The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1919-03-21
THE MAJORS AIDE
-
BY MARIE MCDONALD.

stenOgraphlc room and the arr0y
| dropped to No. %.
] "Miss Greedy, take that assignment
to Major Watson" called the chic
stenographer. And as further instruC
lions: IF It's the major himself, Mis-
Greedy, be very careful. He's a fas
dictator; but for ysur sake l hope III
his aide"
For Dorothy Greedy was a new
stenographI>. and the chief was awart
Of the fact that new stenOgraphers are
timid. This stenographer was no ex
ception to the rule, and her face
blanched bit as she reached into heI
top drawer for her notebook and pei.
ell. How she hoped II would be the
aide, whom all the girls liked SO we'll
"RoOm II 818," the cOlored messen-
ger had told her, and she went hunting
for II. BY the time she was at II 317
she was shivering and pale, and wish
ing sincerely that she had never left
her snug little home in Ohio to come
to Washington, Just to show certain
folks that she could earn her own liv-
Ing She wasn't so sure now that she
didn't want 1t earned for her.
II 1881 She took a deep breath !;
then she tossed her head In the air and
walked into the Office with the air of
On experienced worker. Her attempt
at calmness succeeded well as she
placed chair beside Major Watson's
desk, sat down, crossed her knees and
poised her notebook in readiness on
her upper knee.
And then 1t began. Major Watson
dictated-heavens how he dictated
Poor Dorothy's hand flew across line
after line, writing mechanically, for
her brain refused to think anything
but maddening round OF "Wonder IL
l can read it-wonder IL / can read
m"
She did not realize II was over until
the major said. II told you that will
be all" "Oh-er, all right" she stam-
mered, and rose. So back to the general
stenographic room she went, for trans
cription. When she opened her note
book a terrible sight met her eyes.
There was a tumble Of meaningless
scrawls, a chaos Of feverish strokes.
Duly she took out paper and carbon.
arranged 1t and placed II in her ma
chine. Then started the transcription
slow, nerve-racking transcription,
which took all Dorothy's power of |
memory and all her intuitlve clever
ness to exc out the meaning of the
hideous notes. But the transcription
gradually grew and her courage began
to return as she found her work be-
coming little more consecutive and
legible.
The minutes pissed, and the hours,
and when the fourth hour came she
was just starting the fifteenth sheet,
with only another page of notes to be
She breathed a sigh Of
relief as she inserted the paper in her
and looked once more at
the notebook to study out the next
few words.
Twice she looked, and then again,
while her forehead wrlnkled In little
)erplexed frown. For fully ten min,
ties Dorothy studied the outline and
hose around II, but no inspiration
anne. 1t was hopeless. :,
miss Wheeler" she whispered.
Hiss Wheeler was the girl at her left
ather pleasant-looking girl to be
ure, but Dorothy did not relish her
ask of confiding In her. However,
Hiss Wheeler's smile made 1t easier,
nd Dorothy whispered: II can't read
his phrase in Major Watson's dlcta.
on."
"What system do you writer" Miss
Wheeler asked. But the name of the .
Estem was unknown to Miss Wheeler :
nd there was no hope. Miss Wheeler =
nd been a new stenographer herself, !
owever, but couple of months be- r
re, and she remembered her first ex. .,
srience with Major Watson's dicta- =
on, and she was sympathetic. TELL !.
~ what you can do" she said at last. :,
lou go In to his aide, the lieutenant n,
the next room. and read to him -
hat goes before that. All Major Wat +,
MS work goes through him. and he ;.
onld probably know Just what the 10
aJor said there, or at least would
We pretty good substitute"
But that would be a terrible thing RI
do. wouldn't itf-tell the aide that I n,
nj read my hottest" he
Heavens. nor Miss Wheeler as u
red her. ~The poor fellow il used to az
by now. Every new stenographer ms
es in to him with her first dIctation no
M the major. don't believe there An
one girl here who hasn't had Inn
p her with her notes at least once. M
ahead-he's fine fellow and will ON
Just as courteous as Gun be to you. fsl
20 Dorothy went. slowly, tremulous- sot
to II $40, and opened the door. Her n,
> were on her notebook and her ,,t,
.eks little red with embarrass- Nv
ut. She walked to the desk. @Could mi,
l-er--" She raised her eyes to the 10
ltenant's face and met his staring - :
D hers. -
Harry" -