Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-05-19

per. Then he went of early to bed,
his mind still busy with choosing his
own wife.
Miss Stone, the new stenographer,
was waiting next morning. He called
her to take some dictation in the In
ner Office, and almost unconsciously,
though he was courteous to every
one. accorded her the manners ne
would have used with girls Of his own
set. She was little and slender, with
quantities of plainly arranged, bright
brown hair and steady, clear, gray
eyes She could not have been much
past twenty, but she had an air OF
poise and detachment that was quite
remarkable. His quick eye noted
that her exquisitely neat black dress
was new and cheap, that her small
shoes were cheap, but her handker-
chief which lay on the desk before
her was of very fine linen. She TOOK
dictation swiftly and quietly without
asking him to repeat, with an alert
intelligence that pleased him. Ana
when, later, she brought him the let
ters to sign, they were faultless. she
could spell and she could bring force
full order out of his rather chaotic
and headlong sentences. And neither
that first day nor on any other dlo
she seem to regard him personally.
She did her work and then wen'
home 1t was very simple.
Business, always slack in summer
went smoothly enough, but ne saw
that every detail was brought up to
date. Every one was busy enough
The new girl seemed not to mingle
with the other girls, but kept TO her'
self.
He found that she could not only
spell. but that she could exist with
out gum, cheap finery, and elaborate
coiffures. And she made no at
tempts, subtle or otherwise, at tilrt
ing with her young employer. he
was used to being ogled by the girls
in his employ. This was refreshing
but her indifference piqued him. he
had an irritated feeling that she
hardly saw him-as man. Her nne
steady eyes never fingered approving
ly on his consciously handsome sell
And she never fingered, never SAID
more than a conventionally pleasant
word at coming or going. She never
mentioned her private affairs, and
when he said she might go early, she
mined on her quiet street hat, took
her gloves and parasol and went. ne
wondered where she lived.
Finally in July he asked for mel
address-in case he should need mel
on a holiday or in an emergency
She very readily gave him the mans
of business woman's nome, ah'
said the matron would always deliver
business message.
The heat increased and he put an
other electric fan in the office IN
her corner-for she had begun &c
look a little worn and tried. And ne
wondered if she had any relaxatlons
He had never seen her outside OF the
office, except one evening at a high
class vaudeville. She was with ar
elderly woman, and he hardly recug
nized her in a rose-wreathed hat anc
beautifully simple pale summer dress
He reflected how wonderful 1T was
for. bright, sweet young girls u
house. feed, clothe and protect them
selves by their own work, and OF
$12 week or pitifully less. Ough
he, in decency, to raise her salary?
One Saturday noon late in August
the heat was so extreme that he sale
every one might go except Miss Car
roll. who had some circulars to &c,
out. But Miss Stone said if ne
didn't mind she would stay and. reac
and write little-the office was
cooler than her room. He acqu1escee
and from his chair in the inner office
he sat looking out at her. She
wrote some letters leisurely on sons
very good note paper. Then from
drawer she took little green book
leaned back in the big chair and'reat
quietly. From his own writing to his
mother he would look up occasional
ly at the girl, serene and dign1fied
perfectly remote and detached, VIII
the breeze stirring the gold-brown o
her hair. Finally she rose and wen
home. Miss Carroll followed.
Passing out few moments later
he saw that she had left her book OF
the desk. It was Stephen Phillips
"Marpessa, and to John Markham:
young college taste this was the
acme of discrimination in reading
She knew what was what, that girl
, AS he opened the drawer to put the
book away, ne saw other Volumes
worn little Browning, a small volume
of Lambs Ella Chesterton's de
| fendant'-no chance choice, sucr
| books as that! He was quite excitec
about it. Then he went home.
This was the evening when, out or
the veranda alone, he discovered thai
he was in love with her. He was
very glad she was a stenographer
too. That would show her. his par
ents, the world, and himself. that II
was just the girl herself that ne
wanted
But he did not sleep much thai
night, for he was far from certain
that she would listen to him, tha'
she would marry him, or even give
him chance to WOO her! He coul1
not compromise her by taking her tt
places or by calling on her. Neither
would she allow It. Any other mar
might have a chance, but not her EN-
ployer. Well, he would say some
thing at the first chance.
He knew he would have to mans
the chance himself, and he did so
He walked over to her desk the mex
ofhorc