Las Vegas optic., 1913-11-19
Socoocooooooocoo@
eY eRAcE kERRleAN.

When Miss Lizzie CarfOrd entered
upon her duties as stenographer and
typewriter with Anes & Co. she didn't
look for any social side of it. There
couldn't be any in a business ONCE.
She would ask for che respect that is
due any girl or woman, no matter
whether she has money and social
standing or must earn her living
Ames & Co were middle-aged men
and both married. Both were workers,
and both quiet men They had a small
business, but a paying one, and their
bookkeeper was also their cashier He
was young man Of twenty-four. and
The newcomer was not favorably i'm
pressed with him It is none Of the
stelegrapher's business whether the
bookkeeDer in his den is young or old
good.loolning or ugly social or surly.
Neither Mr.. Adams nor his partner
were good at debating, and they put
the work of on the bookkeeper.
Again, they would be the only occu.
pants Of the business for hours at j
time, and if he was surly and gruH il
would make things lonesome.
AIR. Walter Eardsley, the said book
kt eRe1, was in his den when Miss Car
EcgG called and was hired There had
Tot b cen girl in that Office in the five
faais he had been there. but he nevet
rFred from his desk to look, She had
z pleasant voice, but he didn't seem C
uear il After she had gone, and he
was told by Ames that she was TO take
sh# Hl&ca, his only comment was
very we'll, sir
sue vas waiting for him next morn.
ifs when he arrived
Nr Bardsley did not bow He did not
i@trEduce himself He did not look at
aei
picked up the morning mail anc
sd t into his den and the girl was
Tor half an hour to twiddle heI
cin8s. Then he came out and sat
Hn by the machine and started of
ith:
Mr. IL D Wharton Dear Sir: Your
,er of the 9th inst. at hand"
Miss Lizzie picked up pad and pen
and wrote. There were five letters
all He never paused to say Com
tHa period or paragraph, but
aroye straight ahead. and when fin
ished got up without word and weni
JACK to his den. She typed the let
ii and laid them on the desk and
ahen Mr. Ames came in they were
isned and sent out to be mailed
Very well done" said Mr. Ames
and that's all there was to it.
At noon Mr. Bardsley went out to
lunch.
When he had disappeared Miss Liz
zie went out to lunch She was back
FIRST and when he came in she did moi
lock at him nor he at her He could
have said Nice day, Miss Carford 2
And she could have answered; Yes
very nice.
But he didn't say and she didn't say
From her place by the machine she
could look into the bookkeeper'a den
and she his back always his back
After she had surveyed that back fol
three mortal hours, and could have
drawn a war-map Of every line and
wrinkle, she turned and looked out
upon the roof Of the adjoining build
ing There was clothes-line stretch.
ed across it. and on that line hung an
old red flannel shirt It tapped in the
breeze. 1t fiuttered like q wounded
bird There were moments when 1t
almost ceased to breathe, as it we're.
That shirt when new was q blood.
red in color It was now faded to the
color Of an old brick house In TarryI
town the one where General Wash
ington once stopped after licking the
British to ask the owner for the tenn.
porary loan of his boot-jack The
shirt had four patches on it to cover
'asr heles nh buttons we're missing
and with increasing age it had shrunk
What was the romance what the mys
terry of the old red shirt?
Why. thought you'd gone.
It was the voice Of Mr.. Ames at hel
elbow The girl had fallen asleep
The bookkeeper had departed without
awakening her Wasn't that the trick
of mean man?
Bach day for the next month was
like every other day Outside Of the
dictationN not ten words passed be
tween the stenographer and the book
keeper. They came and went with
out noticing each other 1t vexed
and annoyed her for the first Weel
and then she said to herself:
He's probably mad because soms
one he recommended wasn't taker
on instead OF me, but If he thinks
he'll get rid Of me by playing the
bear he'll find himself mistaken. rmI
real glad to find one man Ii the city
who isn't smirking around and brag
ging how smart he is!R
Then a son of Mr. Ames' partner
came home on his vacation from col
faass TIn {uas a vary fresh vOl1ns