The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1919-05-15
INITIATIVE
BY LOUISE PERKINS.
Copyright, 1918. by Mcclure NewsD
Synddc4te.)

Syn6dc4te)
For the first time since Lurine WA
liams had left her home to make hea
way in the business world, she was ou
Of job. She looked at the MATES
seRsibly. too, remarkably sensibly fo
so young girl, for In spite Of the fac
that she had been q successful and
very businesslike stenographer to a
important and well-known man for thS
past five years. she was barely twenty
two. She had worked hard to CON
plete her business course before thi
small pittance she had saved was en-
hausted. And it was by sheer perse
verance and hard work that she had
gained and held her first position.
Now, just as she was becoming surt
Of herself and her job, her employei
had sold out his business interests alt
had gone West to avoid the breakdewI
which his physician had said was In
evitable.
For the past week Lurine had
searched the want lads" eagerly, bui
In vain. Today there was one. Me-
Hill, of Loring, Hill & Judson, was In
need Of private secretary. It was
position that any stenographer In tha
city would have been glad to accept
but Lurine knew only too well, as did
no doubt a score Of other wouldibs
secretaries, that being the best laR
firm In the city 1t was the very hardest
to gain access to, and Mr.. Hill 50 ru.
NOR said, was the most e1acting Of the
trio. But once girl was admitted to
those sacred precincts her success waa
assured. Certainly it was worth try.
Ing, and Lurine was experienced. Fiva
years should count for something.
An hour later Lurine arrived at the
Office, very nervous and somewhat
breathless. only to be told by stony.
faced middle-aged woman, evidently
one Of the clerks, that Mr.. Hu vN
busy and II she was an applicant that
he wasn't interviewing anyone under
twenty-five.
As she was whirred down In the
swift elevator glance into the rneret'
less mirror showed her how hopeless
ly young and small she looked. Hew
ever. the luxurious and digniled st
mosphere Of the Office she had just left
made her dissatisfied with any other
possibilities. Besides" she told her
self as she walked back to her dingy
little apartment In the cool spring air,
anything worth having is worth work.
Ing for"
Early that afternoon Lurine again
visited the beautifully furnished Office
that had become ideal with her. The
same clerk admitted her a second time.
but surely she saw no resemblance n
the cool. self-possessed little gray.
haired woman to the extremely young
and very nervous girl she had so re-
Gently refused admittance to. This
time, to Lurine's surprise, she ushered
her into Mr.. Hills private sanctum.
Mr. Hills trained eye appraised her
swiftly and she felt from the first that
she was making favorable impres.
sion. He asked her few perfunctory
questions, dictated letter or two and
then informed her in his calm, even
voice, which she soon learned was ha-
bitual with him, that she would do.
Through the hot summer months
that followed the little gray-haired,
spectacled lady worked diligently In
Mr.. Hlll's employ, always carrying out
his wishes, often anticipating them.
Suddenly one day early in the fall
Mr.. Hill announced that he was to be
one Of the participants In the Liberty
loan campaign. and that he would be
obliged to leave her In sole charge Of
his personal affairs during that time
1t was then that her Characteristic
honesty compelled her to tell him Of
her ruse and that he was leaving hia
business in the hands Of girl Of TWEEN:
ty-two and not a middle-aged woman.
There was gleam Of amusement In
his eyes as he replied: Did you Mink
50 shallow a disguise as yours cSu0
deceive as keen q lawyer as your e9-
ployer has the reputation Of beingf !
knew 1t from the first. Two q yssf
wrinkles disappeared during your trial
Hctation. 1t was your ingenuity and
initiative that got you the posidon2my
dear young lady, and It fs the sams
two qualities that assure tho safety oE
ny business in jour handsI", ST
i is q well.knowa fact n the hsd.
ness circles Of that eity that Mr.. Hills
secretary is a treasure, bat SnsvSttAs:
less Il is stu something II q mystery
- them that he ever came to intrux
his affairs to 50 young q girl.
First AIrplane Fatality.