The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-07-13
Discnar&ing
Mary Drake
BY JANE OSBORNE

I1lll N n
fcopyrisht. 1912, BY Associated Literary
Mary Drake. the pretty stenogra-
pher at Billington's. was kneeling be-
fore the filing cabinet in the outer
pmoe. Old Grenoble paced back and
forth through the offices clutching his
long, white hands in restrained annoy
hnoe. Never, in all the course Of 90
4ears' experience az prime minister
70 the great steel king, Ellington. had
The wheels OF the office machinery
played such q trick, and now a mere
pip Of a ten.dollar.a.week girl had
Ped up big deal involving tens Of
thousands Of dollars by mishling an
Important letter.
9renoble came back to the outer
pmce and stood behind the pretty
Photographer. She was such a de-
fenseless. we'll meaning little thing,
snd now she turned around and look
ed at him 80 sQuarely and unflinching-
" az she admitted that the letter was
still missing that Grenoble was speech
Jess.
The fact was that Mary brakes
simple. childlike frankness and pref
illness had once more disarmed old
Grenoble. The little stenographer's
smile had proved again to be her
burest means of self-defense.
Still she searched with unruffled
serenity through the files, and still
Hropoh1n n$ood %er,, ho<voap roo1 on.
ger and compassion.
II do wish could find that letter."
The girl murmured In a conversational
tone.
At this moment Tom Wayne, Gre
hobbies clever young assistant, came
Into the office and his eyes fell from
force OF the habit that he had been
acquiring for the last few weeks on
the figure of the pretty stenographer.
Then he saw Grenoble, pale and strug-
Cling with suppressed Irritation. and
he knew that something had gone
wrong.
Miss Drake was the first to break
the silence.
please, Mr.. Wayne" she said ap-
pealingly, without looking at him.
"can't you think where might have
put that order from Smiths. You see
Mr. Grenoble wants to have 1t right
away and 1t will take all the after
noon for me to look in every folder
In this cabinet. It isn't where 1t
ought to be and can't think where
could have put It,"
OF course, the letter was found.
Tom Wayne himself helped the girl
look through the files for it. It had
been misf1led-Miss Drake's fault, of
course-and even Mr.. Wayne realized
then that Miss Drake would have to
leave, for, this error, and several 9th.
ers which had not been of so great
moment. only went to prove that the
little woman was as useless on the
dles as she had been at typewriting,
Or stenography, or at the Office tele-
phone switchboard, whore, after
week, she had proved herself incap-
;hble of mastering the mechanism of
the wires and plugs.
! "See here, Wayne" Grenoble said
TO his young assistant that afternoon
when they had finished discussing the
important business of the day, you
will have to discharge that Miss
Drake. I have tried a half dozen
times and somehow she doesn't seem
to understand. The first time l told
her to go she was so nice about 1t
that promised to let her try another
week. Then when I told her that
Phe had shown no improvement she
pleaded so earnestly to stay that I
turned the telephone boy into an office
boy and gave her try at the tele-
phone, but you know how impossible
she was there. Then 1t was on the
hles and she has failed. have tried
again to discharge her but don't be-
lieve she quite understood me. To
tell you the truth, Wayne, she is SO
near the age Of my own daughters
that I haven't the heart to tell her
brutally to go. But think 1t would
be easy enough for you. Mr. Billing
ton will be back in day or so and he
would never stand for any one like
Miss Droke."
True, indeed, thought Wayne. Mary
Drake would have to leave before
Billington's return. One of the Sc
crets of the great flnancier's success
was his ability to choose his employees.
Now for the first time since he had
been In business he had consented to
30 away and had sailed for Europe for
D few months of rest. Before he had
gone he had suggested that a new
stenographer be employed to tighten
the tasks of the hardworking women
In the office during the summer
months. Miss Drake was the result
Of the suggestion-she had come from
the employment agency the day after
Ellington left, and for the first time
IN history an employe of Billington's
was chosen without his personal inter-
view. Surely. thought Tom Wayne