The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1918-08-30
AND 1T HAPPENEDl
BY HELEN n. RYAN.
(CopyrIght 1918, ~ the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndirate5

1 pEE SJHaiN6Ae.t
Our smoothly running, efficient Of
| fee was III the grip of romance
| youthful, exnberant, rose-colored ro-
nance and 1t was most diseoneert-
Ing. Thore was Virginia, quite the
life and fun Of the place (when the
! presidents back was tllrned), leaving
US to join her young husband, wilo
| had just been given d commission
and was stationed somewhere on the
| coast.
| Then there was Blanche HodglSina,
our capable and always dependable
head bookkeeper, who was soon to
| follow Virginia's bridal footsteps. We
] had some wonderful lunch hours to-
gether, Blanche and I.
Ned Sullivan had passed LII his res-
ignation and was going to an ayia-
| ton detachment down south sone-
where and little Mae Clement told
me In strictast confidence that they
had lately become engaged.
Nell and Joe, who though really III
love with each other, were always
failing out" had made up and life
was like a sweet love song again for
them.
Even our middle-aged collector,
who was twice widower, had sig
nifled his intentions Of marrying his
! landlady.
homance, romance everywherei
Hnt not breath Of It touched my
life.
Here was I, Nora Monahan. first
assistant to the president, around
whom nearly everything had always
reyolved, outside the pale OF 1t alll
Just then Mr. Maglone, the president
Of the firm, came out and stood by my
desk.
Much work. Miss Monahan?" he In
quired with his usual breylty.
"Why. yes, I'm really swamped,"
confessed.
OF course he had to come out at the
precise minute when | WASN'T occupy
1 Ing myself. That always happens to
me. might be working like Tro-
! jan all morning and stop for just a
seconds hilarity-and got caught. The
others, for instance. have all the fun
| they want when "the cats away and
when he appears on the scene every
thing Is serene and quiet. OF course
! really don't care. but 1t gives one d
wrong impression sometimes, you
know. Anyway, i've always consoled
myself that confession is good far the
soul" so I remarked very casually.
s'Tve really q mountnin of work ahead
of me, but somehow / can't seem to
concentrate today.
'No wonder he said. half under his
breath. with all the excitement and
pandemonium that's existing around
here these last few days. don't think
I ever struck such thoroughly roman
tic place In my lifel'
I looked up rather In surprise. Mr..
Maglone is usually very brief. lie Is
one of the finest and keenest business
men | have ever met, and he never
! mixes business with sociability, SO |
was even more astonished when he
cried, glancsng at the flowers on my
desk, "Don't tell me that you are fol-
lowing In the wake Of all the others.
IIas some gay Lothario sent you
thoseY'
Mercy, mol" laughed FLOWERS
are my one extravaganza. Haven't you
ever noticed? I have always at least
one posy on my desk, even in the dead
of winter"
"Sure they don't come from anybody
else?'
"Of course mott I've wrapped my
self up In nay work so much that I've
never had time to think Of anyone
even Ii anyone had shown any interest,
which they haven'tw
SIN glad of that and he left me
abruptly and went back to the pri
| vate office.
| Selfish brutoW cried to myself,
| although have always held an admi-
ration and respect for him, which has
| amounted almost to reverence. He's
afraid II | 90 he won't get anybody to
plug as hard as I have for his paltry
$18 per r.
But was mistaken, for when was
putting away my ledger after the 9TH
ers had gone, he said to me quietly,
almost gently, sDout you ever grow
weary OF the perpetual grind Of your
| work?'
'Oh, sometimes" I answered care
lessly, jabbing my pin yiciously into
my hat.
"You seem SO much of home-body
that I'm surprised somebody hasn't
captured you long before this"
Nobody has ever cared enough"
answered truthfuly enough, as I
thought, "and never let 1t bother me"
Somebody has cared very, very
| much,'' he said seriously, and then to
my utter astonishment, there he was.
telling me what a lonely life he led, de-
| spite his luxurious, exclusive clubs and
how much he had always longed for
| simple, unpretentlous home with
somebody who really cared.
And quite before j knew 1t was
! telling him how utterly weary was
OF boarding in the city and how often
my thoughts had wandered back to our