Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1914-09-24
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CROSS As TWO STICKS
BY ALLIE FORD.

! = - - = -
"There!" exclaimed the little stenog-
rapher, taking her watch from her belt
and setting it in front of her. Pm go
ing to hold my breath till it's five
o'clock and then I'm going to runl I've
always felt above watching the clock,
but I'm beginning to understand few
things! Besides, I've had a horrible
time today trying to get ready for the
Fourth"
The bookkeeper slid his ledgers back
on the shelf. Now what's the mat
teri" he asked, with an exaggerated
air of resignation.
ooh, I'm tired to a FRAGILE and as
cross as two sticks!" The little
stenographer. exploded.
We'll, don't take it out on mel" OBJ
jected the Dookkeeper amiably. What
has happened, anyway"
"Everything!" returned the little
stenographer dramatically. I've been
turned into housekeeper, general util-
ity man anything but the stenog-
I'rapher l thought I was, the stenog-
rapher trying TO get things shipshape
in preparation for the holiday.
This morning | had to devote two
solid hours to checking up his club
bills for Mr.. Cray! And my files a
mile behind. waiting for a clear min
ute If those men don't hear my type
writing machine rattle they think I've
nothing to do! And they bother
around for an hour to think up some
thing to help me pass the time. Mr..
Gray smiled generously when he hand
ed me his bills, as if he were giving
me the time of my life by permitting
me to see how he spends his money
and incidentally keep his personal ac-
counts for him!
When | finished that Mr.. Nicholas
called me in and said his wife had
asked him if wouldn't be so kind as
to write out her club programs for the
whole of next year! The club was
about to adjourn until fall and it was
saving money by doing its own pro-
grams instead of having them printed.
Mr.. Nicholas beamed on me as if he
were comforting an honor upon me that
could never be estimated in letting me
| get so close to his wifes club as to
spend few hours writing out the club
programs! Then she'll feel so right
eous when spending on charity the
money I've saved for her, when the
full credit-well, 1t belongs elsewhere,
il do say it myself!
lust when l was working as hard
as could to get that finished SO that
l could get started all that awful filing,
| who should come out and look over
my shoulder but MIR. Brown himself!
could tell that he thought / was pre-.
Stunning a good deal in writing some
thing that was not business letters, SO
fastened to explain what it was
was doing. That gave him an idea and
he went back into his Office and re-
turned presently with his silk gloves
Wont you please, when you have
little time, just catch these threads
together?', he asked. And he showed
/
me fingers of his gloves that were al
most entirely gone at the tips!
Catch them togetherr Why, had
positively to crochet new tips on them
AndsI didn't dare do anything but my
very carefulest work for him.
That's the way it's been all day
long! Mr.. Gray asked me to pack his
suitcase-from that drawer where he
keeps shirts and collars, you know
for he had to go out of town for the
Fourth. And while was at that Mr.
Vandewatere had a bright idea He
suggested that ! phone reservation
for him-and then run down and get
| it! And-oh. well, what's the usei
I'm going !home!"
She half arose from her chair. AS
she did SO Mr. Brown emerged hastily
from his Office.
Here he said, I've got to run fol
my train. Will you shut my desk and
close the window and sign the letters
left there?"
The little stenographer nodded aEd
said no word.
And" called the bookkeeper, as he
poked his head back through the dooI
as he was leaving, don't forget to put
the cat out and wind the clock"