The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-10-07
HIS STEHOGRAPHER
BY CATHARINE CRANMER.

Justly 61dy CycUlOWO AC oIoA ~ 49, d.,
at the small, white pique-clad young ,
woman who was perched upon the
wooden railing that inclosed 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 bird when it comes to
hiring help muttered Grover, of
whom it was alleged around the Office
that his middle name was Crouch
Turning toward Lydia, he grudgingly
extended pudgy hand. Growers my
name Can you turn out work pretty
fast?''
"Oh, just as easyi" And Lydia
smiled bevitchingly, but it was pearls
before swine, for Grover didn't see
the smile.
"All right, now; let's start on this
pile and well see what you call easy
And Grover launched into his most !
vigorous dictatlon 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 1 thought you were the
very man who put the ouch in crouch,
but l guess it 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
! just a little.
"Oh, but look how well we worl. to-
| getheri I'll tell you what let's do"
enthusiastically Lets work real fast
and get that whole pile finished and
then Wen take the ouch out of
crouch, and put the sense in non
sense Shall we?'
I'VE might said Grover, with an
awkward smile and a bungling move
ment to get hold of a letter that
would give him a chance to fasten his
eyes somewhere.
A month after Lydia's advent the
credit department was running so
smoothly that John Grover went about
wearing a satisfied expression that
was a nine days wonder to the OBJ
eervant office force. But there came
a rainy, malarial morning late in Au-
gust when Lydia came droopingly to
her desk, with swollen eyes and a
co1orless 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 intently at her.
Child, there's something wrong;
can be of any help?"
I'm afraid you can't, for I've spoiled
} everything" Two tears splashed on
her note book before she could find
her handkerchief. Then she con
tinued: Last night when Clarence
started home-Clarence is, you know
or was my, my"
Yes. yes. know; and what did he
e do?'
"Oh, was the one to do the mis-
chief Clarence said if / didn't take
] off a suffrage pin / was wearing he
e wouldn't-wouldn' bid me goodnight
. / said I'd promised Miss Bee to wear
Tic pm d NSCh anu tCAA ACI WudI pSO
e pie said about it. Then he said l was
getting crazier every day, but he
wouldn't listen any longer to my non
: sense. l didn't say word then but
: after a while l said: There doesnr
e seem to be any nonsense to listen II
P except when you are talking. He
y whirled around and rushed out of the
door, and looked down at that Ole
pin and just boo-hooed.''
= well, what in the dickens doe!
t that ranting suffragette mean By
T placarding you as one of her kind p
t growled Grover.
: "Oh, but Miss Bee doesn't rant, and
: she isn't freak, and she knows near
: ly everything And there she is. right
@ this minutel exclaimed Lydia. 'Sht
IS must be bidding on that big mimeo
d graph job in our advertising depart
r ment Goody she's coming over t
e speak to me-
John Grover grew red and Beatric,
. Morris grew pale when they were in
d troduced by Lydia, who didn't know
until afterward that they had parted
It ten years ago much as she and Clar
u enCe naQ parted Only the n1Snt De
s. fore. She had her first ink1ing of /
n when John Grover broke the embar
raised silence which followed the frs
formal greetings
e Beatrice" he began, haltingly
a I've changed my mind this mornin.
about several things, but / didn't lost
II it, and I won't if you'll let me builC
7 a home for you now instead of build
! ing one yourself two years later" o
Il course, he had not meant to say that
y but after it was said it had to be an
y swered, and Beatrice gave an answe
that was as satisfactory to him as |
a. was surprising to her. Grover turne
1t b,,41,- ~ 49, oe+onj,1,oa r..