The Washington herald., 1914-01-10
IN THE CARD INDEX.
By DOROTHEA THOMPSON.
Copyright. isli.)

AAho1AA So@N'
Copyright. ,si4)
Mildred sighed and shifted YEARLY In
her chair. Then with a resolute little
squaring of her shoulders she dipped her
pen and went back to her interminable
addressing. With the ease of long prac-
tice she turned a card in the file drawer
and slipped the top envelope on onto the
finished pile. Mrs. N. Jones'" she read,
and copied mechanically and turned to
the next.
Heavens. I'm tired" the girl next to
her said, yawning frankly. Mildred smiled
sympathetically without looking up. The
girl, Kitty, laid down her pen and open
ed and closed her cramped fingers.
TN never get used to sitting still 50
long IL address every day for the rest
of my nfe," she went on. idly watch
ing Mildred's flying fingers and swift
system. you've addressed before,
haven't you? You're a wonder at it"
No. / haven't" Mildred answered,
''only there's nothing to it,
six dollars Is pretty good pay for be-
ginners, isn't it?" Kitty went on, con-
versationally.
Yes" Mildred answered. DULY won
dering how she was going to live on that
pay. 1t set or a train of thought and
memory.
Mildred, a year ago. had been a pet
ted schoolgirl and today she was won
dering how she could make her living
fit inside the IS limit She had always
supposed herself to be well-to-do. Her
guardian had never refused her any
thing. But at his sudden death she Had
discovered that for years he had been
bringing her up IL dearly loved daugh-
ter. not as a financially dependent ward.
Eai1 fn~ will &c haA oil M
to his only son, a rowing chap. who as
yet had never turned up to claim II. And
Mildred. except for a tiny bank account,
was penniless. With no training what
ever in the wise spending of money, II
was a marvel that Mildred had man.
aged to live scant six months on IL.
Now ii was all gone but one last bill,
and improvident Mildred was hard at
work for a living. Toward the end of
the day Mildred grew slightly self-pity-
ing as she thought of the future she
had been SO sure OLA little home, her
own money, and-John-
That last thought was almost more
than she could bear. It seemed so much
more than a year before that she had
lost Johns letter. The letter that had
said he would come for her If she would
write; that he had his land and could
build the house that he had dreamed OF
seeing Htr H. Inc pOsIIIldH Hdu HdIlutu
it to her as she stood on the top step
poised for a flight to the city. and after
one happy glance at the first page and
the ending. Your John" she had stuffed
ii into her bag. And an hour later the
bag was gone, letter and all.
She had advertised persistently but use
lessly. The letter was gone and in II the
precious unknown address that had
meant more than anything on earth to
her-and still did. Even after a year of
silence the thought of John Burkhart set
her heart racing.
With a little shake, Mildred brought
herself back to the work Of the moment,
and went on steadily turning card after
card, shifting envelope after envelope
but doing it all through a mist OF lonely
tears.
Finishing the drawer, Mildred stood up
with relief. She picked up the narrow,
heavy oak box and carried it back to the
files. The harassed-looking woman who
apportioned the work smiled at her affec-
tionately. Mildred had a way of getting
into a persons affections very easily.
Take Wyoming A to n. Miss McMil-
len," the woman said.
Mildred pulled out the drawer and car
ried II to her working table. Still stand
ing, she stacked and piled the finished
envelopes to one side. Then, having done
everything that could possibly excuse her
standing, she slipped into her seat, flip
ped over the first empty protecting card
and went to work.
Mrs. Elmer Alain, Kelso. Wyo.: Mr..
George Anderson. Kelso, Wyo., her brain
registered automatically and her pen
flew. Mr.. David Baker. Mr.. Henry Ba-
ker, Miss Selma Burchall'-she turned
the card, and there staring back at her
from the card index was Mr.. John
Mildred grasped her pen so tightly that
her fingers ached. The busy workroom
whirled and hummed about her. She
closed her eyes and opened them again.
In was still there-"Mr John Burkhart