The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1907-12-13

hat. 1--WE three are going to run
down to Chesapeake bay for dinner
and a cool breeze. We will get back
by - o'clock tonight"
After dinner they left Mrs. Darnle!
with a book and strolled down the
beach until they came to an old pier,
used only occasionally by small boys
with their fishing tackle.
Lets walk to the end of this. It
gives a feeling of being in the middle
Of the ocean. Except for the narrow
strip of boards reaching back to the
beach we can Imagine we are strand
ed on a desert island"
He settled her comfortably in an old
sill lying across the end of the pier
md took out his cigar case. "Now
tell me how you like Office life and if
you want a permanent appointment"
She shrugged her shoulders in the
darkness.
"I'd rather stay home and wash
dishes all my life than accept a per-
manent appointment" she said intense
~. tits bearable when l think that
it's only for a short time-father is
getting well rapidly, you know-but I
could not be brave enough to face the
thought that I was there for life.
There are more brave, discontinued
women in Washington than l ever
dreamed of-all ages, from twenty to
seventy. Did you ever hear of the
office face?'"
II don't think 1 aver did," laughed
Dabney. "Is it worth looking at?"
"It's pitiful," she said, watching the
waves. f1ecked with moonlight, dash
and break against the logs Of the pier.
whenever a new girl m in. fresk
from the outside world, she creates a
sensation. Her fresh complexion, her
hopeful ambition. are interesting and
enjoyable to the clerks who have been
there for years, but they also watch
her with a pathetic tenderness. Not
n who stays in service five years
fails to get that look which Washing
tonians call the office face. There is
a set expression Of apathy: The express
sion Of the eyes changes. Idon't know
has the desk next to mine told me that
she could walk down f street in the
afternoon. look into peoples faces and
pick out every nan and woman who
had been in Office for any length OF
time. Even the men lose the inde-
pendent look which the average bust
ness man gets with years."
"Poor little girl! A few months wen
have been sufficient to rob you Of your
enthusiasm" he said. noticing that her
face had grown thin and pale from the
unaccustomed sedentary life. "Elea
nor, are you determined to go back to
college next fall to finish your course:'
eff all goes we'll with papa. l only
lack one year. 1t seems a pity not to
get my diploma"
But if you are going i'll for-er-
dishwashing," he suggested, lis the
diploma really necessary%
Eleanor looked at him reproachfully.
Stupid! Are you as literal as NJ!
that? Haven't you ever heard of mere
figures of speech?"
Figures that set me to doing some
rapid mental calculation. yes He
leaned toward her. and the moonlight
showed her both the mirth and serious
ness of his eyes. 81 was going to in
vest in some-er-dishes to be washed
and offer you the job" he said.
you are a very queer man!' she
gasped. laughing finally at a mental
picture of John Dabney investing his
thousands in an innumerable pile OF
dishes.
IT'S not Il joke, girl. I've been think.
ing of it for weeks"
She clasped her fingers around her
knees and, leaning over, gazed at the
lights of Il boat far out.
"It is not a very hard job washing
dishes for two" she said finally.
He unclasped her hands and held
them firmly in his own.
Eleanor Wynn, I'm going to swear
you in to a permanent appointment
right this minute" he said j%ubilantly.
"It's for life, remember"