The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-27
EVENING STORY
Taking Dictation.
(By Earl Read silvers. }

ordinary circumstances, Mr.. Vreeland
would have wrathfully summoned his
stenographer, demanded to know
what business agency had the audac-
ity to thrust such an example of in
efficiency upon Vreeland & Co, and
then would have told the aforesaid
example, kindly but firmly, that her
services were no longer required
But Mr.. Vreeland did nothing of
the kind. Instead, he seShimself be-
FIRE his own glittering machine, in
serted one of the firms letterheads,
and copied the letter he had dictated
but an hour before. The changes hav-
| ing been made, he signed his name
and pushed a button on his desk.
Miss Betty Baxter entered the room,
and instantly the sun seemed to shine
more brightly. In direct definance of
! the rules of business etiquette, Betty
wore a white dress, with frills at the
cuffs and lace at the neck. Her
golden hair was drawn back, but not
because Betty had any desire to APP
pear businesslike. 1t happened to be
the style most becoming to her. She
wore white silk stockings and white
kid pumps; and when Mr.. Francis
Vreeland eyes rested upon her, his
heart beat a lively tattoo beneath his
manly bosom.
| The head of the firm of Vreeland
d Co. was really too young to direct
| the fortunes of so prosperous a con-
Germ. He was %, to be exact, and if
the business had not been inherited
from Woodworking father, he would
probably have been laboring his heart
away in downtown office for a sal
airy of something like $50 a week.
But Francis, as his many friends call
ed him, was one of those men who
have greatness thrust upon them; and
so ne was the big boss in a big firm,
with an income of something like
$4,000 a year.
If he had been born poor he prob
ably would have been president of
the East Side Social club and captain
of the Wannercooper's baseball nine
But having been born with a silver
spoon in his mouth, he was president
of the Seaside Country club and cap
tain of the Succassuna golf team. For
he was a natural leader and an in
stinctive mixer. The girls of his ac-
quaintance said that he was "a
peach" and the men, without eXcep-
ton, designated him as a blamed
good scout" Which, without doubt,
of a love story.
And Betty Baxter, on her part,
made an undeniably good heroine.
She was pretty, good dancer, an
excellent tennis player and a swim
Iner of more than local renown. But
The fact that Betty even attempted
stenography is a story in itself. Two
years before the Bakers and the
Vreelands had lived side by side in
one of New jerseys most exclusive
suburbs. Betty drove her own car to
meet her father at the railroad sta
ton, and in the evening Mr.. Baxter
and Mr.. Vreeland, ST., sat on the
porch of the Baxter home and dis
cussed stocks and bonds, while MISS
nd WA n
dered off around the corner and talk
ed about the latest dance at the club
or the color of Betty's eyes.
And then something had happened
which swept away the Baxter fortune
as if it had been a mere chicken
house in the path of the Johnstowr
flood, leaving the father crushed ano
purposeless and the daughter stunned
with the realization of sudden power
ty. Francis had asked her to marry
him then, but she had shaken hel
head rather sadly and mad tolo MIN
how impossible it was.
You are only asking me out OF
pity" she had said. Il must fine
something to do.
So she had gone to a bushes.
school which promises to teach il
three months what other school:
teach in a year, and, having been duly
graduated, she was given position II
a Wall street office. The next day she
that same day, Francis decided tina
his business had grown so much tina
he needed a personal stenographer
and Betty accepted the position
Since then she had been taking dicta
ton from the man from whom in the
past she had been in the habit O.
taking compliments.
From a social standpoint, Bett,
was a success. Every clerk in tn,
office fell head over heels in love will
/. ct, hod nr11xr
more responsive, her evenings would
have been one continuous round o.
. moving pictures, musical comedies
and fruit lemonade. But Betty didn'
care a whoop for all the clerks in tbs
world. To be perfectly frank, sh'
was head over heels in love with he
boss.
, Whenever she took his dictation sh,
found herself listening to the deel
t rumble of his voice or watching hi
strong hands as he tapped idly on tn,
desk. Whenever he summoned he
into his office her heart went on
rampage and threatened to disclose it
self to the man who had once asket
work was required of her. but sh
= didn't realize how poorly she did it.
' And so she was rather surprised
5 when Mr.. Francis Vreeland, having
5 retyped her latest letter, frowne,
threateningly upon her as she tool
= her accustomed place beside his desk
E Betty" he said, after long wait
!, do you like your work ?"
Y She looked up, surprised.
"Of course 1 do" she answered
t t'Why?"
r Because everybody's nice here, an,
the work isn't hard, and-and jus
t because I do
d rs it better than in the Wall stree
: Officer"
Yes"
i You wouldn't like to change bacl
= again, would you?"
4 Betty employed an old friends pre-
= rog9tiye.
r why are you putting me thru tn
/ third degree?' she asked.
e Il just want some information
n Francis leaned forward and tapped OF
III III