The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-09-02
Continued from page 81
DOROTHY BENTON'S LUCK.

DOROTHY BENTONS LUCK.
prospect the letter held forth when
the Office door was again opened and
a messenger boy appeared.
'Special!" he called, holding out a
long yellow business envelope. She
took it calmly, but her face took on
an added glow of excitement as she
glanced over the contents. What a
large order that called for! She
might not like the dingy office, with
it's ugly, dilapidated furniture, she
might not like Jackson street, with
it's shabbiness and disorder, but still
the business instinct was strong with
in her, and for the time she forgot
the prospect of a new position.
eff Mr.. Adams were only here to
attend to it," she thought, regretfully.
She read the letter again: "Please
make us a price on the following
equipment and wire answer imme-
diately." Then followed a long list of
articles which the Waverly Company
manufactured. Dorothy's face paled
a trife as she glanced over the sheets.
The order, if her company secured it,
would be larger than any they had yet
had. 1t would take long time to
figure the prices and discounts on all
the items called for and to make the
quotation for the whole.
She sat down at her desk, drew out
| her price-lists, and began to work.
The clock above her licked away the
minutes unheeded She worked away
carefully but swiftly at the figures,
multiplying, summing up and correct
ing. She had gone almost halfway
through the lists when suddenly the
Thompson Company's letter required
to her memory. 1t would be long past
six o'clock before she could finish
this quotation and telegraph the an
swer Rebellion swept over her and
she pushed the price-lists aside i'm
patiently.
'I won't stay! This night of all
nights!" she exclaimed. after wait
ing so long for this opportunity.
can't see it snatched away like thai"
She pulled open a drawer of her
desk, pushed the unfinished work
within, closed the desk and turned
the key. 1t was really too large an
order for her to handle alone, and if
she should make blunder and send
the wrong figures, it might mean a
big loss to the company. At least it
could wait until the next day, when
she would be able to give it more
time and care. Why should she in
terest herself in getting this order for
i the Waverly people at the expense OF
her own interests? They were mer-
cenary, tight-fisted men, who did moth
They would take all her work as a
mere matter of course, and would not
even thank her, although she lost a
good position in her efforts to serve
them.
Then the voice of conscience had an
inning. Mr.. Adams had expressed un
limited confidence in her ability to
attend to matters during his absence
and now she was trying to shirk what
was plainly her duty. He was work
ing untiringly to build up the business
and much depended upon his success
for if he failed, the place would be
closed, and the men in the factory
thrown out of employment. She un
derstood, too, that promptness was
: essential, for they were competing
with other firms, and if she delayed
the work another day, the order might
. be secured by one of their rivals She
looked up at the clock; it was slowly
ticking past the hour of five. With a
: sigh she drew out the price-lists and
began to work once more.
The dreary day drew to close and
| the rain began to come down heavily
} and steadily. The whir of machinery
, ceased, and the only sound that pene
: trated the Office from the street were
; the footballs of the passers-by. But
: Dorothy worked steadily on. It was
) long past six o'clock when she had
finished the quotation and sent the
) telegram. She felt very tired as she
pinned on her hat and prepared to
J leave the Office. The family was al
: dinner when she came in. He1
J mother met her in the hall with an
: anxious and troubled expression.
You are over an hour late, Dorothy
: and have been so worried about you,'
7 she said.
: Yes, mother, know l was de
j tanned at the Office by one of those
l tiresome quotations"
I declare, Dorothy said hel
brother Jim, surveying her pale, tired
r face as she sat down to dinner, syor
i make yeritable slave of yourself fol