Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-22

might care 10 dictate. The new treas
urer did not care TO dictate any letters.
although a formidable pile confronted
her on the open desk
a row OF electric push buttons were
ranged beside her desk. over each one
was a tiny Gard bearing the name OF
some slave Of the button who would ap-
pear il she touched IL. Miss smith
that would be the round eyed typewrit-
er girl; Mr.. James" the superjnteud-
cnt: "WnlIe"-that must be the office
boy who was diligently reading the
morning paper outside her door
Cedeia's head ached, and the din and
clamor Of the riveters resounded
DO take care Of these this morning.
Mr.. James, she pleaded. and give
that round eyed girl in there something
TO do until get my bearings here.
Cedelia thought that last sentence
sounded busincsslike IN the extreme.
Certainly. Miss Meade said Mr..
James. although his Snug countenance
wore an expression OF doubt
Then Ccdelia was alone, for the SUI
perintendent had morClfully carried the
typewriter girl away with him. She
was calmly surveying the framed pho
tographs OF Meade locomotive boilers
that hung on the bun tinted walls
when there came tap at her door.
come in" she said.
The door opened and admitted a man
tall as Cedelia was herself. He was
the handsomest man Cedelia had ever
seen. with strong, intellectual face
lighted by deep gray eyes. In turn he
gazed at Cedelia. who happened to be
the most beautiful young woman he
had looked upon. and IA he parted his
lips 70 address her there fell upon the
air the most horrible din imaginable.
II sounded as though hundreds Of
rivcters were banging away at score
of boilers, and probably that was the
case. Speech was impossible, and Ce-
della put pretty white hands up 10 her
shocked ears. and the strangers hand
some brows knitted in "A frown.
Suddenly It stopped. Il am be
gan the stranger. but the noise began
again and drowned his words Three
times his voice was lost in the chaos
of sound, and then, when the two OF
them stood helplessly laughing at each
other, the din ceased.
W q must put n Stoll 10 NulS rbll VI
thing" said the man decidedly.
Then you must be Mr.. Craig" said
Cedelia, holding out her hand and
quite forgetting all about the Meade
Craig feud.
81 am, Miss Meade, and | dropped In
to see how the treasurer IS getting
along. If there is anything l can do
to help you alOng-but I'm afraid
don't know much about It myself-sO
there"
II don't know anything and I con
fess l haven't the slightest desire to-"
remarked Cedelia. What does p
schoolma' am know about making boil
ers?'
What does a poet know" complain
ed Oliver Craig
"a poet? Are you a poet?" asked
Cedelia, interested at once.
He smiled ruefully. MY friends say
so. but my enemies declare It is not
true"
oliver Crafg-Oliver Craig-nh, OH
yer Craigland. That IS the name you
user" Cedelia sat up suddenly. her
cheeks very pink, her brown eyes
ashine with delight. As he nodded as
sent she continued. ooh. what are you
doing here when you can write such
beautiful verse? The world needs all
of such poetry that you can writer
Thank you. That Is the sincerest
praise l have ever received" he said
earnestly. Funny idea, isn't it-that
OF poet working in a boiler factoryT
When they had stopped laughing Ce-
della and oliver Craig had n serious
conversation, the result Of which was
that both the president and the treas
urer Of the Meade Boiler works decid-
ed TO employ y..7petcnt private sec
retaries who, under the tu'ciage Of the
very efficient Mr.. James, might take
the cares Of office from their unof-
Gcial hands.
Thus the business went on in its
mctbodical, conservative manner, los
iug nothing. gaining nothing. Cedeiia
vas at her desk cuch day. comforting
with her secretary, learning IA little
more about boilermaking and hating
II Intensely.
One June morning. when, even into
the boiler foundry there crcpt smell
Of summer weather. Oliver era
strobe into CedeIla's Office. dismissed
the astonished secretary and closed
the door.
"Ccdelia," he said. taking her hands
in his, 81 love You. VIII Won marry
re and sell the boiler shop and come
with me 10 Arcadyl II IS june" he
blended "WiU you Gomez
Before Cedelia could answer there
arose that frigltfu Mn from tho foun-
dry She said something IN reply. but
Oliver could not hear. Then she look
ed ar him with her loving eyes and
in spite Of the clamor u boilers. Oliver
lad his answer.