The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-10-06
Married Life

Helen Calls at Warren,s Office and His
Stenographer Resents Her
Interference.
"Out ninei" called the elevator man
as the car stopped with a sickening
lurch, and he changed open the iron
door.
Helen stepped out and turned to the
left down the long marbled hall. She
came SO rarely to Warren's office that
the atmosphere of the great office
| building always impressed her.
Howe & Eldridge, Stocks and
Bonds" "R. L. Drake & Co., Subur-
| ban Real Estate "w J. Barnes &
Son, Insurance." read the lettering on
the ground glass doors, from behind
which came the sound OF clicking
typewriters Then-927-" Warren e.
Curtis, Counselor at Law"
There was no one in the front office
but as Helen closed the door, Miss
Perry, the stenographer, appeared
from the room beyond.
TN sorry Mr.. Curtis isn't here, -
stiffly, as she recognized Helen, but
he said he'd be back by three"
Then I'll watt passing in to his
private office with a little air OF pro-
prietorship which the stenographer
was quick to resent.
Helen felt her resentment without
realizing it's cause. She had been here
only a few times, yet she knew this
girl did not like her.
Business Disorder.
Miss Perry returned to her type
writer in the back room. Helen took
the revolving chair before Warren's
desk and gazed around with the inter-
est which she always felt in every
thing here.
While the Uttered confusion OF the
place outraged her sense of order, yet
there was in it all an atmosphere Of
busy, important activity that always
thrilled her.
The strewn desk, the overlooking
pigeon holes, the shelves of letter files,
the safe with "W. E. Curtis lettered
over the heavy doors-all this was
part of Warren's life in which she had
no share. With eager interest she
took in every detail.
A mass of letters and papers COW
cred the desk, the telephone was on
one drawn out leaf, some unopened
mail on the other. There seemed no
space left to write. How could he
work among such disorder? Helen
longed to straighten and dust, yet
feared she might mislay something.
But his stenographer. she thought
Indignantly, why could she not keep
his desk in order? She knew where
everything belonged. Why did she not
file these letters. and clean out those
crowded pigeon holes and put a freth
blotter in place of this ink stained one
and wash out the ink-stand, blackened
with dust and dried ink?
IF Warren would not tell her to do
these things she would! With deter
mined courage Helen went into the
back room.
Miss Perry, would you like me to
send you down some dust clothes? Mr..
Curtis desk looks So disorderly and
dusty. I'm sure he'd appreciate 1t II
you'd straighten 1t up for him.
mr.. Curtis doesn't wish me to
touch his DESK" returned Miss Perry.
Jelly. He can never find anything If
anyone else puts it away
But surely you file the 1etters?"
II file them when he gives them to
me-" returned Miss Perry, with unmis-
taken animosity.
HeIen's Jealousy.
Helen went back into Warren's Of
flee with a feeling almost of dislike
for this girl. AS she sat down again
at the desk, the phone beside her
buzzed imperatively. She took down
the receiver but put 1t back as She
heard the stenogra pher answer It from
the extension outside
mo. Mr.. Curtis isn't in, but I'm ex-
pecting him every moment - Hyde &
Bennett? I think he heard from them
today. Hold the wire"
Miss Perry hurried in and with an
officious air looked through a pile Of
letters on the desk before Helen, then
switched out again and back to the
phone.
mo, I don't see it. Mr.. Curtis may
have 1t with him. Yes. I'll have him
call you you. Very well. Good bye"
This incident served only to increase
Helen's vague jealousy of Miss Perrys
familiarity with SO much of Warrens
life, Of which she knew nothing.
There was a quick step in the outer
office and Warren hurried in.
Hello! You here?''
Then without second glance to-
ward her he took some papers from
his pocket and called: Miss Perry"
Miss Perry appeared at the door.
Get me that brief on the Phillips
case, and get out the carbon of the
letter you wrote yesterday to Norris
& Whimple. Anyone call up?"
Eyes, Mr.. Whiting just called and
wants you to call him" 4.
Anything e1se?'
Mr.. Leonard was here soon after
you left. He said he'd try to get in
about five"
Now make three copies Of this"
taking another paper from his pocket,
you see that first clause is out And