The Lamar register., 1919-04-30
THE MAJORS AIDE
BY MARIE MCDONALD.

dropped to No. %.
Miss Greedy. take that assignment
to Major Watson" called the chile
s,enograpber. And as further instruc
tic.,.: "If IT'S the major himself. Miss
| Greedy, be very careful. He's a fast
dictator: but for your sake hope its
| his aide"
| For Dorothy Greedy was new
stenographer. and the chief was aware
OF the fact that new stenOgraphers are
timld. This stenographer was no ex,
| ceptloh to the rule. and her face
blanched bit as she reached Into her
top drawer for her notebook and PEN
ell. How she hoped II would be the
aide. whom all the girls liked so well
Room Fl 31s." the cOlored messen-
ger had told her. and she went hunting
for It, BY the time she was at II SIT
she was shivering and pale, aud wish
Ing sincerely that she had never left
her snug little home In Ohio to come
10 Washington, just to show certatp
folks that she could earn her own Nv
Ing. She wasn't so sure now that she
didn't want II earned for her.
II 3ls, She took deep breath
then she tossed her head In the air and
walked Into the office with the air Of
an experienced worker, Her sttesapt
at calmness succeeded well a. she
placed Il chair beside Matog, watson's
desk. sat down. crossed her knees and
poised her notebook IN readiness. on
her upper knee.
And then II began, Major Watson
acknowledgements. how he dictated
Poor poEothy's hand fiew across line
aftsr line. writing mechanically, for
her brain refused t. think anything
hut a maddenms round of "wonder II
l can read i.s-Monder II can read
itr
She asd s9t realize 1t was over until
the nftor said. ~ told you that viii
bs ell" "Oh-er. all right. she STAN
mered1 and rose. So bach to the General
Nepographic room she went. for traps-
cription. When she opened her p6te-
book a terrfble sight met her eyes.
Th.s- was tumble of meaningless
scrawis, 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 Dorothys power 81
memory and all her intuitive clever
ness to exc out the meaning Of the
bIdeous notes. Bat the transcription
gradually grew and her courage began
10 return us she found her work he
coming u little more consecutive and
iegible.
The minutes passed. and the hours,
and when the fourth hour came she
was Just starting the fifteenth sheet.
with only another page Of notes to be
| transcribed. She breathed u sigh OF
| relief as she Inserted the paper in her
typewriter and looked once more at
| ,se notebook to study out the next
| few words.
| Twice she looked. and then again
/ While her forehead wrinkled In little
perpIexed frown. For fully ten min
4 utes Dorothy studied the outline and
those around IL. but no Inspiration
came. 1t was hopeless.
Miss Wheeler" she whispered
Miss Wheeler was the girl Mt her left
rather u pleasant-looking girl to be
sure. but Dorothy did not relish hel
usk of confiding In her. However
Miss Wheeler's smile made II easier
and Dorothy whispered: 81 can't reat
this phrase In Major Watson's dicta
ton"
what system do you writer Mis-
Wheeler asked. But the name OF thu
system was unknown TO Miss Wheele
and there was no hope. Miss Wheele
had been new stenographer herself
| however, but IA couple of months be
fore, and she remembered her first ex
perIence with Major Watson's dicta
ton, and she was sympathetic. Tel
you what you can do" she said ut last
: You go In to his aide. the lieutenan
In the next room. and read to hin
; what goes before that. All Major Wat
, sons work goes through him. and h
=, would probably know just what tn
major said there. or at least woul
give a pretty good substitute"
"But that would be a terrible thin
TO do. wouldn't itf-tell the aide that
can't read my notesf'
Heavens. moi" Miss Wheeler al
y sured her. '"rhe poor fellow is used
v IL by now. Every new stenographe
4 goes in to him with her first dictatio
a from the major. / don't believe ther