The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-01
By JAMES II. Sheldon,

bX Jams H. SINltfou.
Copyright, 1911, by the Associated
Literary Press
Sorry to bother you, Miss Sill" said
the managing editor in the cheerful
tone Of one who has simply to make
his wants known to have them tilled,
but there isn't man free. You
know it's just out that young James
Floyd Floyd, whose uncle cut him off
without a penny because he ~ouldn' t
play the society game, but insisted on
beginning at the bottom and working
his way up. has been made general
manager of the Is. T. IL S. Railway.
DO you see?'
.'Oh, come now" coaxed the man
aging editor "Y ou're as shy RS my
daughter Molly. But / told you.
there's not man free who could
handle the interview. You know what
/ want. You can do 1t. Go down
and see the man. Get a good story.
| m no end sorry to ask You, Miss
Siil--but what can / do? Can't go
myself, and can't 80 TO press without
the story"
Melita walked slowly back To her
own room. She would go, OF course.
There was nothing else to do when
the big managing editor said &c.
But / just hate 10 interview peo-
pie" mutterod Melita. 1T makes me
feel so---weiI, SO like tho way | used
to feel when l forgot my penny at
Sunday school or ate my soup with
the wrong spoon and then had to sat
my pudding with my soup spoon-just
uncomfortable and out of 1t and hor-
rid. Oh, bothert"
Melita worked on the wofnan's page.
She liked the work. and she liked the
office. and she liked. above all. the
kind, fatherly editor. But several
times, IN connection with her work,
she had gone to interview prominent
women. and, fortunately. as she
thought. she had made a success OF
these interviews. So when the editor
porters were busy and there was a
special interview to be- made. he
som ettmes called Melita to do It.
You make a better thing of it than
those silly young cubs" he would say,
to pacify her.
1t was painful for Melita to ask
anyone for an interview. 1t seemed
to her the height of impertinence for
her-~inexperienced, plodding. little
Melita Sill--to demand of some lead
or in the world Of suffrage the date
or her birth. and how she did her
hair, or some leader in the world Of
politics what he liked best to eat and
whether or not he had ever been in
love. And she would dig her nails
into her palms and hide behind the
elevator shaft sometimes for five min
utes before she could gain courage to
open the forbidding door of the of
flee OF the great man or woman to
be talked to.
Worrying about the coming inier-
view drove all thoughts OF the pleas
ure she had been looking forward TO
having at the dinner party that night
from Mellta's mind And 1t was a ner-
vouse and uncomfortable though de-
termined young woman who. at four
o'clock, walked into the Office Of tho
b. t. & S. Railway,
I Tn from the Morning Ledger.
said Melita sternly to the office uoy,
in should like to see Mr. FLOYD
James. If you please"
What for?" demanded the boy.
ITO ask him for a statement for the
Ledger"
We'll I don't think he'll see you:
but you can sit down II you like while
| tell him you're here"
Melita sank rigid on the neares.
chair, and watched the boy disappear
through a door that was marked '.Prt-
vate; General Manager"
Won't see YOU said the boy emery
ing from the same door a moment
later.
Meiita- rose. IT'S very important.
she said. Please tell him So"
NO use" said the boy, but / VIII,
II you want"
He went again to the door and held
it open while he repeated Melita' .
message. She saw the back of tall.
stopped figure seated before a huge
desk, piled with litter of papers,
books, maps and charts.
She say So began William brave
Get out OF here. William" came
the voice Of the man at the desk peey-
ishly.
But she says
II don't care what she says won't
see the lady
But" complained the boy. "she
won't go. Whatu l tell hero
Tell her the truth IL you want Ia
William" snapped the man Tell her
that about nine billion reporters have
been here this morning; tell her that
when l have got anything to say that
want the newspapers to say for me,
I'll let them know, and tell her. tnav
next to corn meal mush the sthing l
most dislike IN the world ia an AFRO
CANT. overbearing. mannish woman
that goes prying about where she isn't
wanted. Get cut and shut the door,
Yes SIR" said the boy meekly, clos
Ing the door. I'm sorry" he began,
sheepishly turning to Melita.
Good afternoon; please thank the
gentleman for his kindness" said Mel
ita icily.
II was not very happy young wom-
an who hurried. a little late, to the
dinner party she had been looking
forward to. In spite OF new frock
and the consciousness that 1t was very
becoming. Melita felt uncomfortable.
She felt disappointment at her fan
ure to turn in the desired interview
to the managing editor, chagrin with
hArselfr Tor failing on an as1ignment