The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-06-13
WAS SHY OF WOMEN
[oontinued from fourth page

one shining April morning Stanley,
Sr., made trouble. Old eyes are un-
seeing, He called Mcfarland to the
inner office and talked over big deal.
The young mans clear head took II In
perfectly and added strength TO the
scheme, His elder, with delight shift
ed the matter to younger shoulders.
Now" he finished, you know the
dozen firms we have to get, McFar-
land You have a captivating style
in letters, Get busy. I'll sign them
in the morning. Call Miss Fettering
~ and dictate-I have to go to board
meeting, What's up?"
Can / have Miss Mason instead?"
Stanley stared and then laughed.
Miss Mason?" His look made the
young man angry. Boy, 1t you must,
choose someone who is class. She
isn't quality. Miss lettering, joking
aside, must take these letters. They
are important and she has long head
and a short tongue" lettering
thought he knew something about her
tongue. What ails, you, McFarlandI
Your face is black"
You are mistaken" Mcfarland said
coldly. Amy stenographer will do. 1t
was simply that Miss lettering dis
likes me extremely, and"
The older man laughed amusedly, in
credulously.
Clever girl" he commented while
McFarlands wrath mounted high.
Clever girl and sweet, but dislikes
and business don't go together. She
can take her evenings to hate you in.
Now about those letters?" He went
out with some details Of instruction
on his lips.
Miss lettering" he said, passing
her, please go directly to my office
and take some dictation from McFar-
land. Get them out, If you can, today
so l can sign them in the morning.
They are important" he added conf
dentially.
Without a word the girl took her
book and marched in TO face McFar-
land Her eye met his coolly, and she
sat down and poised her pen waiting
for him to begin. Something about
her maddened and embarrassed him,
he set his teeth with desire to shake
her, make her cry. He would have
liked to see her cry. With wish to
be cruel he began dictation at a speed
that would have swamped a less rapid
stenographer.
He kept her a good two hours of
hard labor, reading back, erasing, al
tering, till his letters suited him. FL
nally he was so cross that he begged
pardon and received cool little bow.
But he had the satisfaction Of seeing
her grow pale, and watching a line
deepen between her level brows. He
noted the fine symmetry of her cheek !
and chin, the heavy hair the trim,
elegant figure. She, at any rate, was
certainly class" And he noted bit.
terly that when he was through her
exit had the air of a triumphal es-
cape. She always got the best of him
He was going to call her back and be-
rate her as she had him, but he didn't
she wouldn't care. In that moment
he knew that he wanted her to care.
His misery was conscious.
No torture lasts always. 1t fades,
or dies, or changes into another form
or into bliss and peace. The end
of things came suddenly as they had
begun. One late Sunday morning in
April when the sun was hot after a
quick rain, and the buds were burst
ing green, Mcfarland flung into a car
and betook himself to the ends of the
earth in an effort to get away from
himself A strange heat and weak
ness was upon him. He kept think
ing that presently his senses would
return, that he would free himself
from this obsession about a girl who
despised him. Now he proposed to
walk it off in the solitude Of a little
wood where small stream purred it's
way among stones.
There was scant shade as yet, but
birds thrilled about, and the willows
leaned over the brook wrapped in a
tender green mist as delicate as
smoke. 1t seemed strange to McFar-
land that no one else had cared to ]
come to so pretty place. What il
he had asked her to come with him?
The daring thought overwhelmed him.
Why not have done SO? She might
have come. Even kindness from her
would have helped his self-respect. {
She needn't love him but she might
have been kind. He longed for kind
ness from her.
Just there Jerry Mcfarland met his |
adventure. Coming sharply around a {
high little hill and some great trees {
he walked almost into a tall white {
clad young girl leaning her dark head i
on her arm against gray trunk She G
started in terror. c
"Oh, l beg your pardon!" he cried,
and stood looking down at Mary Fet-
-erling. Tears rolled down her clear
cheeks, and her hands hung helpless !
" at her side. She made no effort to !
hide the tears or to fee, or to send G
lin away. A great wave Of rose-color
swept her face and neck, but some G
low she could not take her gaze from S
lis eyes and what she read there. v
Then he did the most foolish, sweet
,st thing that he could have done.
He took her two willing hands in =
lis, and bent his head over them
"Oh, Mary! oh, Mary" he breathed q
oh Mary! If you could only-care" y
She gave queer little sob of sound 4
n her throat, {,
"If ! could-only-help caring" she .
aid. p
"Mary!" he said again.
YES" she answered "Yes-yes!"