The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-23
Wanted:
A StenOgrapher
By JANE OSBORN |


William Gordon's open. boyish face
clouded with a perplexed frown. He
propped his feet uncomfortably on his
Waste-paper basket and looked vaguely
into the sleet-filled atmosphere visible
from his twentieth story office win.
dow.
William had come to the startling
discovery that he was in love with his
stenographer. Constance Peck. He did
not know much about her save that a
year before she had been left an or
phan, I'D had come to the great CITY
with Its chances Of work; that she had
turned to stenography as a means of
making a living; that she had been
sent to him In answer to a request at
the business school where she had
studied; and that she lived alone in a
third-rate boarding house.
But about Constance, the young wo-
man he had fallen in love with. he
knew a great deal. He knew that her
sort brown eyes made him forget the
worries and discouragements of his
struggling young law practice; that
her sweet voice reminded him, some
how. of bird that used to sing in his
fathers apple orchard when he was
child; that her comforting presence
had become real necessity to him.
and thousand other things about her
that he unused on by himself.
But William was troubled. II was
one thing to be in love with the young
woman who worked for him; 1t was
another thing to tell her. He could
not, as he would have done If Con-
stance had been anyone else than his
stenographer, lead up gradually to the
all-important question. Constance, he
knew from experience, would refuse
invitations to dinner or the theater on
the ground that he and she were only
business acquaintances, and love-mak-
ing when he was debating business
letters or talking over Office work was
out Of the question to a man like vii.
liam
Bother it ALL" said william; 81
don't even know where her boarding
house is, and l don't dare ask her to
let me call; she'd think | was plying
her, and girl like Miss Peck wouldn' I
stand for that"
So William decided to let things 60
on as they we're: as long as Constance
worked for him. she would at least be
near him, and in course of time. he
hoped, she might come to feel as he
did.
Though don't see how a girl like
Constance could care for a duffer like
me-" he said
In the little outside office, WHERE
freckled Johnny jerks, the office boy
and waiting clients-when there were
any-usually kept her company. Con
stance Peck sat before her typewriter
Her brown eyes were filled with trou
BILE, and her thoughts wandered from
the quirls and ,fiourishes in the note
book by her side. For Constance Peel
was owning to herself that she was Il
love with her employer.
IT ought to leave" said Constanc
to herself. ut isn't his fault. though
and suppose leaving would put hin
! in a hole for another stenographel
Well I'll Just stick it out, and mayb
sometime-No; a man like Mr.. Col
don couldn't care for girl like me
that's certain. Anyway. if l stay Il
be near him every day, and that
something"
| Johnnys chatter broke in unplea'
antly on her speculations.
Jaw, pshaw!" said Johnny. Your
worse than the boss. The two {
you've got something on your minds
and he nodded wisely as he tried
get a telephone number.
Johnny" said Miss Peck. I've g
to have quiet or I'll never get m
work done. I'll give you dime
you'll go take a little walk for ha
an hour"
So It was that, some twenty minute
later, William Gordon, his resolve
"let things CO." resolutely in his min
walked into the outer Office to find b
stenographer, struggling with a sin
lar resolve. sitting alone before h
typewriter. Tears shone in her da
eyes.
where's that scamp of boy?"
manded William. fiercely, thinking d
haps the boy was the cause OF {
tears.
81 bribed him to go for walk" SO
Constance. Then. without a momen
warning to poor. defenseless Villa
two big tears splashed from her ey
down on the senseless typewrit
keys.
In a moment, William, regardless
all resolutions, had Constance in
arms and was kissing her cheeks; a
Constance. likewise regardless of rel
buttons. was crying comfortably on
shoulder. But in another nome
both remembered themselves. CO
stance pulled herself free.
IL beg your pardon, Miss PECK.
really didn't mean to. II just could
help II. never could stand tears
They stood looking uncomfortal
at each other At that moment
door opened. and Johnny, radiant fr'
the foolish expenditure of his dime
candy and sodawater. entered
room. Constance and William r
:. dened under his bird-like. know
a glance.
!. "As was just saying. Mr.. Gordo
~ said Constance. going to the lock
? and getting her hat and coat. I
y going now-and ] shall not co
n back
u And so. before William could tn
% of anything plausible to say {
N stance Peck. the stenographer. pas
out OF his life.