Middletown transcript., 1906-07-07
THE CODDINGTON CIPHER
BY ALDEN " QUIMBY

KeE cOHGiuu1S 70 bhk6 k6tlOSGlNOIlii-
ern Ohio bonds of Maxtonss. itl
will only be necessary Tor you to-
write an order on the Fidelity
/ told Clarke that I would be alb
sent for several days, and re-
quested him to honor your requi.
sition for the package. Thus
saying, Mr. Sanderlln MeWii,
liams bade his amauuensis and
typewriter good morning, and
departed. Venie Bell, quite ac-
customed to such directions, sell
tied herselfin herrevolving chair
and gave her attention II hel.
daily round of duty:
That was a memorable Christ
mas upon which Venie received
a eCoddingtons typewriter from
her discriminating Uncle Frank.
Neither before nor since had she
experienced such pleasure il the
contemplation of a gift.
Besides, it was a turning point
in the girls career. She was Il
graduate of the city high-school
with aspirations for college
course, but without means 70
gratlfy her desire and her ac-
complishments on the machine
had procured for her a trial posi-
ton in Mr.. McWilliams's office,
which soon developed into a per.
manency:
However, it was not only her
skill in operating the typewriter
which procured her favor, but her
business methods as well. Neat
in person and tidy about her desk,
systematic in the performance OF
her various duties, bright and
intelligent instead OF listless and
inane, she justly won the high
regard of her employer, who, after
a few months observation of her
work, looked upon her as a very
trusty private secretary.
Venie had q particular type
writer friend, Miss Vistoria Hu-
Der, Otherwise sVicky, employed
in the Office of the" Fidelity Trust
and Safe Deposit Company, .
where Mr.. MeWilIiams kept his
bank account. Chums at school
their friendship grew with their
years, and many an evening found
one at the home of the other, or
both at some meeting of the
Young Peoples Society of their
church.
Venie and Vicky both used the
"Coddington' typewriter. The
type shuttle, in a space Of three
by one-half inches, contained
about one hundred characters,
which were arranged in three
rows. There were thirty keys,
twenty-six Of which bore the let
ters of the alphabet, and each
was capable of making three char
acters. All the small letters
were on the first row of the shut
tie, and to make the capitals it
was simply necessary to use a
lever, which lifted the second
row into place while to produce
figures and symbols, another
lever raised the third row into
position. For instance, little ''a :
was made by touching a key op.
Grating the first row; big CA by
the same key, using the first lever
and f7' by the same key, employ
ing the second lever.
1t was not long before Venie
and Vicky devised what they
mysteriously termed the God
dington Cipher. It was very
simple, for it only required a
moments adjustment of the sec
ond lever, SO that the third row
of figures and symbols would be
produced, and then to spell out.
the ,desired words on the keys.
Persons not in the secret were
bewildered and baffied in trying
to discern the meaning of z 2s
8" '9t"27(7* s 8ce-*s'-87,. How
could they be expected to sur
mise that it was the expression
of the familiar holiday wish for
"A Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year,
1t was about two o'clock Tues
day afternoon. Mr.. McWilliams
had been absent just one diy and
Miss Bell was at her desk, busily
engaged with her books and bills.
She had sent Danny, the office
boy, uptown with reply to a
correspondent, and was therefore
alone. She wondered why Mr..
Barker did not turn up, fer her
employer had spoken confidently
Of his probable purchase Of Mr..
Nations bonds.
The brokers Office was quite a
spacious apartment on the second
a sf fl.<, T1,-111z.1~ Il,..I, \ - :.