Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-05-01
DAILY STORY
A PANTOM | M e.
tOriginal.l

/ sat by my office window looking
into the offices directly opposite on the
other side of the couE. They consist
ed of several adjoining rooms. In one
at magnificent desk sat a gentleman
with Il bald head and brown whiskers
constantly tapping Il silver bell to call
Il boy. Next was an anteroOm, next
rooms full of clerks and bookkeepers.
in the anterOom sat girl at type
writer, though she was constantly get
ting up to go into the baldheaded
mans office to take dictation.
She was a willowy girl, with fair
hair and large dreamy eyes. The door
of the room in which she sat opened,
and a young man came in. He was
fashionably dressed, and l noticed
pinned to his vest a college Greek
letter society badge. He went up TO
the girl and said something to her
She looked up at him with half blush
on her face and a great deal of pleas
ure in her eyes. Then he went on into
the room where the baldheaded man
sat, and at once l noticed Il likeness
between them. They must be father
and son. They chatted pleasantly for
time, when the young man rose to
leave. When his hand was on the door
knob. the elder man called him back.
wrote out n check and handed it To
him. He put it in his pocketbook went
out. said something to the typewriter
girl that caused her to laugh and was
gone.
4 few days later he came in again.
This time he talked n good while with
the typewriter girl. She went on with
her work. listening to him at the same
time The faces Of both were very
serious. Presently he stole an arm
about her waist. lifted up her face and
kissed her. At that moment the bald
headed man got up from his desk and
went to the door communicating with
the anteroom. They were caught.
The father turned and went back
into his private office. His son follow
ed him and talked rapidly. | knew by
the expression of his face that he was
| endeavorin@ to shield the girl. Wheth
| err he was talking about marriage with
| her l could not tell. | could not see
| the expression on the fathers face, for
| he sat with his back to me. Presently
| the son went out. He found the type
writer girl with her face buried in her
hands. He took them away, displaying
| two burning cheeks. He kissed her
| again. spoke n few words as if of en-
enlargement and went away.
Every day the older man looked
more troubled. and his son had lost
all the vivacity had first noticed.
The next day the typewriter did not
| appear at her desk. Another took her
| place. saw the son no more and con
| Guided he had returned to college. In
few months there was a sudden re-
| duction of the Office force. and all the
rooms except the private office and an
teroom We're given up. Then the son
| appeared regularly and with an office
| boy was his fathers only assistant
| Words are not needed TO indicate pros
| perity or adversity-they speak for
| themselves. l knew that the house of
| Blank & Co. had received Il financial
blow. The son was at the office early
and late. Having to do some extra
work myself at night. | saw him
through the window working. He
seemed to be his fathers mainstay.
The older man looked much broken
and sadly needed a stay.
One mOrning-it was the next spring,
and all windows We're up aGain-the
son was sitting at the typewriter doing
| some copying. The door opened and Il
lady came in. She was handsomely
dressed. and her face had n familiar
look She advanced to the window
where the young man sat, and | saw
that she was the former typewriter.
Evidently there had been boule
versemcnt. The young man had left
the realms of affiuence. She had en-
tered them. She talked with him ear
nestly. | wished | had a telephone
connection with them to hear what
they said, but | hadn't and must De
content with pantomime. The girl ap
pearcd TO be trying to persuade HIM
He laid his hand on her arm and. look.
ing into her face, said something i'm
preSsively. She was evidently diSap-
pointed. She arose and walked impa
tiently to and fro in the little room
then sat down by him and renewed the
attack possibly in a new form. l fan
cied that, the tables being turned. she
was mingling with her persuasion d
trifle of feminine lOvemaking, such as
wealthy woman might make to 4
poor man. Presently | saw him throw
his arm about her neck and rain kisses
on her cheeks and lips.
Meanwhile the old man in the mex
room was fussing with his papers, un
conscious of what was going on sc
near him. Presently the young mar
arose, left the girl, entered his father.
room and BEGAN to talk to him. TIL,
fathers face was turned sidewise, 81
that l could see his expression. From
interest it passed to wonder and from
wonder to pleasure, but before eithe
of the first two expressions died 4;
smile dawned on the fathers lips
Then the son went back and brough
in the girl. The old mans looks Were