The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-21
THE EVENING STORY
The Lady of the ReveIs.
(By Louise MerrifieldN

Men leaned Forward eagerly, her elbows
on her desk Behind her in his glass cage
little Marcus, the cashier, worked ovel
his books. Old Wayman was still in mis-
office, and she knew he would join in
with the rest. Had she not dropped u
sprig of holly on his desk that noon. and
| caught his answering grin of holiday ap
boys, Carlson, head buyer, and silent
Brett advertising manager for Rudd &
She had been with the firm three
months, as secretary and stenographer.
At least that was what she had been en-
gagged as. But Joe expressed the gen.
eral sentiments of the office when he SAID
she was the whole bolt of goods
~, And I'd it's a good thing for. US fellers
| Remember the last live wire Ruddy
| took? Harvest moon, red hair, red face,
crack as breathe. I tell you it takes tenn
permanent to be stem. and manage Of
flee bunch. Rudy hasn't the taste IN
| girls of a giraffe
He doesn't know yet that Nell Austin's
| in the office. She's a pencil support,
that's all, to him. And me and Wayman's
| first installment any time she says
| Because, listen, joe she went on. II
want you to go out and smuggle In tree.
Not too big, you know, I'll put it on my
desk. Get a stand for it, too, sure, and
candles and ornaments, and things. I've
got the presents in my bottom drawer"
Jaw, now, say, you didn't go and spend
lot on US fellers, did you, Miss Austin O.
Joe stumbled over the words. You. re
have to go buy you box of holiday
mixture. won't I?''
"Oh, don't tease joe she begged, her
eyes shining with happiness. Don't You
| love Christmas eve yourself? Don't you
always want to do something different
from any day in the whole year? wouldn't
you, If you could, start off this very
night, and cross the desert on camel if
you rould find a star big enough to lead
your"
Lead me where?" grinned joe toler-
antly. "Over in the sand flats around
Amityviile, L. I. Shall I get these here
glass things or paper angels?"
verely.
Joe lost his balance at the swift upward
and Marcus and the advertising man and
the rest He even forgot he was only
twenty and that just eight dollars
weighted his Saturday envelope.
Have I any sentiment? Say, listen a
minute. Nell, If you'd give me ghost of
Better bring the glass ones, joe
smiled Nell, coloring as Brett's head
turned toward them. And hurry
But Joe took his time. She went on into
the private office and Brett asked Joe
where he was going. So did Wayman. So
did Carlson. And when Joe left he car
ried pot of ready cash that had not
been entirely contributed by Miss Austin.
When she came out of Rudd's room the
tree stood on her desk, chunky we'll
Not a head was raised from any of the
desks. Nell hardly noticed, anyway Her
little rounded chin a bit higher than |
usual She had been clearing off the |
large flat-topped desk and filing the last |
pile OF personal letters, and a couple of |
lines in one had caught her eye 1t was |
from business friend of Rudd's and |
read:
81 shall be mighty glad to have Won
take Miss Ives as secretary. She has |
been. with us fourteen years, and is the /
best have found to handle general cor
respondence. She isn't much on the looks
but after your last experience think it |
is up to your friends to take care or
So he had discussed her with his men
friends.
She was his last experience" And
his eyes. had said as little as possible to
him She had come to the position
straight from the. little college town
been professor at the university Rudd |
claimed as his alma mater. Even Nell
could remember ten years back when she
eleven, taken to see the great rowing
match up at New London. and her broth
mighty ''stroke" in the home crew. often
now, when he was not looking, she had
taught herself cycling him appraisingly as
ne crossed the long office. He was thirty
i've now. His head was lowered like a
bull at the world in general. his
Ups rarely opened except to give an or
Ter, his eyes were steel gray and she did
1ot like the lines of his mouth.
But she had tried to suit him. and sure
/
some warning that he was looking for
mother secretary. And to have the news
sprung suddenly on one like that Christ
mas eve somehow Jared the delicate
nerves that send their messages of peace
Ind joy to the brain. Her hands were ice
old and shook a trifle as she helped Jos .
asten on the rest of the ornaments ard .
lifts. Perhaps the tears that rose to her
yes blurred the number of packages that
pFuce boughs.
81 think we might light 1t now" she E
at last: You may tell tie ,
est. Joe, if you will
But Joe did it in his own peculiar way.
Hghtsomely on the nearest
esk. he proclaimed the glad tidings, and
id sidestep to rouse the proper spirit
Tell laughed and half apoioeized, but joe
ilenced her. He went into Ruddy's sane
UNI and came forth robbed in the green i
ouch cover with a wreath of evergreen r
tilt on his head, and Ruddy's own an a
lque brass paper cutter for scepter. c
ooh, but joe what if he should come
ack?" faltered Nell you know you A
Joe capered merrily as master of cerS- +
''shouldn't I? If the old man himself
ay-' He paused. Nell was standing c
n top the desk, reaching down the pres f
1ts- Old Waynlan was balancing him t
elf on a chair to help her. Brett had a C
tring of pink popcorn, munching it, ana IL
arlson and Marcus were popping car
wal caps out of Christmas crackers. But
pes round, black eyes were fixed on the
Dor of the private office Framed in fl G.
-ood Rudd. his heavy overcoat sprinkled (
18th snow. He had entered through the g
utter door unseen. CT
What would you say. Joe?'' asked r.
ell. curiously. 'T know what I'd say" ii
he paused, and held lighted pink can II
lie up in one hand. I'D say, Even If g
ou are the crossest, grumpiest. old plot pl
II in the world, I'm going to hand you Sc
OWN a Christmas angel just the same. oil
nd string of popcorn. and a candy CT
lrkey. and-and. let's see? Wen give d
IN this Her hand reached up for one I'll