The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-11

matter stood at the moment her husband would not permit her entering the busi- ness realm. Later something-the depres- sion following overindulgence or the dan ger of losing his position-nignt win his consent.
 i Seemingly she accepted his refusal in good part and the theatres and the shops saw more of her than before and they in teresled her as they interest all women. but all the while she held to her purpose. She had a lot of pride and she had one memory that was unpleasant to her That was of one of her schoolgirl friends who had married and come to .he city and had to return to her parents in a few years. There would be nothing of that sort with her, she determined.
 It was month or six weeks after she had broached the business idea to her husband that he lapsed again. Sine was as helpful and sympathetic as usual. but made no reference to her pet idea. She did, however, stop the theatre trips and the shopping vists and she professed when he questioned her about 1t to have tired of going out so much. Bob thought she was getting over her homesickness and becoming more contented with city life. Maybe the shock was all the greatef to him on that account when, the next time he had to remain home, she in- 1 formed him she was resolved on getting l av3f IJ Ia naf0rH. but his arguments carried less weight this time and a man situated as he was at the time, remorseful and repentent. has not the moral force back of him that he usually possesses.
 Maybe the manager of the office had a fuller realization of what actuated her in applying for work than she knew. He was a kind and good man and he told her she might start the next day. It was a multiform printing concern and lot of women were employed as operators. Her husband was salesman of the machine. For a week, while she was learning to be an operator, she got no pay. Then she started at a very modest wage.
 MT Bob was displeased. It hurt him to
 
 with the general run of workers, put gradually his resentment lessened and ne even felt a glow of pleasure one day when he heard some one praise his wife for the work she was doing. And Mrs. Bob deserved praise. She was well edu- cated and quick witted, and in addition was painstal1ingly neat and accurate. Ac- cording to her code. no work was done unless it was well done. She did not be- lieve in erasures or interlineations. Every letter, every word. every line. every sen- tence, every paragraph, every sheet had to be as peSfect as human hand and ma chine could make it. Within six weeks of her advent into the office every job that required case and skill was given to her. The manager, while seeming to notice nothing, noticed everything. When Mrs. Bob asked for an increase from So to S week he rubbed his bald head. drowned and said he did not like to do it. but if Mrs. Bob would not poster him with requests for increased pay, as all the oth- CTS did, he would make a compact with her-he would give her s10 week Mrs. Bob was charmed. So was the manager.
 Mrs. Bob was happy-happier than she had been since coming to New York. MT. Bob was good-that is, comparatively speaking. Her scheme was working. and she had the joy that come from the re- ward of honest labor. She was feeling a confidence and reliance in herself she never had known before. This would have been delightful had 1t continued, but one day there was trouble. One of the sales men, a hot-headed, bulldozing, but usual ly, successful man, took it upon him. self to order her to prepare some sam ples for him. She did not like him. and he did not. like her. She ignored his request, and he, in sudden rage, began to abuse her. Her husband arrived Just then. The next minute the office was in an uproar The two men had fought and the bulldozer had been thrashed.
 The manager called Mrs. Bob into his sanctum that evening and told her he was going to do something of which he was not proud, but which. he believed. would be to the best interest of all con cerned.
 I'm going to ask you to leave" he said Do not for an instant think do not appreciate that brute deserved a licking. but he a salesman is worth more to me than you are as an, operator. Your husband and he will get along all right Men manage those things all right There will be no further friction between l them.
 But what l called you in for particu- larly was this: I want to suggest that you go in business for yourself. I'm go ing to talk plainly to you. not as al employer but as a sincere friend. Yor should work for yourself, not for me ol