The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-14
MS STEnoGRAPnER.
BY CAThARINE CRANMER.

=.
Returning from the files with al
armIoad of correspondence, JONI
! Grover halted suddenly as he ap
preached his desk. Between the up
per rim of his spectacles and Ms
bushy, gray eyebrows he stared ou'
at the small, white pique-clad young
woman who was perched upon the
wooden railing that inclosed his de
partment.
"Tm 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 it comes to
hiring help" muttered Grover, Of
whom it was alleged around the ONCE
that his middle name was Crouch.
Turning toward Lydia. he grudgingly
extended a pudgy hand. Growers my
name Can you turn out work pretty
fast?'
"Oh, just as easy!" And Lydia
smiled bewitchingly, but 1t was pearls
before swine. for Grover didn't see
the smile.
"All 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 were the
very man who put the ouch in crouch.
but ! guess it was Just a Monday
morning crouch, wasn't it?'
II 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 little.
"Oh, but look how we'll we work to-
gether! I'll tell you what let's do
enthusiastically Let's work real fast
and get that whole pile finished and
then we'll 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 q letter that
would give him q chance to fasten his
eyes somewhere.
A month after Lydia's advent the
credit department was running 80
smoothly that John Grover went about
wearing q satisfied expression that
was q nine days wonder to the OBJ
servant Office force. But there came
q rainy malarial 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 intently at her.
Child. there's something wrong:
ran be of any help?"
I'm afraid you can't, for I've spoiled I
everything" Two tears splashed on
her note book before she could find
her handkerchief. Then she con.
inued: Last night when Clarence
started home-Clarence is, you know,
" was my. my"
Yes, yes, I know; and what did he
lo?'
"Oh, I was the one to do the mis-.
'hief Clarence said If I didn't take
M suffrage pin was wearing he
bid me goodnight.
said I'd promised Miss Bee to wear
he pin q week and tell her what peo-
lie said about 1t. Then he said I was
citing crazier every day, but he
wouldn't listen any longer to my non.
ense. didn't say word then. but
fter a while l said: There doesn't
eem to be any nonsense to listen to
kept when you are talking He
'hirled around and rushed out of the
DOR, and I looked down at that old
IN and just boo-hooed."
WELL what in the dickens doe.
nat ranting suffragette mean nv
lacarding you as one of her kind?"
rowled Grover.
oh, but Miss Bee doesn't rant. and /
ne isn't freak, and she knows near.
everything. And there she is right
lis minute" exclaimed Lydia. she
lust be bidding on that big mimeo.
raph Job in our advertising depart-
tent. Goody she's coming over IN
,eak to me-.
John Grover grew red and Beatrice
orris grew pale when they were in. H
ouuced by Lydia, who didn't know II
ltii afterward that they had parted i
n years ago much as she and Clar. II
ice had parted only the night be. II
re. She had her first inkling of il n
men John Grover broke the embar. N
ssed silence which followed the f,rst III
rmal greetings. HI
Beatrice" he began. baltin,,r III
We changed my mind this mornine III
'out several things. but l didn't lose HI
and | won't II you'll let me build III
nome for you now instead of build. III
g one yourself two years LATER" n, m
arse, ne had not meant to say that III
II after 1t was said it had to be an. Hi
'ered, and Beatrice gave an answer VII
at was as satisfactory to him as :, iii
IS surprising to her Grover turned HI
ruptiy to the astonished Lydia III