Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-07-04
The
"Non-Essential
By Elliott Morse Worthington
.pyrlght. lgIs. Weatern Newspaper UNION

were uOL-eSSelljldlS II was IL
Gus how promptly each fitted himself
into another position more in accord
nee with the views of the govern
ment. The result of a city-spread
propaganda was Il scarcity of substl-
tutes. Only one elevator was running
Monday morning and delayed office
tenants began to grumble.
The agent Of the building was in a
%quandary of distress. Men were not
to be secured at Il days notice, and
he told his troubles to the chief clerk
of the bank. The latter was a prac-
teal patriot. Inside of an hour he
had invaded the room, given over TO
the typists and adding machine forces.
young ladies'" he said. It" an
nounce a possible variation in your
labors for a day OR two. We must
impress into service six substitutes for
our retired elevator conductors. Our
starter will give ample instruction,
and to the variety and novelty of the
occasion will be added double pay.
Who ,enlists for the good OF their
country"
A dozen willing enthusiasts crowd
ed forward and Myra Davenport was
crowded back. The elevators were
"womaned" and by noon the devoted
sextette was in fine command of the
smoothly running, exquisitely safe
guarded lifts. The depletion of the
usual force kept the other girls three
hours beyond the regular quitting
time, and it was nearly six when
while passing the elevators, her
friend, Alma Drury, conductress,
hailed Myra.
"Oh, Myra! come here a minute,
will your she cried out. Don't you
want to take my place tomorrow"
81 would be proud to" replied Myra.
"My sister brought me word this aft
ernoon that Ned Warren, to whom
am engaged, is coming in the morn
ing to say good-by before navy duty"
explained, Alma. you look disap-
pointed when they cid not select you
to run one of the elevators, so you
can take my place tomorrow, if you
wish to-"
Myra was stirred up with the nov
city of the occasion and made foui
trips. "I,H run it up and down alone
lust for practice" She said, and Myra
made her first Independent ascent
She shivered a little as she allowed
thaakevator to run wei a foot above
floor. Its top Jared agains'
AGupport Then she paIed .
trifie, for all her efforts failed to low
err the car.
Myra vas fairly frightened as she
sought to unlock ard roll back the
door. 1t stuck fast. She bent all her
force to move it, but budged it so
suddenly that she fell half out of the
car, her head struck its edge and she
lay insensible.
"The mischief what is this?" ut
tered a young man, reaching the top
step of the last stairway and observ-
ing the m0tionless figure of the young
girl. The pr%esentnient puzzled him,
but lifting Myra in his arms he car
ried her through the open doorway of
an office and placed Aer upon a couch,
neXt to a great armchair in which a
little, golden-hafred child lay coiled up
asleep. Then Warren Bliss wetted a
towel and applied it to the bruise on
Myra's forehead. SIZE reused up fin
ally.
"Oh! where am II What has hap
pened?" she f1uttered, and then, re-
assured at the sight of the lovely lit
| %Io oh:l1 che frio6 70 he NnnnnCp6
Bliss told her of how he had discov-
cred her and she re counted the story
of her escapade.
He smiled symps thizingly at the
recital, and as she arose to go, utter
ing her thanks for his kindly aid, he
said:
"a happy thought has come to me
| Miss Davenport. 1 am an architect,
and have been struggling with the
typewriter to get out twenty pages of
specifications that must leave In the
first morning mail. / arranged to sit
up all night over the task, and my lit
tie motherless one here begged to stay
with me. 1 have ordered supper from
a restaurant, and as you are a typist,
you could m~arvelOusly help me out OF
my trouble, if you VIII. The benefit to
myself would be inestimable, and as
to the recompense It would be worth
a great deal to me. My little daugh-
ter will keep you company. You two
shall be rulers supreme over the coy
inner office there, while l retrace and
perfect the plans"
The little girl awoke. Instantly she
was interested in Myra, who tele-
phoned to her mother that she had an
opportunity for soma night work. The
supper arrived. Then Myra sat down
to her task. At daylight Mr.. Bliss or
dered a taxicab, the important docu-
ments were mailed In time, he insist
ed on seeing Myra to her home, be-
came acquainted with her mother, and
after his departure Mrs. Davenport
found a twenty-dollfr bill on the table.