The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-07-07
" have endured her life sometimes.

ly have endured her life sometimes.
At til end of six months Homer
Baird, her fathers old attorney sought
her out and asked her to accept a posi-
ton as his secretary.
Miss Page is going to be married"
he said. "She leaves the first of the
month, She is an expert, and / gave
her SIS week, but you may have the
same If you will come"
"Oh, Mr.. Baird, how good you are"
Bess cried. Fifteen dollars week
once upon time.
Two weeks later she was installed In
his office and was making herself as
invaluable to him as his former seere-
tary had done. Clad simply In blue.
her hair very smooth, not CLEAN Of
gold, not streak of ribbon about her,
she sat each day before the massive
office typewriter playing the keys with
swift precision or making pothooks
upon pad at the old lawyers dicta-
ton.
One morning as she sat thus ut work
alone the door opened and man
entered-a man whom she had not seen
in two years, since that last evening
she had danced with him and he had
gone away without saying single
thing she had expected him to say.
She felt the color leaving her face
she felt tremor seize her, but she
made brave stand In spite of all.
. no vtnr n
taught her more self command than all
the other years Of her life put together
miss Pryor" he exclaimed. "In the
name of all that is wonderful, what
are you doing here?"
1t was just like him to say that, and
she could not help laughing little at
his too evident amazement
Just earning my living, IL you
please, Mr.. Brent" she replied.
..And is that necessarily
Most necessary. Did you ever hear
the old story of the prodigal son, Mr.
Brent2"
He nodded, watching her earnestly.
"Well," Bess went on, a little breath
lessly, like him, have wasted my
substance until l must earn II would
eat. I'ye been business woman for
a year, and I'm beginning to like 1t
even better than being n society girl.
All, here comes Mr.. Baird" as the old
lawyer entered.
His entrance ended their converse
ton for that day, but soon after Brent
came again
Being n lawyer himself and upon
very good terms with Mr.. Baird, 1t was
easy for him to frame excuses for fire.
quent calls.
80 you like doing thisi" he said
one day, standing beside her and look
ing down at her nimble fingers. She
looked up at him brightly.
Eyes, indeed. never knew what 1t
was to live until now. l only wish
had got to work sooner"
He waited awhile. They were alone
In the Office, and in the silence the
clatter of the typewriter keys sounded
startlingly loud.
~ ruirqsm'.-ne bafo p,aiiy, .'tnn,
you are so il love with your work here
that nothing could induce you to make
change. And yet have been think
Ing that could offer you position
rather better than this If you cared to
accept it."
But I'm not sure that 1t would be
fair to Mr.. Baird to leave him. He
has been ve:y good to me-" Bess said.
"You don't understand" Brent said,
speaking very low and leaning over
her. "Thls Is n permanent position
that Of being my wife"
I'D given up ever expecting to hear
that from you," Bess said little later
"Why didn't you tell me 1t that sum-
mer at Lenox or the winter before In
Boston,
Because, my DEAR" Brent said, Pm
sane man. and no matter how muel
! cared for woman l would never
marry her were she not the right sort
| didn't see In the frivolous girl yor
were then the making Of good wife
for me. SO, though I was strongly
tempted. went away without speak
ing"
"Then ! played the prodigal daugh
ter to good advantage. after ALL" Bess
had held out this would never have
happened. But how do you know that
my old habits may not returnY
How? Because you have learned
your lesson well. And, anyway. the
role of prodigal daughter. as you call
1t. never suited you so well as
my present oneY
mo; as your future one as my wife
will suit you"