Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1916-07-21
WHO DARED
BY MARY PRIME.


for hard work this time"
I might have reminded him that the
wax doll he referred to, that simpering
Miss Rose we had before, who kept
a mirror fastened on the switchboard.
was his choice, not mine.
/ may not be any mind reader, but
could somehow tell that even II
Ellen Dowd was only a mite of a girl
Just naturally knew that she had it
In her, although of course l didn't
dream that she had quite such nerve.
After / had told her the hours and
the wage and put her wise as much
as I could without saying anything
that l oughtn't to about the boss, she
said she would take the Job.
"Mr. Plum is a very busy man." is
the way / put 1t. He's more than
quick sometimes, and of course it is
up to the people who work for him
to make allowances. You see what l
mean?"
Ellen opened her blue eyes wide
and looked at me without smiling.
81 imagined he was that kind of
man when / heard his name. Perkins
Plum-could he be anything elsc?"
didn't think at the time that it
was a very fitting answer, but there
was something about the honest way
she leveled those eyes at me that made
me feel that she could handle almost
any situation. Sc l told her to come
around the next morning and the job
would be hers. Plum had caught a
glimpse of her going out of the door.
He was not in one of his best moods,
but l am used to that. AS private
secretary, 1 had always thought it
was part of my job to take his moods
as they came complacently.
You blockhead, you double block.
head" was what he called me. Didn't
I tell you to get girl that wasn't
a wax doll? She is only as big as a
pint of beans. Why don't you go to
the day nursery and get a babe in
arms to manage my switchboard"
began to sharpen a pencil ready for
his dictation. That made it easier not
to answer back, for, of course, 1t isn't
up to me to say anything when he is
in mood like that.
Now, l suppose, you have hired her
Can't trust anyone in this office? You
would think you would want to save
me and sometimes attend to these de-
tails for me. But, no. Just because
the girl is pretty, or petite, or f1irta-
tious, you forget all that told you and
tell her to come and take the job. How
do you ever expect to get ahead in
the business II you can't even hire a
telephone girl with horse sense?"
l went on sharpening the pencil, al
though / must say I was sore enough
at having him mention my chance of
advancement that way, for only two
days before l had got my courage up
to the point of asking him for a
chance of better Job. Still, I didn't
say anything. 1 had an idea that when
the boss saw how the girl would handle
things he wouldn't call her a wax doll.
knew just to look at her that she had
1t in her, but 1 never guessed what a
nerve she had.
Well, to begin with, Ellen just mind
ed her business, and the boss seemed
to want to make an impression on her.
It's often that way with big men like
him-they are as anxious to make a
good impression on their telephone op-
orators and Office boys as on a possible
client.
But about two days later the new
ness wore off and he started out on
one of his regular rampages. We are
all so used to them that aside from
feeling nervous and not being able to
get much work done while they last
we don't really mind them. But Ellen
was different. The boss called for
three numbers all at once and then
started to bawl at her because she
didn't get them all at once. She didn't
even get flustered, although did no
tice that she got little more color in
her cheeks.
Sometimes new girls got so ratified
with Plum that they would cry. And
knew Ellen was young and hadn't
worked long, so 1 kept my eyes on
her.
"Why in blazes don't you get me
that NUMBER" yelled the boss through
the door, without letting her know
which of the three numbers he want
ed first. Well, Ellen got right up ant
left the switchboard and walked over
to the boss room and went in. She
seemed as cool as a cucumber and
must say she looked pretty. Mad as
he was, the boss must have noticed it
Pardon me, Mr.. Plum" she said as
coolly as a society queen. ut is quite
impossible to get three numbers al
once, and we are only wasting time tt
show such impotence. Now If YOU
will please tell me which of the mum
bers you wish first will get 1t as soor
as possible"
Well, no one had ever spoken t
the boss that way before. l think
gasped out aloud, was so surprised.
thought at first he would eat her FOL
it or send for the patrol wagon for hel
he was so mad, and then the mad ex
preston seemed to fade away and HI
looked just natural He told her which
r. III.