The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-07-31
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THAT BUNGALOW 7
49, - .esRa
BY KEITH KENYON.

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Miss Candy was not a follower Of |
beaten paths. That accounted for her
establishment at the age of forty in a
profitable business as a contractor in
stead of being public stenographer,
or mllllner, or schoolteacher, as her
friends had advised One Monday
morning, as she arrived at her Office
IN her usual stunning tailored clothes,
she found no stenographer at the desk
where competent but comely maiden
had busted herself for the past year.
MISS Candy felt a sickening sense Of
things gone awry as she saw on the
desk letter addressed to her.
when you read this I'll be far
away on my honeymoon" was the first
astounding statement. Miss Candy
scowled and dropped Imply into her
swivel chair, but she shrugged her
shoulders and reached for the tele-
phone to ask the typewriter agency to
send her good stenographer.
Half an hour later her name was
questioningly pronounced by slim,
saucy-eyed little girl of about twenty,
modishly dressed in a rose-colored
linen gown, with white sports hat and
hlgh white shoes. A white-gloved hand
passed the typewriter agency's card
or introduction to Miss Candy, who
felt many misgivings about the appli--
cant's capabilities. But her need of
stenographer was immediate and dire,
so she rose and began to outline the
service she required
After the first few days of Bessie's
service, Miss Candy began to hope
| that she had found a treasure and
after the first few weeks she began
| to fear that the treasure she had
found was too good to last. AS for Bes-
sic, she admired Miss Canby's dignity
and poise SO much that she sometimes
felt fleeing desire to become per-
manently settled in the business world.
/ Invariably, though, when Miss Candy
would leave her alone to go on a long
afternoon trip to some building site,
Bessie would find herself with little
TO do and would turn through book
OF bungalow plans, alluringly illus
trated in colors, and would dream of
some day sitting in lowered gown
on bungalow porch while the dear
est boy in the world came up the
walk with a smile of loving greeting
for her
What on earth has happened to
you, Bessie Elkins?" asked Miss Can
by one morning, as Bessie appeared
[ IN, ;oh 10
lurked and with colorless cheeks and
a dropping mouth. Il suppose you've
quarreled with your sweetheart"
why, how do you know?" Bessie's
surprise broke through her tears.
How could any woman help know
up. 1t will all blow over in a day or
two"
mot this time-it's a real quarrel"
? flood of tears swept speech tempo
rarily away, but, under Miss Canbys
p encouragement, the turbulence sub
sided and Bessie explained further.
You see, we'd been spatting over lit
tie things and just to be pert, said:
oh, well, I've decided to be a big
business woman like Miss Candy, any
how He told me to go and be a
p which he pretended to
: think you were-since I'd made up my
70 mind not to live the sort of life every
; woman ought to live. l told him he
/ had his nerve to map out a program
for every woman in the world, but he
could understand he wasn't to map out
any part of my program. So he went
off in a huff and l haven't seen him
since, but" here sobs interfered with
D the story-"but | happened to learn
today that he has advertised the lot
} he'd bought for sale, the lot we were
going to have a bungalow on"
Bessie's head went down on her
crossed hands upon her desk. Miss
, Candy stood beside her and laid a
) hand on her shoulder. Then she drew
a chair to Bessie's side and spoke
quietly, but determinedly.
This is serious, but it's going to
: stop before it gets more serious. I'm
z going to see your sweetheart and
. straighten out this tangle."
: Before Bessie could protest, Miss
Candy had gone. She moved about
q slowly. stopping often to stare at,noth
: ing. After she had bathed her face
and powdered her nose she felt and
\ looked better. When her desk was al
) most in order, the telephone rang.
: Put on your hat and meet me al
2 Markham's in ten minutes" said Miss
. Canby's voice commandingly.
!, Markhams confectionery shop was
a favorite downtown rendezvous fol
o women, and, just as Bessie entered it
0 Miss Candy emerged from a telephone
5 booth in the entry.
= = Come" she said, with mock for
q mality, my lady's carriage awaits
O her" Taking Bessie's arm she escort
0 ed her through the store and out
) through side entrance opening or
D another street. At the curb a taxicat