The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-31
HIS STEnOGRApHER
BY cATHARiNE cRANMER.


Returning from the files with an
armload OF correspondence, John
Grover halted suddenly as he APP
proached his desk Between the up
per rim of his spectacles and his
bushy, gray eyebrows he stared on,
at the small. white pique clad young
woman who was perched upon the
wooden railing that Enclosed his de
partment.
I'm Lydia Raymond, the new
stenographer." said the young woman |
Mr.. Wilson brought me over. but he !
was called away to the telephone.
wilson's a bird when 1t comes to
hiring help" muttered Grover. of
whom it was alleged around the once
that his middle name was Crouch.
Turning toward Lydia, he grudgingiy
extended a pudgy hand. Growers my
name Can you turn out work pretty
fast?"
"Oh. lust rs easy!" And Lydia
smiled bewitchingly. but it was pearls
before swine, for Grover didn't see
the smile.
"An right, now; let's start on this
| pile and we'll see what you call easy.
And Grover launched into his most
vigorous dictation pace while Lydia's
fingers fitted over the pages AS he
! looked up from the last letter he
found Lydia sitting with her hands
clasped around one knee and looking
straight at him.
! I'm awfully glad you aren't
grouchy," she said with childish can
dor. AT first ! thought YOU We're the
very man who put the ouch in crouch,
but ] guess 1t was Just a Monday
morning crouch, wasn't it?'
81 guess we haven't got time to talk
nonsense; look at this pile of WORK.
lydia turned her head to one side,
stuck out her red lips and frowned
gust little.
"Oh hut look how well we work to-
rether! III tell Won what lots Do :"
enthusiastically Let work real fast
and get that whole pile finished and
then well take the ouch out OF
crouch, and put the sense in non
sense. Shall WEI"
I'VE might, said Grover. with an
awkward smile and bungling move.
ment to get hold OF letter that
, would give him chance to fastcn his
eyes somewhere.
A month after Lydia's advent the
credit Department was running so
smoothly that John Grover went about
wearing satisfied expression that
wrs nine days wonder to the OBJ
snrv ant office force. But there came
my nalarial morning late In Au
gust when Lydia came droopingly to
, her desk. with swollen eyes and a
colorless face. She tried to smile as
they began their morning work, but
made such pitiful failure that Grover
, pushed the pile Of letters away and
;. looked irtently at her.
= Child. there's something wrong
a can | be Of any help?"
A. I'm afraid you can't for I've spoiled
r everything" Two tears splashed or
I her note book before she could fint
her handkei chief Then she con
,. tinued: Last night when Clarenc'
4 started home-Clarence is. you know
e or was my, my"
o Yes, yes, I know; and what did HI
h do?'
"Oh, I was the one to do the mis-
Q chief. Clarence said II didn't taxi
II on a suffrage pin ! was wearing h
Q wouldn't-wouldn't bid me goodnight
d | said I'd promised Miss Bee to wea
l. the pin a week and tell her what pee
pie said about 1t. Then he said wa
7. getting crazier every day, but h
wouldn't listen any longer to my nor
a sense didn't say a word then, bu
d. after a while said: There doesn'
,r seem to be any nonsense to listen t
t. except when you are talking H
N whirled around and rushed out of tn
Is door, and looked down at that oil
Id pin and Just boo-hooed.'
ID We'll. what in the dickens doe
that ranting suffragette mean b
r placarding you as one OF her kind ?
ir growled Grover
In "Oh, but Miss Bee doesn't rant. an
m she isn't a freak, and she knows nea
n. ly everything. And there she u.s. rigf
n this minute!' exclaimed Lydia. "Sh
II. must be bidding on that big mime'
is graph job in our advertising depar
O. ment. Goody she's coming over
speak to me-
OF John Grover grew red and BeatriC
10 Morris grew pale when they were Il
3, troduced by Lydia who didn't kno
d until afterward that they had parte
OF ten years ago much as she and Cla
ne ence had parted only the night b
fore She mad her first inkling OF
"a when John Grover broke the emba
rassed silence which followed the fir
formal greetings.
Beatrice ne began, haltingl
lis about several things, but | didn't los
ke 1t and / won't IL you'll let me hui
he a home for you now instead of bull
ng ing one yourself two years later"
DIS course. ne had not meant to say this
~ but after IL was said II had to be a
lis swered, and Beatrice gave an answ
n that was as satisfactory to him as
was surprising to her Grover turn,
ed abruptly to the astonished Lydia
Is, Ring up that young rascal of
In Clarence he commanded. and al
tn tim 20 make one OF luncheon par
Ike of four at Sherrys at twelve oclo,
ir TO-DAY