Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-15
WOMENS INTERESTS
4 GIRL AND 4 MAN
A New and Vital Romance of City Life
by Virginia Terhune Van de Water

little clock on her mantel chimed
one. And. with the happy faculty
or youth for throwing of nervous
ness when sleep appears. she knew
nothing more until past her usual
hour for rising.
Dear child"
Her aunt's hand on her forehead
awcke her. 1t was bright day and
the older woman was bending over
her, smiling down tenderly at her
You were sleeping so soundly
that I hated to rouse you," Miss
Lucy said. But it is much past
our usual breakfast time. But you
said that on this first day you need
not get downtown early. Your
breakfast is ready, and have
brushed and pressed your blue suit
So get up and dress, dear little Busi-
ness Woman
She Starts In
She laughed softly as she left the
rcom, and Agnes, rubbing her sleep
dimmed eyes, arose and began to
dress hastily, but carefully. She
must look we'll upon her introduc-
ton to her new position.
An hour later she entered an ele-
vator in big downtown office
building. With other girls and
"SAANA4t e14AN SOOOAg AuAupSI OL
men - some sleepy and morose in
appearance, others laughing and
jesting - she was shot upward at a
pace that made her catch her breath.
The elevator stopped at her word
to the operator at the fifteenth floor
and Agnes stepped out. her heart
humping wildly with excitement as
the thought of what was before her.
On the ground-glass panel of a
door TO her left was emblazoned the
sign of Hale & Bainbridge, I'M
porters.'
She stood for a moment with her
hand on the knob, lighting back a
strange. frightened feeling that
urged her to rush back to the ele-
she had conquered this panic and,
turning the knob, entered.
She found herself walled of from
the rest of the room by a wooden
railing. Beyond this were desks,
over which several men were al
ready bent. sorting letters or writ
ing. In one corner of the room a
typewriter. Two other machines
stood beside hers, unused at the
present moment.
Near a window another woman
sat, a shorthand notebook upon her
knee, smiling and talking with a
man who was rather bald and whose
stout figure entirely filled the swivel
was one of tn kind whom one
would term capable. She seemed to
be about thirty.
Beyond all this, the windows of
the room opened upon a vista of
roofs. and the soft gray of the river,
dreaming in Spring haze.
\ red-haired lad came to the gate
AF CO. = =
looked her over superciliously.
We'll, what is it?" he queried, m
the tone of patronage peculiar to
the Office boy of the day.
rs Mr.. Hale in ?" the girl faltered.
IF so, would like to see him"
In, but very. busy" the youth
informed her brusquely. Name
ard business, please"
4 have a letter for him." Agnes
said, proffering the note she had
received the day before from the
manager of the business school.
She felt as if her courage were
slipping away from her. Then she
reproved herself sharply ror being
depressed by such an insignificant
creature as this contemplate lad,
and lifted her head defantly.
kindly take that note to Mr..
Hale" she said with a new dignity
that caused. the boy to flush as red
as his hair.
wait a minute" he muttered.
taking the missive and disappear
ing into an inner Office.
After what seemed to the girl a
long time, but was really only
three minutes, he re-appeared.
Mr. Hale will see you now," he
announced, unlatching the gate
Come this way, please"
He led her across the space be-
tween the rallied enclosure and Mr..
Hales inner Office. AS she ira
versed this space several men
looked up, fixing their eyes upon
her in an appraising fashion. The
girls turned their heads and in
spected her.
The woman who was taking down
stenographic notes, paused in her
work, her pencil poised above her
pad. Agnes wondered afterward
how she herself had been aware of
ali this for she thought that she
her gaze fastened on the bobbing
red head of the boy who was con-
Quoting her to the great mans
presence.
She knew that Mr.. Hale was not
q great man; only an ordinary busi-
nessman - but Just now II seemed
to her that she was about to face
an august parsonage. Her knees
trembled strangely.
One remark was borne to her
ears as she reached the door of the
inner Office.
"A peach - believe me-" some one
behind her said.
She could have been sure that If
was the voice of the somewhat bald.
stout person. Yet she had never
heard him speak. so how could she
recognize his voice.