The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-01-02

OLD SILL.
after all the Interest and kindness you
have shown"
Mrs. Darnley saw tears rush to the
girls eyes and picked up her maga-
zine with seeming unconsciousness.
run and take nice bath, my dear.
There Is half an hour before dinner.
You needn't dress-cOme in your XII
mono wouldn't worry if | did fail
on q civil service examination. Lots
of we'll educated people have got 50
ratified they wanted to spell cat with
two is"
The girl wiped her eyes furtlvely as
she started from the room.
There was horrid woman sitting
next to me during the exam. She
she-added every blessed one of those
figures-in aloud whisper" and Flea
nor, ashamed Of her tears, made a
rush for the door of her own little
hall bedroom.
When her father after an attack of
pneumonia had been left with lung
trouble that his physician said would
be fatal unless he ut once left for Il
southern climate, the girl had reso-
luteIy insisted upon his using the great
er part of their small bank account to
start for Arizona. Then. deprived Of
her fathers salary, she had been fore
ed to leave college with the determi
nation to seek work Her aunts letter
advising her to come to Washington to
try the examination advertised by the
civil service to secure $50 clerks for
years work on an extra rush had
caused the motherless girl to invest
her little money in the chance that she
might he one of the fortunate ones
She settled down in her aunt's tiny flat
to await in suspense the two or three
months necessary to hear the results
of her examination.
Mrs. Darnley cams home one after
noon much elated.
II met John Dabncy on the street
my dear. You don't know who John
is, of course, but that doesn't make
any difference He's the incest man In
town. He's been out west for three
lutIlllS anu just S'l buNh. ne > IL ucuI,
and he knows one Of the powers that
be-or is-down at the civll service
commission. He offered to 90 down
and find out just where you stand on
the list of cIigiblcs."
When John Dabney arrived that
evening he looked at the slender girl
in amaZement
Miss Wynn. have to congratulate
you. Eighteen hundred people took
that examination, and only ten of them
made higher average than you. There
is no doubt about your getting an ap-
pointment but" turning to her aunt.
1T seems pity for a mere girl to be
shut up in an Office adding figures all
day"
But it's only for year" the girl
said, with the youthful enthusiasm of
one who never worked for living and
knew nothing of how long and tedious
n year may seem.
When the official appointment finally
arrived, it was John Dabney who ac-
cOmpanied the girl when she reported
to take the oath of Office. Later he
often made the excuse that she was
stranger and needed plotting home aft
er office.
One hot afternoon in August he met
her on the stone steps near the main
entrance OF the large government
building
Your aunt is waiting for us at the
Junction" he said raising her red
paraso and, after the manner Of men,
holding 1t at an angle that let in all
the sun and gave occasional digs at her
hat 1--WE three are going to run
down to Chesapeake bay for dinner
and a cool breeze We will get back
by IL O'Clock tonight"
After dinner they left Mrs Darnley
with 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. 1t
gives 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"
fs1t 3