The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-05
THE
PARTNERS
BY M. QUAD

partners were old bachelors, and wheI
the advertisement was inserted Kleir
said to Klippert:
There Will probably be q hundre,
girls come tomorrow, and as | know
more about human nature than yOl
do will see them and pick out the
one we want"
"But as I know more about stenog
raphy than you do 1t should be left tt
me-" was the reply of the partner.
They wrangled over the matter fol
ten minutes and then agreed that bott
should receive and question the ap
plicants. When Miss Rose entered the
ONCE each partner said to himself tina,
she would do, no matter whether she
knew anything about stenography OF
not Each tried to impress upon bel
mind the fact that he was fatherly
and kind hearted and wished to run
an orphan asylum. Klein wanted to
offer her $50 a week. and Klippert
wanted to offer S. more. but they final.
~ settled on SIS to start with. When
the terms had been settled and the
applicant had departed, to reappear
on the morrow. Klein hitched about
on his chair for couple Of minutes
and then said:
las my room Is rather the largest
and lightest, I am willing to make q
place for the young lady. Did you no.
tice the lines Of sorrow around her
young mouth? shall speak very gen
tly to her."
There Is a fine. light space In my
room for the young lady" replied
Knppert, land will take her In there.
There Is a sad look about her eyes. as
II she had some great grief. and I
shall not expect her to do much work. -"
They disputed for half an hour over
the point, and next day Miss Rose
was given the hall between the Office
rooms Of the partners.
At half past o'clock Klein called
the stenographer into his room and
dictated letter and then said:
Miss Williams. your work has prov
ed so satisfactory that your salary is
tuASeO 10 $lS per week.
She expressed her thanks and back
ed out. but scarcely had Eve minutes
passed when Klippert called her in to
ask II she was satisfied with her sal
airy and to add before she could reply:
You take hold of the work so well
that l shall make your salary $40 a
week."
Klein had been in the habit of leav.
ing the store every afternoon at half
past 4. On this occasion he hung
about until 5. Klippert and the en-
ployees left at half past g. Klippert
sauntered after the new stenographer
to see what car she took. He had lust
ascertained when he encountered his
partner They eyed each other sus-
piciously for a minute and then lied
Each had ready excuse on his
tongue. Next morning at the store
the senior partner called the Junior
partner into his room and gravely
said:
"Mr. Klippert, should be grieved
to know that you were following Miss
Williams to the car. but the more |
think of it the more suspicious your
conduct appears"
But what were you doing there?"
was promptly asked.
Business uneonnected with the store
called me to the spot"
Same here"
Each one had been wondering how
he could circumvent the other and in. |
Vite the pretty stenographer out to |
lunch. The thing was finally settled |
by the senior partner, who said:
would suggest that neither Of us |
ask the young lady to lunch. She |
might misconstrue our action"
Just what | was about to suggest.
We will go out together. as hereto. |
'ore."
But things ranked in the mind of
he senior partner. As matter of |
fact, he had gone to the car half an |
hour ahead of the girl to make sure
that she took the right one for home |
The junior partner had come upon him
and wronged him in thought. He did
the only thing he could think of to get
even. He called Miss Rose In and
raised her salary to 500 week.
The junior partner was not at all
with the situation. He had
followed the stenographer to the car
to see that the bookkeeper. who was
known to be masher, didn't do the
same. There he had met his partner
and had been looked at distrustful,y.
In wronging him the partner wronced
Miss Rose, and he called her In and
dictated fictitious letter and added:
II am pleased to say that our work
was never so well done before. and |
wish to inform you that your salary
has been advanced to S25 per week"
Miss Williams came to her place on
a Wednesday. On Saturday afternoon
there was half holiday. On Satnr
day afternoon also Mr.. Klein met Mr.
Klippert In the village where the sic
lived. Each wanted to ask
the other what he was doing there bu,
he didn't ask. Klein finally took Klip
pert by the arm and walked him TO tho
car. and when both were seated and
headed for the city he said:
"Klippert. it's hard times In bust
ness"