Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-06-25
THE JUNIOR PARTNER.
By Madeline Lewis.
Copyright. 1908. by Associated Lit
 erary Press.

"iounS lady stenosrapher and typist
 wanted in business office. Must be
 quick and accurate. State salary want
 ed"
 Of the thousands who read it and
 the scores, if not hundreds. who an
 swered by letter was Kitty Burnham,
 daughter of T widow living in one of
 the suburbs of the city. She had seen
 and answered many such before
 There was grave need that the little
 income left by the father should be
 eked out in some way.
 She had little hope when the answer
 was sent off in it's blue envelope that
 it would be heard of again, but to her
 great surprise and almost to her con sternatiOn she received a curt message
 asking her to call To make her way to business office. to be questioned by the abrupt manager. to be tested as to her qualifications and perhaps told that she wouldn't do at all-all this was nightmare to her. Then she must state the salary wanted. That in itself showed a want of fairness on the part of the firm. It was taking advantage of the applicants.
 Kitty spent an hour figuring. so much for street car fare daily. so much for lunches, so much left at the end of the week out of the sum she had made up her mind to ask. It would be only a pittance. and yet she must take it and hope for advancement No man. old or young. could put himself in the place of girl of nineteen applying for situation for the first time in her life and being ushered through an office where dozen men were at work into the sanctum of the manager. She ex- pected to meet an ogre and to be shout ed at. She had only entered the door when she would almost have given her life to be flying down the street Next moment the feeling disappeared. There was no ogre. There was no shouting. A kindly faced man of for ty-five looked up from letter he was writing and greeted her thus:
 "Ah. Miss Burnham, l was expect ing you. Please sit down. and will be through in moment"
 The kind words rallied her. and three | minutes later she was answering ques- 1 lions and saying to herself that the l man probably had daughter of his | own and was sparing her as much as possible. She had heard over and over l again that there was no sentiment in | business and that the woman who took | a mans place in an office must expect | to be treated like man. but here seem- ed to be proof to the contrary.
 My name is Mir Gray. and am the junior partner in the firm" said the man when he had finished his letter. | "As this will he your first place you | cannot expect the salary of an expert enced girl. What figure do you think will be right?"
 '1-I had thought of Ss week." she replied. but if you-you think that is too much I'll take $6" She didn't want to run away now. She wanted the place. and she didn't want the firm to think her too grasping.
 Let me see as to your stenography." said Mir Gray. with smile. No need to be a bit nervous. Just imagine that you have been here fo- weeks"
 He was not lightning dictator. He did not tramp up and down the room and interrupt himself every moment to substitute words. In quiet. easy way he dictated letter. and when 1t was Finished he nodded toward the type writer in the corner. and the girl sat down and transcribed her notes.
 ''It couldn't be better" he said as she handed him the sheet. To-day is Wednesday. but as am a bit hurried you might come tomorrow instead of waiting till Monday. As to the salary. ron will be worth s10 week to start ,n. Good morning Miss Burnham. About s:45 in the morning. pleaser'
 Five minutes later she was on her way home to tell her mother the good news, and five minutes later Mfr. Gray Eas saying to the head clerk in the outer office:
 "Mr. Benson. I have a new stenogra- ,her coming in the morning Miss 3urnham."
 "Yes. sir"
 ''It is her first place" f.
 "Yes, sir"
 ''She is to be treated as lady. Please ee to it that there is no fishing for in. reductions by the young men. If she loes not bring her lunch with her she vill go out alone. Should I encounter Ter in the elevator or on the street I { hall lift my hat 10 her"
 "I understand. sir"
 Mr. Benson returned to the outer flee and communicated the news. The young men of the bookkeeping ] tan winked at each other and smiled. ( hey were made up of the average | oung man. no better or no worse. One [ f them went beyond winking and milling He said to the mat at his ] Dow: . Listen to that. will you. The old T san's got a private stenog and pod locker and we must not even { -ish her good morning. Got to just [ alse ous hats and look down at our 2 ses" q The cold man had come Into the | Ouse yesrS and years before as a hum le employee and worked his way ID [ j . junior partnership. He had never [ Iarricd. and % far as any one at the ' ore knew he hsd no near relativrs- 7 Is home had always been a boarding