, 1919-12-04
Uncluttering
a Soul
BY FLORA A. MONTY


Isobel Newton deliberately ruffied
her smoothly coiffed hair with he
petulance of weary womanhood.
"Oh, I'm tired-tired to death !" was
her involuntary confession to herself.
The room was cluttered; her desk
was cluttered her mind vas cluttered.
For the working place of an efficient
young woman, the office was in a sad
state, and it seemed to make a mute
appeal for the relief of broom and
dustcloth.
The busy disorder of things seemed
to cramp her soul, and she had a vague
feeling that by waging war on the
tangible disarray and eliminating as
much as she could of things she would
regain the mental freedom so neces-
sary to the wise carrying on of her
business affairs.
Isobel was a working girl of the kind
that get paid for working. She con-
tended that all girls worked-some at
the job of earning a salary, some at the
ungrateful task of housekeeping and
some at the steady grind of society.
Isobel professed to loathe the latter
two kinds, but today the impatient de-
sire for physical action became domi-
nant in her mind and insisted on ex-
preston.
From the only little used drawer of
her desk she distracted an apron of
the coverall variety and a cap that was
rakishly prim. They covered her busi-
ness attire with a completeness that
seemed to invest her with a new aura,
and she began to be pleased with her.
self for indulging in the very tenn
porary experiment of 'housework."
Her efforts successfully dislodged
the dust that the recent wind had
brought, and piece by piece she was
looking over the papers and letters on
her desk. grimly determined to destroy
every one that her for once elastic pru-
dence would allow.
With an almost reckless disregard of
consequence, she tore paper after pa
per, the crisp rasp soothing her nerves
like magic; and she worked faster and
faster, tossing the torn bits high, for
the pleasure of watching them float
softly to the w~astebasket. Isobel
laughed softly, then began humming as
she worked.
An important contract, some re-
ceipts, a bill or two, and several or
ders were placed on top the desk, as
they required the first attention of her
clear thinking mind when she should
settle back once more to her orderly
routine.
So busy was she hat Austin Stat
ford, whose office was across the mar
row hall, gazed at her in unobserved
amazement as he paused by her door
a moment. The busy, efficient Miss
Newton, the unsentimental. indepen-
den w~age-earner, who ignored any
%gallantries a man might offer as coolly
as one looked through space, seemed
vastly emo from the dusty maid
who was flushed and smiling and sing
Ing.
With a wisdom rare in n man, where
the worshiped woman is concerned. he
refrained from speaking to her. and
went quietly on with his errand before
she could detect him watching her.
Out from the depths of his big heart
crept a tiny Seeding of hope. The
sight of Isobel in human garb," as he
mentally classified her apron and cap,
was like the mellow warmth of the
u on the desire he had buried deep.
Not that he would require her to be a
drudge If he married her. but he want
ed the assurance that his wife would
have the instincts of real womanhood.
The Miss Newton with whom he had
had business associations was prac-
teal and shrewd in a well-bred but
manly" way.
Stafford always reproached himself
when he thought of Isobel as manly"
for her manner, under every circum.
stance. was quiet decorum but he re-
scented hugely the spirit of equality
she always managed to put into their
relations. He wanted to look up to her.
He believed that a man should always
have to rise to a woman. but In spite
of his dissatisfaction with her career,
he felt his heart gradually going to
her, due, though he did not understand
it, to his subconsclous recognition of
her hidden qualities.
A sudden gust of wind from the open
window lifted the pile of documents
that Isobel had placed ready for in
spection. and gleefully flung them
about the room for a moment, then out
4 the door, and scuttling across the hall
into the office directly opposite.
With an impatient exclamation Iso-
bel pursued them, madly waving her
dustcloth in wasted effort. Giving hur
rled thanks that Mr.. Stoddard was
temporarily out of his office, she gath
cred up her papers, which were now
quite scattered and lay like tired
children at various places about the
room. They were all there but the I'm
portant contract. That she u have
as her signature was required before
the day was over.
In snme nerturhat tim she looked