The Pensacola journal., 1919-07-20
Helen fs Ruled by Her Sympathy Whsn
Sho Engages a stenoarapher
For Warren.

For Warren
by Jove, I forgot those stenographers
were coming this morning; I've got to be
IN court by eleven"
And you wrote them to call before
twelve" demonstrated Helen.
Cant help it. They'll have to come
back again. I'll leave word with the of-
flee boy"
Dear, that isn't right to ask those
poor girls to spend their time and car
fare that way"
That's right" admitted Warren. "but
what can 1 do? Look here" suddenly.
what's the matter with you going down
ard seeing them?'
'T?" in dismay. why, / wouldn't
know how to engage stenographer."
You picked out the letters. Know as
much about them / do
But the work-your requirements?
How could tell about?
Just general office work. Give them
test letter IL you want to; you can tell
IL they get IL down and copy it all right.
Helen protested that she was not COM
petent to interview these girls, but IN
his usual masterful way, Warren swept
acide all her objections. and insisted on
her being there by eleven.
Now pick sensible looking one-not
the frowsy- haired, gum m-chewing kind"
as he started off. mot too much face
powder. either. and no scent.
Hurriedly Helen made out her order
for the grocer. telephoned the butcher,
left some information with Nora ana by
a quarter after ten was dressed for the
street.
When she reached warren's office it
was with a pleasant feeling Of import
ance and OF intense interest for the in
teTview before her.
Fortunately she had read magazine
story not long ago in which a woman
detective. posing as a stenographer, Sc
cured position with lawyer suspect
ed of drawing up a fraudulent will. And
Helen remembered wildly just how that
lawyer interviewed the supposed ste
ncgrapher.
She found two young women already
waiting. Asking which one had come
first, she showed her into Warrens pri-
vate office.
Mr. Curtis was very sorry that he had
to be in court this morning. Helen ex-
claimed almost apologetically, so he has
asked me to see you
The girl. who seemed very nervous,
looked surprised.
''I believe you've been in a lawyers
office" questioned Helen. trying to hiGe
her own nervousness.
"Oh, yes, / was three years with Tai
hot g. Moore. They never give written
references, but you can telephone them
about my work.
After few more questions that War
ren had suggested about filing, indexing.
and familiarity with law work, Helen
asked rather hesitatingly:
Would you mind taking a short let
ter? / think you'n find a notebook AMI
pencil here" opening the drawer of the
typewriter desk.
Helen knew that Warren dictated
rather fast, but as she saw the girls
hand tremble she read the letter slowly.
1t was short letter that Warren had
left on the desk for her for test.
III xL.sw~
transcribe her notes, Helen looked over
some papers so that she would not feol
she was being watched.
She was a good typist. for the letter
was well typed and spaced. the only
mistakes being a few typographical on-s
due to nervousness.
On the back of the letter Helen male
note OF the girls name and address,
her expression, and her impression
of her. Neat. willing, appropriately
dressed"
There's a lot of others I must see
before engaging anyone. murmurred
Helen embarrassedly, but I have your
address. and will let you know
The girl looked disappointed, she had
plainly hoped for a decision
As she went out the office boy who
was much interested in the proceedings
promptly ushered in the next applicant
With the first glance Helen knew that
she did not like this girl Just the way
she sat down and looked about showed
her assertiveness. She plainly resented
Helen and did not trouble to conceal IT
But her experience and references were
excellent. She took the letter. which
Helen purposeIy dict ted rather fast,
without a sign OF nervousness and tran
seribed ii quickly and accurately There
was not even a typographical error and
yet on the back OF the letter Helen
wrote: "A good stenographer. but think
she would be very aSSertiya
Helen had heard the outer door open
and close several times and knew that
there were other girls waiting
The one who entered now was q
frivolous young person with large black
hat. very narrow black skirt quanti-
ties OF puffed hair and a pert, powdered
nose.
But I-Mr. Curtis did not answer
any letters except from those who'd ex-
perience in legal work exclaimed Helen
puzzled. when the girl admitted that she
mad never been in a lawyers office
Oh, / was sent by the Wilson En-
pioyment Agency
But how did they know that Mr.. Cur
It's wanted a stenographer?" for War
rem had spoke Of answering no letters
from any agency.
Il guess they wrote under some girls
name. They do sometimes
That this was exactly what had been
done had been proven by the next three
applicants who admitted they were al
from Wilson's agency
In marked contrast TO these young and
inexperienced girls. there now entered
woman OF about thirty-five. she was
small and painfully thin Her sharp fea-
lures, angular TO the point of gaunti-
ness
The clothes OF some of the others had
looked worn. yet Helen had not had this
impression OF desperate need No. IT
was not the clothes and certainly moth
Ins that she said, for her answers were
most reserved.
she had had two years experience i'm
eEaI work, and many years in wholesale
hardware, she took the letter and tran
sCrlDeQ IL aCCurafelN She 4