Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-07-06
Epening Story
TAKING DTCTATlON.
By Earl Reed SiIvoFs.
Copyright, 1917. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)


Newspaper Syndicate.)
Mr.. Francis Vreeland, head of the
firm Of vreeland & Co., gazed frown
ingiy at the typed letter he held. and
decided that 1t was failure. Under
ordinary circumstances Mr. Vreeland
would have wrathfu1ly summoned his
stenogra pher, demanded to know what
business agency had the audacity to
thrust such an example Of inefaciency
upon vreeland & Co.. and then would
have told the aforesaid example, kind
ly and firmly, that her services were
no longer required.
But Mr.. Vreeland did nothing Of the
kind. Instead, he set himself before
his own glittering machine, inserted
one OF the firms letterheads, and cop
led the letter he had dictated but ar
hour; before The changes having beer
made. he signed his name and pushed
a button his desk.
Miss Betty Baxter entered the room
and instantly the sun seemed to shine
more brightly. In direct defiance OF
the rules of business etiquette, Betty
wore white dress, with frilfs at the
cuffs and lace at the neck. Her golden
hair was drawn back, but not because
Betty had any desire to appear busi.
nesslike. 1t happened to be the style
most becoming to her. She wore white
silk stockings and white kid pumps;
and when Mr.. Francis Vreeland's eyes
rested upon her his heart beat a lively
tattoo beneath his manly bosom.
The head Of the firm Of vreeland 4
~. ~.o1Iv too yo,,rv IN dirpf.f the
fortunes Of so prosperous a concern.
He was %, to be exact, and II the bus
mess had not been Inherited from a
hard working father, he would prob.
ably have been laboring his heart away
in down town office for a salary or
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 80 he
was the big boss in big Arm. with
an income of something like thirty
thousand dollars year.
II he had been born poor he prob
ably would have been president OF the
East Side Social club and captain OF
the wannercoopers 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 &C
auaintance said that he was "a peach
and the men. without exception. desig.
mated him as blamed good scout. .
Which, without doubt. establishes his
right to be the hero Of a love story.
And Betty Baxter, on her part made
an undeniabty good heroine. She was
pretty. good dancer, an excellent
tennis player and swimmer OF more
than local renown. But she was
poor stenographer.
The fact that Betty even attempted
stenography Is a story in itself. Two
wears 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 station
and in the evening Mr.. Baxter and Mr..
vreeland, Sr., sat on the porch of the
Baxter home and discussed stocks and
bonds, while Miss Baxter and Mr.
Vreeland. Jr.. wandered off around the
corner and talked 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 IL it had been a mere chicken house
in the path of the Johnstown food
| 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. but she had shaken her head
rather sadly and had told him how inn
possible il was.
You are only asking me out OF
pity" she had said. Il must find
something to do"
So she had gone to business school
| which promises to teach in three
months what other schools teach In
a year, and. having been duly gradu
ated. she was given position iu S
Wall street office, The next DAY she
was discharged. In the eyerins Of
that same day Francis decides! t.Aat bis