The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-09-02
DOROTHY BENTON's LUCK.

\
streets were slippery and the rain
falling on the unswept pavements
trlckled down the cutters in murky
stream. The shabby business build
lngs that lined the shabby street wore
the usual air of poverty and unkempt-
ness that distinguished them at all
seasons Of the year and in all kinds of
weather Jackson Street had once
known days of prosperity but that had
been before the city had grown away
to the west, and reared it's tall bust
ness blocks where the hills sloped
down to meet the river, After that
Jackson Street, shorn of it's prestige,
had languished, and the buildings had
grown more and more sdilapidated,
until now it bore the reputation. of
being the most unkempt business
street of the city.
Dorothy Benton, stenographer for
the Waverly Iron Works, which occu-
pied one of the shabby buildings, vel
coined those days of rain, for the rea-
son that they carried away some of
the smoky CRIME and left the street
somewhat regenerated It had been
a severe blow to her pride to begin
her career as stenographer in this
despised region of the city, but the
financial condition of the Benton
household had compelled her &C
ceptance of the first opportunity to
earn salary, and it had come from
tho Wounr1xy Ty,O,, yNnn1za a
i won't be there. long, however,"
she had confidently said to her family.
"As soon as I have learned the ways
of the business world, shall bid Jack
son Street farewell"
That had been over year ago, and
still the opportunity of bidding Jack
son Street farewell seemed a remote
and unlikely prospect. Dorothy had
searched the city in vain for more
agreeable position, and was dis
couraged over her failure, especially
on those days when the gloom of the
outside world penetrated the dusty
office and gave shadowy outlines to
the shelves of books and worn office
furniture
The Waverly Iron Works was a
small branch of large Eastern manu-
featuring plant. 1t too, like Jackson
street, had seen days of prosperity,
but through poor management the
business had dwindled away, until the
income from it's sales barely sufficed
to meet the expenses of the factory.
This had been the state of affairs
several months back, when Mr.. Adams
the new manager, had taken charge.
The company had sent him out to
build up the business of the branch
to its former prosperous condition.
Dismiss all the unnecessary and in
competent employees the president
had commanded. "The branch cannot
afford travelling representative in it's
present rundown condition, SO it will
devolve upon you to attend to any
business in your territory which re
quires the presence of such a man.
Consequently, you will require a thor
oughly competent Office assistant, one
able to handle orders without bung-
ling during your ABSENCE stenogra-
pher of course, for the Office work is
not heavy enough to warrant the serv-
ices of third person, considering the
paltry business that branch is doing
at present.
Mr. Adams had looked the ground
over carefully, and found the en-
ployees competent enough, although
there was plenty of evidence of mis-
management. Dorothy he had regard
inexperience were against her, but
by the end of the first week she had
demonstrated her capability and trust
worthiness so we'll that he resolved
to keep her. She found the new man
ager a welcome change. BY degrees
he pressed new duties upon her; she
devoted her spare time to learning all
the details of the business. Orders
for goods began coming in with great
err frequency, and these she learned
to fill out under his supervision
"This will be part of your regular
Mr. Adams explained. Every order
we secure promptly means boost for
this branch. And we need it."
Today the Office was quiet except
for the whir of machinery in the fac
tory beyond and the dull rumble of
the cars in the distance. Mr.. Adams
had been called away the evening
before on a matter of business; the
mail had been light, and Dorothy was
just finishing the regular routine of
the day. A weary little sigh escaped
her as she filed away the last of a
pile of letters. The musty files, the
dust that was visible everywhere, the
cobWebs that hung from the ceiling
grew more distasteful daily. The adj
vent of Mr.. Adams had make the work
more agreeable, but her dislike for
the disorder of Jackson street was
too strong to be overcome.
The clock struck three, and the let
ter carrier, on his last round for the
day, entered, and laid a bunch of