The bee., 1908-06-04

al IL I.r.tD herself, who hao
started at a small
salary, and, unlike her, had been ads
vanced by easy stages to $2b week.
The advancement was the direct re
suit of a judicious system Of humorfne
people. sc
Miss Saunders had hong felt aspira
tons toward a salary Of e25 week
consequently she fell in love with the
idea of humoring people. Falling in
love with an idea-like falling in love
with a man--movsa the victim Of the
love mania TO actions strange and in
applicable to those who think they
know her.
When the Office boy began to- move
things about on her. desk Miss Sauns
ders snapped: stop that, Benny II
is bad enough to know, that you steal
every pencil stub l have without let
ting you do it under my very nose"
1T is my business to carry away
truck and amt hunting a pencil-its
my gum. stuck it 'ronnd this desk
somewhere"
ugh! Here it u.s." pointing to IL
disgustedly, as if she had seen q
mouse. Quick! Take it of. If
ever catch you sticking gum on my
desk again"
She hesitated. trying to think Of .
threat commensurate with the offense
Then she was seized by her new idea
Suddenly her tone became conciliatory
and she said: Gum is not SO bad as
tobacco, Benny, but here is some
thing really good. Have some candy"
She held out box Of chocolates.
The boy regarded her with, instant
suspicion. Look here he said, "if .
it's note you want me to carry my
price is rs cents, same as charge
the men" t'N ~
This was discouraging, but \ girl
in love with an idea does not give up
hope at the first rebu1f any more than
does q girl in love with man
Miss Saunders was not in love with
any man, yet there was I'M the ONCE
= man whom she highly respected and
another whom she abominated. When
the latter sat down by her desk and
became disagreeably pleasant her irst-
impulse was 10 annihflate him With
a look. Then 1t occurred to her that
perhaps it was her former brusque,
ness which had attracted him and that
she could better secure freedom from
his attentions by humoring them, 50
she did her best. Her. active mind
was at work on discovering a way
to humor her employer, since, II
the salary Of $25 a week ever. material
tied, he must be the medium. ss
He was a nervous man, but not un,,
manageable except when there wera
too many checks to be signed, The
deepest grudge he bore his bookkeep-
er was that she was forever asking
him to pay bills.
Many Of the bills bore the stamp.
met 60 days-if paid within 80 days
three per cent discount" 1t was hia
bookkeeper's duty to remind him
when these bills were about to fall
due, yet whenever he saw her advanc-
ing upon him, bill in one hand, check.
book In the other, he automatically
tried to get away.
She usually presented him with the
check for his signature several days
In advance of the last discount day,
but, under the baleful influence Of her
loved idea, she decided to hold a bill
calling for $4,000 until the last mo-
ment Not till the last morning did
she even calculate the discount ana
she was pleased with herself until she
heard some one remark that the head
of the firm had left town for a few
days. Ae.
Out of town." she gasped. "And
$4,000 discount bill to be paidP"
Then he'll lose the discount" was
ali the comfort she got 20,
The sufferings of Miss Saunders be-
fore her employers return caused her
love for the idea of hIlmoring people
to wane very greatly.
When he came she realized how
iiimsy her story sounded as she TOD
il to him. He smiled sardonically and
then pronounced her doom: II Won
were in the habit of holding bills tin
the last discount day l might blame
myself for not notifying y0u that !
would be away, but when you are al
ways poking bills at me a week ahead
l know this omission was pure forget.
fulness. which I cannot tolerate. The
discount on this bin is almost equal
to your monthly salary / mleAt
charge that to proft and loss, but this
story Of yours about hating to see me
have to pay such large amounn
earlier than was necessary n too
transparent .Youh'nAght rob me. bni
you viii havtsSb ssthahothsr boss 10
food tsp. ~ srf't as'Siae4's.ts 4. ~.
Miss Saunders has gait ,hu1n6rl1l,s'