Putnam patriot., 1917-08-03
TAKING DICTATION
By EARL REED slLvERs.

Air. Francis Yreeland, head Of the
firm Of Vreeland 4 Co. gazed frown-
iugly at the typed letter be held, and
decided that il was a failure Ua9er
ordinary circumstances, MIR. Nreeland
would hive UrathfnIly summoned his
stenasrapher, demanded 20 know what
business agency had the Hudaeity 70
thrust such an example Of ineHlciency
upon Nreeiand \ Co. and then would
have told the aforesaid example, kind
ly bur firmly, that her services were no
longer required.
But Mr.. Nreeland did nothing of the
Kind. Instead. he set himself before
his own gIittering machine, inserted
one of the firms letterheadS. and
copied the letter he had dictated but
an hour before. The changes having
been made, he signed his name and
pushed n button on his desk.
Miss Betty Baxter entered the room,
and instantly the sun seemed 10 shine
more brightly. In direct defiance of the
rules Of business etiquette. Betty wore
white dress. with frllls at the cuffs
and lace at the neck. Her golden hair
was drawn back. but not because Betty
had any desire to appear husinessllke.
II happened to be the style most be-
coming to her. She wore white silk
stockings and white kid pumps; and
when Mr.. Francis yreeland's eyes
rested upon her. his heart beat lively
tattoo beneath his manly bosom.
The head of the firm of vreeland 4
Co. was really too young to direct
the fortunes of so prosperous Il con-
Germ. He was twenty-eight, TO be ex-
act. and If the business had not been
Inherited from Woodworking father.
he would probably have been lahoring
his heart away In a downtown office
for salary of something like thirty
dollars week. But Francis, as his
many friends called him. was one Of
those men who have greatness thrust
upon them; and SO he was the big boss
In Il big firm, with an income of some
thing like thirty thousand dollars a
year.
And Betty Baxter was pretty, good
dancer, an excellent tennis player and
a swimmer of more than local renown.
But she was poor stenographer.
The fact that Betty even attempted
stenogrnphy Is a story In itself. Two
Years before the Baxters and the Nree-
lands had lived side by side in one Of
New Jerseys most exclusive suburbs.
Betty drove her own car to meet her
r. a. 4 nj In
the evening Mr. Baxter and Mr., Yree-
land. Sr.. sat on the porch of the Bax-
ter home and discussed stocks and
bonds while Miss Baxter and Mr..
Vreeland, Jr., wandered off around the
corner.
And then something had happened
which swept away the Baxter fortune
rs If II had been a mere chicken house
IN the path of the Johnstewh flood,
leaving the father crushed and pur-
poseless and the daughter stunned with
the realization of sudden poverty.
Francis had asked her to marry him
then.
''You are only asking me out OF
pity" she had said Il must find
something to do"
So she Ind gone to a business school
which promised to teach in three
months what other schools teach TN n
year, and, having been duly graduated,
she was given position in a Wall
street office. The next day she was dis
charged. In the evening of that same
day. Francis decided that his business
had grown so much that he needed n
personal stenographer, and Betty ac-
cepted the position.
And so she was rather surprised
when Mr.. Francis Yreeland, having re-
typed her latest letter, frowned threat
eningly upon her as she took her ac-
customed place beside his desk.
betty" he said, after a long walt,
"do you like your work."
"Of course / do" she answered.
"Why?"
"Why are you putting me through
the third degreeT' she asked.
al lust want some information
Francis leaned forward and tapped on
the desk with his pencil. "How would
you like to have another jobf'
do you mean that | haven't done
satisfactory work hereT
"Yes."
Francis spoke. rather severely, and
the girl before him did not see the
twinkle which lay half hidden IN his
eyes. She caught her breath sharply
"Ill go now" she SAID simply.
mo, wait a minute" Francis held UP
his hand. LETS be perfectly frank
Betty" he continued. "As a stenog-
rapher you're mighty pretty girl, but
as mighty pretty girl you're failure
as a stenographer. You weren't meant
to take dictation, were you, dearf'
"No," she answered, 'Tm not used
to It,"
"WelI," Francis continued, iron
now on you're going to have new job
Beginning today l want you to dictate
to me-"
Copyright. 1877. by the Mcclure Newspa-
o.