The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-09-24
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Help Wanted.
Copyright, 1919, by tne Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate)

y
Eh? Yes, bookkeeping and making up
the payroll. Eighteen to start. II he's
pretty smart might give him TWEEN
tyn
sorry, Judge, came the answer
from Layton's Business Agency. "WeI
haven't any one on our books except
ing Miss Preston and Miss Andrews
and Mist"
Don't want no wlmmen folks" re-
peated the Judge fatty. Cant abide
EN-. There amt woman in the mill.
Layton, and we've got to allow them
boys some leeway and latitude. If II
out female in the office they'll have
Z % sit straight and talk soft and keep
their hats off, and summers coming
on, and l can't risk 1t. Huh? You'll
recommend her yourself? Nope. Had
trouble before. They make more
worry round the place and upset eV-
erybodys comfort. Send me out Al
good steady-going young man and
I'll take him"
That was Wednesday afternoon,
and promptly at the following morn
ing, when the thin black line OIL
workers filed through the high board
entrance to the mills, Kate Preston
waited her chance to follow them,
nodding to Jimmy Ryan as he passed
by grinning, in his fathers madeover
trousers, and smiling at all the other
little chaps from the brass finished
department.
rs that the office over there?"
she asked the timekeeper finally, and
the Judge, just climbing down from
his husky little roadster, heard her.
and bristled instantly.
Kate stood unflinchingly until hel
had finished telling her his general
and conclusive opinion of women
workers, and when he had finished, sheI
smiled at him. 1t was no propitia-
tory smile; no wheedling smile. I'll
was comradely and sympathetic.
you'd better try me Judge" She
said calmly. Help is scarce every
where, and it isn't very desirableI
place, you know. Mr.. Layton says
you're pretty hard to suit. It's long
way back to town, and l cane Gu:
last night I've taken a room up att
Mrs. Ryan's for week, and IL you
don't mind I'll just go in and Try it
anyway"
Before the Judge had recovered his
! presence of mind she was already inl
The office and had her hat off. Hell
watched her warily. Rollins, the as
sIsiant bookkeeper, received herI
friendly greeting with grunt, taking
his cue from the boss"
Old Man Adams, the purchasing
agent, gave her one long, appraisng
l1ok over his glasses, smiled and
went on opening mail, Sam Doty. the
Judges own special messenger and
long suffering office slave, looked
scared when she took the judges old
alpaca coat off its accustomed hook
and hung her own cloak there.
Yet she stayed. Day after day
passed, while the Judge was groucnyl
and ungIacious to her she kept herI
place and made good. Gradually S!eI
iifteI burdens from his shoulders,
looking after the filing, the personal
mail, the telephone orders, classify
ing, smoothing, organizing until even
Adams would cough and beam ap-I
prevail on her. pretty likely young
woman" he Ventured one day, and
the judge grinned back appreciatfVe-I
exceptions always proves the rule.
Adams" he said. Don't spoil her"
She had been there nearly twoI
months, and in that time Jimmy had
gossfped with her and so had his
mother. She was told of the shadow
that hung over the factory, how Bob
Dexter had come home from college
and had been in the way. The Judge
had frankly not wanted to be bother
< ed with him. He wanted to run his
own business.
Thine enough when pass along,
Bob" he had said testify. I'VE don't
need you down here"
"And the Judge missed bunch Of
money one day " Jimmy finished up.
"Pay day the cash comes from the
bank In new bills, and he had three
$1,000 bills himself, and they was
stolen, and he says Bob took EN-, and
Bob never come back"
'aToo bad" Kate smiled and for
got all about the story until one day
IS she took down her own cloak the
Judges old gray alpaca coat took
another tumble from its adjacent peg.
and as she lifted it she felt the stiff
arnmple of new bills in the inner pock-
ct. There were three of them-nlce,
bright, brand-new bank notes. She
looked down at them half sadly and
walked slowly over to the judges lit
lie inner room and laid them before
oim.
@There they are" she said gently,
Hadn't you better let me telephone
sHow the devil did you ever find
hem2" demanded the Judge joyous
~ came to find them, Judge Dew
ser," Kate told him seriously, sitting
on the edge Of his desk. Bob told
ne all about 1t after we became en-
gagged, and how hopeless it was try
ing to make you know they must be
light under your nose around here
some place. He couldn't come and
lock for them so came. Do YOU
mind very much?"
The Judge glanced warily out, but
Adams was out and the office was in
It's Afternoon lull Of quiet, He laid the
three bills back in her hand.
Take the pesky things, my dear"
he said huskily, land call up Bob and
tell him for me he's got more sense
han his old dad"