Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-16

THOR the first few days in my new
y position the sense of novelty sus-
tanned me. Also l put my mind
upon my work. For the first time in my
life ] was concentrating entirely and
gratefully upon simple task. / was
trying TO do as ] was told. 1t was not
particularly easy work. l don't mean
there was much mental strain attached
to it. There was not. Indeed, l think
il might have been easier had there
been a more distracting quality in it.
Hundreds at a time l wrote the adj
dresses on the envelopes. For hours
these would scarcely differ except in
the name of the person TO whom they
were to be sent.
Later, when l became used to the
work, l found that my hand wrote al
most automatically while my mind
wandered But the first few days in my
new position were physically hard
enough. Ny fingers were stiff from
holding the pen. At the base of my
neck my shoulders ached horribly from
bending over my desk. However, there
was one spiritual advantage to be
gained from my bodily discomfort, I
was much too tired at night to yearn
for any of the gayeties of my former
life. For several weeks l was glad
enough to stop on my way from work,
all unwashed and unbrushed as l was,
eat my dinner in some cheap table
d'hote restaurant and go straight 10
my little hall bedroom l would fall
asleep in a profound dreamless rest of
utter exhaustion.
But gradually I began to adjust my
self to my surroundings. The hours
and my labor seemed less hard. OF
course, I lost most of the rosy col~r
which had been mine when l had been
able to be more outdoors. But, on the
other hand, the expression of my face
took on -firmer and finer lines, which
were decidedly an improvement over my
former light and pleasure-loving ex-
preston. Of course, too, in few weeks
1 began to make friends with the girls
who worked with me in the addressing
department of the insurance company.
one girl particularly pleased me. We
took luncheon together. Her name was
Helen Flaharty. She was a bright
cheerful little thing, with a pleasant
speaking voice and a happy. good-tem-
pered face. To be sure, her attire was
noticeably cheap beside mine. She had
ways of expressing herself and points
of view which irrevocably marked her
as belonging to what We like to call
"the middle class" But she had so
completely, on the other hand, the
knack of being neat and trim in her
toilet that l am sure she rivalled me
in appearance. Her kindness and gem
erosity more than made up for her
manner of expressing it.
Hsr true generosity was shown, l
think. in her unquestioning acceptance
OF myself She took me- at my face
value and liked me. She never asked
where 1 had come from; what l had
been or done. 1t neved occurred to
her to doubt that my finer clothes had
been bought perfectly legitimately. Her
only thought when she found that l
lived alone in a small, furnished room
was one of pity for my loneliness. In
deed. ii was only a very few days after
Helen had discovered how lacking in
companionship was my life when she
asked me to her house to dinner.
1--WE couldn't make company Of you,
Di." she said eff we did, we couldn't
afford to have you. We three girls and
nv two brothers all work, and we have
to chip in our bit to keep the pot boil
ing. But if you'll take just what we
have, my mother says she would be
awfuIIy glad if you came home with
me some night"
1 promptly accepted the invitation.
A few months before IT would not have
held much attraction for me. But now
1 was beginning genuinely to like Helen
and to appreciate more the simpler
things of life. Accordingly, on the fol-
lowing Saturday I found myself seated
at the F1aharty family board. 1t was
nicely prepared stew, which Helen's
mother had cooked, with dumplings and
potatoes; and for dessert some home