Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-26
By WILL IRWIN

her regular employment as his clerk
She spurned that offer, holding It 10
be mere gratitude. When she hao
learned the trade, she said, she m'gnI
accept a position as typist. and not
minute before. Betsy Barbara was
vastly improved in technique. she
could draft a passable circular letter
in not more than three attempts ana
twenty-five minutes.
Tommy, unruffed by her business
like reminder, continued to view Bet
sy-Barbara. Presently the pencil
dropped from his hand. He turned IN
his swivel chair and called: Betsy
Barbara" in a tone wholly inappro-
pirate to office hours.
Being a woman. she caught it.
Tommy North" she said, without
looking up from the keys, read me
that motto over your desk"
Business Thoughts in Business
Hours, read Tommy, obediently.
well, what does that mean?'
asked Betsy Barbara. And she con-
tinued to write, respectfully solicit
your patronage for the Thomas w.
North Agency" At least, that is
what she thought she was writing.
AS a matter of fact. what she pro-
duced was this:
respec fully silicityour patrona mage
for teh 2Thomasw North agency
But what / want to talk about
now" replied Tommy in wheedlinG
tone. us a matter of business. I've
been taking stock. This tine-going
business concern made last month
hundred and fifty dollars above light,
rent, office expenses and overhead
charges. That revolver contract and
that beauty-parlor deal are as good
as permanent. BY. Christmas we'H
be making hundred dollars a week"
you'll be making" corrected
Betsy-Barbara as she jerked back
the typewriter carriage to begin the
struggle with another line.
"That's the point of these remarks.
You ought''-he paused here you
ought to have share"
eff you'll kindly turn your eyes 10
the panel beside the door," said
BETSY Barbara, you'll see a card
which reads Business Is Business
The idea of talking partnership to
mere stenographer who hasn't
learned her trade!"
THAT isn't fair. You always put
me in wrong, somehow. You know
you're responsible for the whole
Thing. Who made me start this con-
Germ? Who got me to cut out the
booze and go into business for my
self"
"Well." replied Betsy Barbara, "a
tract or a preacher might have done
that-anything which set you on the
right way at the right time. And you
wouldn't think of offering a partner
ship to a tract or preacher"
BETSY Barbara called Tommy
again. And on that name, uttered
all too gently for the address of
stern employer to an inexpert stenog-
rapher he rose and crossed to her
side. Somehow she did not protest
although she continued to look down
on the keys. Her fingers stopped.
Tommy gulped, and his first WORDS
as he settled on the stool at her side,
were far from his original intention
and further still from strict bust
ness.
BETSY -Barbara-why did you play
around with that poor devil of an
Estrilla?"
eff I wanted to be impertinent, I'd
ask how that concerns you," replied
Betsy Barbara saucily. ''Well-be-
cause l liked him, suppose"
"You didn't like him too well?" In
quired Tommy.
"Of course not-now. I'm just sorry
for him. she replied. Then, as
though duty drove, she picked UP an
eraser and began furiously to eradi-
cate figure "2'' which she had print
ed for a quotation mark.
do you remember" Tommy pur-
sued. "the last time I got drunlS-the
last time 1 ever will?"
1.-THE shoe buckle night? Yes" She
resumed typewriting with furious en-
ergy and utterly incommensurate re-
suits. But even the noise of the type
writer could not silence Tommy now.
And when she came to the end of the
line she stopped again.
"You never knew why. OF counsel"
said Tommy. do you remember
someone coming into the front hall
and going right out again? That was
l. You were sitting-I saw you look
ing at him-I thought"
You didn't think right" responded
Betsy Barbara. She paused while the
truth in her struggled against
woman's instinct to use strategy in
that branch of human activity which
lis woman's chief business. The truth
won.
That's funny You saw me when
I was nearer--well, liking him-than
ever was before or after. He was a
dear. You couldn't help being amused
and fiattered by him-but nothing
else"
"Why, didn't you like him really
what held you back?"
Betsy Barbara pulled over the car
riage for another line-not with
jerk this time, but slowly and softly.
At the same languid pace, she re-
sumed striking the keys.
do you call this business" she
asked-but very weakly.
Tommy North laid a hand upon
hers, stilling the keys under her fin
gers.