Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-01-31
Chantar TX

HAVE referred to the jealousy
| of men; their Jealousy tIs;aiy S Of WON m
bowed them out of positions
they might have held but for them.
| was to experience this in a way
which for a time almost dishearten-
ed me SO anxious had l been to NIL
my position acceptably.
Hayden Dodge, a man in the Office,
had from the first seemed to resent
my being associated with Mr.. Ste
vens in my capacity as private sec
retary-a position he had expected to
have. This I did not know. He had
been q sort of assistant to all three
heads of the firm. He was an irasct-
BILE sort of man who was continual
yet who was in a way valuable be-
cause of his knowledge of the ousl-
ness.
1 had been so intent upon my
work, so interested that I had really
paid little attention to either him
at or his actions. If 1 thought, OF
him at all it was as a man with a
perpetual crouch and to wonder a
little what caused it.
Then one morning | discovered he
disliked me because of the contiden-
tial position L held with the firm;
that innocently L had excited + the e
man who, 1 now honestly believe,
blamed me as the cause of his non
advancement.
l was to learn that even a re-
sponsible position, devotion to one
work. does not protect one from the
unpleasant results of jealousy and
envy. OF course l know this often
happens between men; that one man
will be envious of another's advance
ment. But i'll my case was added
the feeling that woman had taken
the place he coveted. This made him
doubly sore at its loss.
1t came upon me like an uneX7
pected blow-the harm this man did
me primarily because of my sex. |
still believe had 1 been a man ne
might have grumbled a little, then
accepted the inevitable. | realize
now that from the beginning this
man had been my enemy, had waited
his time to GUST me from my posi-
ton OF trust.
Mr.. Dodge, while not taking orders
from me. was really below me in au-
thority and received less salary than
| did, two things he considered I'M
just. If we women are apt to over
rate our abilities it is also true that
men underrate them. SO Hayden
Dodge sneered at my business acu-
men, and--Waited.
Then came his opportunity.
In the morning mail had been a
marked it for Mr.. Stevens personal
attention. then had been Immediately
called from the desk.
I was gone about half an hour
Upon my return the letter was gone.
and had I given it any thought 1T all
| should have decided that Mr.. Stew
ems had laid it away for future ref
erence or had retained it.
Later it was to be brought to my
attention in a Tery unpleasant man
ner.
l was with Mr.. Stevens. The 6ocr
of the office opened and Hayden
Dodge came in, letter in his hand.
81 found this on the floor with the
rubbish. 1t had evidently fallen from
some waste basket. 1 looked at the
postmark and saw that it came to.
day: Are you sure .vor had finished
your mark upon it,
Knowing the Importance of the let
ter I YES terribly embarrassed and
annoyed. How could I have been so
careless.
Yes, 1 marked it for Mr., Stevens
inn! ediate attention, and supposed
that he bad it when I did not see it
on my desk. I am very sorry" ]
turned to my employer. when I
got up I may have br Lshed it off into
the basket, although 1 scarcely see
how J could and not know it
81 am sorry. too" MI. Stevens re-
turned sharply, 81 have been wonder
ing al, day why We had not heard
from these people. Thank you, DODGE.
it was fortunate you found it. Ii may
mean the saving Of a great deal d
money"
Then he turned 10 me: please be
more careful in the future, Miss Nor
rison. Such mistakes, any careless
ness, is apt to prove costly"
It had been the first fault found
with re, but judging from MIR. Stew