The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-08-24
WEEKLY SHORT STORY
WANTED-A STENOGRAPHER.
BY JANE OSBORN.

NAONNSN VIII q ptIpltASu IlOWn. ne
propped his feet uncomfortably on his
waste-paper basket and looked vaguely
into the sleet-flled atmosphere visible
from his twentieth story Office window.
William had come to the startling
discovery that he was in love with his
stenOgrapher, Constance Peck. He did
not know much about her save that
year before she had been left an or
phan, and had come to the great city
with its chances of work; that she had
turned to stenography as a means of
making a living; that she had been
sent TO him in answer TO a request at
the business school where she had
studied; and that she lived alone in a
third-Tate boarding house.
But about Constance, the young wo-
man he had fallen in love with, he
knew a great deal. He knew that her
soft brown eyes made him forget the
worries and discouragements of his
struggling young law practice; that
her sweet voice reminded him, some
how, of a bird that used TO sing in his
fathers apple orchard when he was a
child; that her comforting presence
had become a real necessity TO him,
and a thousand other things about her
that he unused on by himself.
But William was troubled. 1t was
one thing TO be in love with the young
woman who worked for him; il was
another thing TO tell her. He could
not. as he would have done if Con-
stance had been anyone else than his
stenOgrapher, lead up gradually 10 tn,
all-important question. Constance, he
knew from experience, would refuse
invitations to dinner or the theater OF
the ground that he and she were only
business acquaintance, and love-mak-
ing when he was debating business let
ters or talking over Office work was
out of the question TO a man like Viii
liam.
Bother it ALL" said William; 81
don't even know where her boarding
house is, and l don't dare ask her to
let me call: she'd think / was pityina
her, and a girl like Miss Peck wouldn't
stand for that"
SO William decided to let things &C
on rs they We're; as long as Constance
worked for him, she would at least be
near him, and in course OF time, he
hoped, she might come to feel as he
did.
Though l don't see how a girl like
Constance could care for a duncr like
me-" he said.
In the little outside Office. wher,
freckled Johnny jerks, the Office boy.
and waiting clients-when there wer,
aEy-Usually kept her company. on
stance Peck sat before her typewriter
Her brown eyes were filled Will
trouble, and her thoughts wandered
from the quirls and fiourishes in the
notebook by her side. For Constance
Peck was owning 10 herself that she
was in love with her employer.
Il ought TO leave" said Constance C.
herself. 1t isn't his fault, though, and
| suppose leaving would put him in
hole for another stenographer. Well.
I'll just stick it out, and maybe some
time-No; a man like Mr.. Gordon
couldn't care for a girl like me, that's
certain. Anyway, if / stay I'll be near
him eN cry day, and that's something.
Johnny's chatter broke in unpleas-
antly on her speculations.
"Aw, pshaw," said Johnny. Your
yorse than the boss. The two OF
you've got something on your minds, g"
and he nodded wisely as he tried to get
a telephone number.
Johnny" said Miss Peck, 1--WE got
to have quiet or I'll never get my
work done. I'll give you a dime if
you'll so take a little walk for a half
an hour"
So it was that, some twenty minutes
later, William Gordon, his resolve to
| let things go" resolutely in his mind
walked into the outer office TO find hts
stenOgrapher, struggling with a SINH
lar resolve, sitting alone before her
typewriter. Tears shone in her dark
eyes.
Where's that scamp of a boy?" de-
manded William fiercely, thinking per
haps the boy was the cause of the
! tears.
Il bribed him to go for a walk. "
said Constance. Then, without a mo-
ments warning to poor, defenseless
William, two big tears splashed from
! her eyes down on the senseless type
writer keys.
In a moment, William, regardless of
all resolutions, had Constance in his
arms and was kissing her cheeks; and
| Constance, likewise regardless of reso-
lutions, was crying comfortably on his
shoulder. But in another moment both
( remembered themselves. Constance
pulled herself free.
IL beg your pardon, Miss Peck. /
really didn't mean to- II just couldn t
| help it. l never could stand tears"
They stood looking uncomfortable at
each other. At that moment the door
opened and Johnny, radiant from the
| foolish expenditure OF his dime on
| candy and soda water, entered the
room. Constance and William red
| dened under his birdlike, knowing
| glance.
AS l was just saying. Mr.. Gordon. -
said Constance, going to the locker and
getting her hat and coat, Il am going
nOw-and | shall not come back"
And so, before William could think
of anything plausible to say, Con-
STANCE Peck, the stenographer, passed
out of his life.
few mornings later Constance saI
in her little boarding house room in
dustriously running through the ad-
vertisements in pile of newspapers
Occasionally she stopped to make some
remark to herself on her unhappy fate
IF only" she thought, ''he hadn't
lGoid hA cnnl1n,f ho1v l. 10.