his en-
ployees. She had fancied herself de
parting with list of rules page long,
to all OF which she must adhere rigidfr.
"Oh, about $780," he said. He had
decided when he had inserted the ed.
vertisement that he would get to bust
ness earlier and have his stenographer
there with him. Butch, well, women
should not have TO get down too soon.
1t was hard or them.
II will be here at that hour, Mr..
Bradford, thank you" And she closed
the door.
Alone. Bradford Lit cigar and lean
ed back in his desk chair. What had
he done? He had engaged woman, .
girl, as stenographer! She would al
ways be in the Office. He could not
swear; he wondered II he should
smoke. Neither could he take or his
coat and put his feet on his desk when
he wanted to think things out and
bring an unruly customer to time.
But the next morning found him ca
gerly waiting for $50. He could not
tell why. but the appearance Of a trim
little tailor clad figure in the doorway
made him glad.
IL may put my hat on your desk r
she asked. laying neat felt hat on the
Top OF his dcss, She had only a Ia.
table.
''Oh-oh, no." he said LET mel
say, we will have to have q hook over
there above the washbowl. Yes. put II
there" What nuisance women were,
he tried to convince himself. A wom-
ans hat on a mans desk!
3 An atmosphere Of strangeness. Of en-
barrassment and awkwardness filled
the tiny Office all day, and yet Brad
ford did not look at the dirty, dingy
elevated road for light as he had been
accustomed. 1t was brighter In the Of
fee. He dictated his letters and was
pleased to note their faultless pages,
their neat arrangement. their work.
manlike appearance. Perhaps, after all,
a woman could learn to be business
like.
II will bring little mirror and-a
towel and some soap in the morning,
Mr. Bradford. if you don't mind" she
said rs she left. "Good night"
"a mirrorT Bradford sighed. This
was only the beginning. But he was al
ways glad when $50 arrived and sorry
when closing time came. Business
seemed to increase; he sent out SO
many letters. Miss Henderson was
quick, and often she suggested little
ideas for featuring goods he was adj
yertising and quoting.
When she asked if she might have q
box Of flowers in the narrow window
Bradford put his hands in his pockets
and strobe up and down the room. But
she had her way, and soon a box of
blooming nasturtiums gave the dingy
room cheerful aspect. Every morn
ing before he was ready to give her
his letters she watered them with q
ridiculous little red watering pot
Oftentimes after Miss Henderson had
left in the evening Bradford stood over
the tiny flower bed and soliloquized.
How different the Office seemed. How
bright and clean his desk always look.
ed! How much the mirror added, and
the clean towel, and-and these flowersi
They grew and bloomed happily under
her care. What would not?
Miss Henderson" began Bradford
one afternoon when she was leaving
early 81 am glad 1 added the word
preferred to my advertisement for q
stenographer three mouths ago"
The girl looked surprised, but she
was not.
Eyes"
IF I had simply said male you
would never have ventured to apply"
He twisted his penwiper-one she had
made him-into an unslghtly string.
"YesF"
IL have never approved Of women