The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-03-16
A BROKERS' LOVE AFFAIR

Barclay Ashton, stock broker,
had a reformed look in his eye.
| Il am going to settle down. he
said methodically, calculatingly and
I firmly. Il must get married.
Very punctilous and dscree;
was Barclay. He proposed to get
married just as he proposed to buy
Brighton "A" 1t was a good in
vestment.
Then he set about it in the most
extraordinary Wall St manner.
81 don't want said he, ANY
| giddy beauties. | want mature,
sober, economical, modest, healthy,
good tempered, affectionate, saga
cious, lovable, motherly, genteel
sterling woman. Girls make me
weary"
When you get one of these finan
cial intellects regularly to business
he knows what he is about, and he
doesn't make any mistake.
SO Barclay set up a matrimonial
bureau in his private office.
He would advertise.
No nonsensical rot about Gull
tured gent desiring to meet Gull
tured lady, but a straight business
proposition.
1t would involve immense cleri-
cal system-very well, he would
dictate answers for an hour every
morning.
First thing to do-get an extra
stenographer Must be business
like girl-girls bad, but have to
put up with it."
One morning there came to Bar
clay's office a girl with a small
waist, a pearl-gray pel.sse over her
shoulders, and a cornelian ring on
her finger.
81 am a stenographer," said the
girl very meekly. Il came to an
swer an advertisement"
Barclay was signing checks. 1t
was one of the busiest moments of
his life.
8
Young woman, | want discreet,
confidential secretary to answer
correspondence She's got to BIZ
here early in the morning, attend
to business strictly. The salary is
$6 a week. Do you think you can
sit down to that kind of drudgery
for that pittance and keep the
business to yourself?"
Yes, sir"
"Now, then" said Barclay, "the
matter for which | have engaged
you is aside from the regular bust
ness. BY the way, what is your
nance"
Mary Nelson"
well. Miss Nelson, don't want
you to talk outside this room about
any of the business you have tc
transact here. If you do therel
be trouble
She turned her demure face to
ward him and said, Yes, sir" sc
meekly and patiently that he no
tlced her eyes.
So they got along very nicely
without any nonsense. Barclay
would come in the morning, look t
see if the sailor hat was hanging OF
the peg, grunt Good morning, Miss
Nelson" and then sit down at hi
- desk.
d His heart was constructed on sol
id clockwork business principles
a and one morning when he came il
the sailor hat was not on the peg
- 1t annoyed him.
D where is that young woman
a. No one knew.
" The next day when she came h
9. reprimanded her fiercely.
= 1T annoyed me very much" III
- said. you should have sent M
word It's irregular and unbusi
.. nesslike."
;, She looked at him in her meel
"a way.
My mother is dying" she said
Il have neglected her today so a
= not to disappOint you"
"Confound it, Miss Nelson." sal
r, the broker, jumping up. What d
.e you mean by having a mother il
If and not telling me? What do yo
" mean by coming here today? Wi
you never get any business idea
- into our head?"
He opened the door.
Here, Sam, get a hanson.
And Sam saw the sailor hat i
his hand
About a week after this the o
fee had three baskets of letters i
it. Barclay used to come in, loo
at the vacant desk and go ava
again.
Then the sailor hat reappeareC
Barclay shook hands with Miss Ne
son, congratulating her on he
mothers recovery.
- "Pshaw, don't mention it. m
~ child. | am about as kind as tn
IN average business man-no more, n
e less. We've got lot of bushes
here"