Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-21
The Dailu Story
Sara's Employer

business was heavy and experienced nell
hard to find. Gladwin, In despair, Wai
1 Just steeling his mind to choose between
| two doubtful young persons whom popu'
lar employment agency had sent to hin
when Sara appeared She had been films
a position, temporarily, in the absence Of
! a regular stenographer. The regular
! stenographer had returned and she was
/ out OF employment The man In whose
| office she had worked, having some ac'
| quaintance with Gladwin and knowing
I his need, had sent her to him. And Glad
/ win hired her at once, with secure feel
ing OF relief that he had not been forced
from necessity to employ makeshift'
Sara told him that her former posi-
tion had been her first, but for all that
she did not seem to lack experience. She
was alert obedient dainty-and yet
buslness-lika in all her methods. Her
work was always done on time ana with
exquisite precision. She did not ask ques-
tions. She did not leave things lying
about She always hit the waste-paper
basket when she aimed for It, She DID
not bother Gladwin about useless details;
indeed, she rarely spoke to him at all un-
less she was first spoken to. Her manner
was attractive. It was reserved, digni-
fled calm She was never in hurry
never anything but at ease. She came
at the stroke OF the hour and departed
likewise She wasted no time that was
not her own.
After a time Gladwin got beyond her
manner and began to notice the girl. sne
wore black-perfectly fitting. perfectly
tailored black, not always the same IN
style, but always the same In simplicity
The bits Of white at her throat and wrists
were always snowy; she exhibited no
iewelry; her hair was always perfectly
smooth She was rather a plain girl, but
her plainness was of the kind that lessons
with acquaintance. One had to see Sara
many times before one was aware that
her mouth was sweet and that her skin
was good In spite Of its pallor.
Good breeding breathed from her as
constantly and unobtrusively as did the
fragrance OF her subtle perfume, She had
nothing to say about herself and after
six months spent In daily contact with
her. Gladwin knew no more about her
than no had known the first morning she
entered his office. Her complete uncon-
seriousness of him in any other capacity
than that of her employer piqued his
curiosity.
Gladwln was q good-looklng man, who
dressed we'll and had plenty Of wit. The
few women he knew had always made
much of him. Two or three of them, he
felt vaguely. wanted to marry him, but
not OIl6 OIL lHeUl Whb llS hOLl VI WpiiAthiA
he cared to link his life with. To tell the
truth, Gladwin had given so little time
to the thought OF women that he did not
know the kind he preferred, but 1t came
to him one day as he sat watching Sara
at work that she pleased him better than
any woman he had ever seen.
1t was a light mornlng-no one could
call 1t sunny, for sunshine never pene-
trated the windows of that particular
office building, shut in as 1t was by larger
structures-and Saras hair showed moro
satiny than ever, her cheek finer of
texture, her dress more immaculate.
A little sigh of sudden longing caught
in Gladwln's throat and he stumbled in
his dictation. That was the beginning
of his falling in love with her. 1t was
curious, too for he had never dreamed
that he would want to marry any stem
ographer in his employ. He had heard
of such things being done and he did not
not approve of them. But Sara distinctly
was not the ordinary type of office girl.
Gladwin made up his mind that he would
speak to her. But first he wanted to
make little bigger pile before he took
IT upon himself to support a wife.
''Do you think" he asked her one day.
that two persons can live decently in
this town on $500 a year?"
Sara seemed to hesitate q moment be-
fore she answered quietly: II have heard
that there are people who live on very
much less and yet manage to be COM
fortable.'
Gladwin said nothing more. But the
next day he asked the same question of
O friend who had recently become en-
gagged.
Fifteen hundred a yearl" More
laughed. why. man alive, that wouldn't
buy provisions, to say nothing of paying
for M nd
tickets and clothes" He tripped mer-
rily over the list, at the conclusion OF
which Gladwin looked quite downcast.
More caught him by the shoulder
Thinking OF 1t seriously-are you, old
man?"
''No-oh, no." Gladwin shook his head.
"No, indeed" But he was.
It was soon after that that Gladwin
began to speculate In stocks. A few
trifing things came his way and he
thought he had found an easier road to
making money than grinding out the
law at SO much a case. He began to
study the papers more and his law books
less. Two or three times Sara had to
remind him OF things he had left undone.
Gladwin gradually became absorbed, a
little preoccupied of manner. He soms-
times caught Sara looking at him be-
wilderedly. One day he suddenly became
buoyant, almost gay. He whlstled softly,
he even tried to sing-he who could not
produce two consecutive notes harmon
iously. That morning N. X. & Y. had
gone up four points and there was every
indication that it would rise still higher.
Two or three times that day he was on
the point of telling Sara about his success
and asking her to share It; then the
thought came; mo. I'll wait a little.
There's time enough"
Alasl Two days later when Sara came
in after lunch she found Gladwin doubeld
up across his desk. He looked like either
a dead man or a very sick one. She
went to him and shook him by the
shoulder. "AIr. Gladwin'
He looked up at her. His face was
one rigid pallor. Sara" he said duly,
i've played the fool. I bought more
n. X. & Y. and it's going down-down-''
He gulped. I'm ruinedF'
She took her hand from his shoulder.
She did not seem surprised. How bad
is it7" she demanded.
He drew paper and pencil toward him
and began to hgure. She looked on
Pretty bad. isn't it?" he queried.
Yes. it's pretty bad"
"And the worst OF It ls." Glad8ln went
on. reeklessly plling up his tribulation
1--WE neglected my business lately TIL
II has fallen on. No. that isn't the worst
The worst Is that-that 1 had something
TO say to you which ] can never say now.
IN the hope Of being able to say It I
went into this deal-you understand"
Her face burst into Joy as with hama