American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-01-17
Discharging
The Editor

@0
81 Una BARLoWR

days that Olive ClaRgett had called In
the Office Of Bennett Stokes. the man
aging editor, and she was well aware
that her resulting feeling of embar-
rn&amept was caused by something
more than the fact that she had come
on mn errund, inc ssaslred result Of
which would be most unfaverable TO
Bennett Stokes.
The something more" Olive had felt
always when In BENEFITS presence
from the first Gay she met him. II was
this that made her on all occasions GO
out of her way to avoid him. For Olive
ClaRgett convinced herself that she
had not the slightest desire to fall I'M
der the sway Of such fascination as
BENNETT might exert over her.
Her newly acquired Job as business
manager Of the Morning Banner was
far too important to be imperiled by
any such distractions. But now she
had cemc entirely In the interests OF
the BanneT-she had been delegated TO
90 by those who she felt had the inter-
ests Of the Banner most at heart.
She had asked for an Interview with
Mr.. FOrdyce. the owner Of the Banner.
Hut be WAS away.
"You teId me, you know, that you
would be ahls to tell me something
definite by this time" Olive said with
distiDctncss, trying to avoid the smile
he is NOT in town and won't be, | will
md It werth while to go to him. You
ought at least to tell me where he IL TO
be found"
"Ycs. quite So" unused Bennett, turn
Ing over with a tinge OF embarrassment
some manuscript that lay half read on
his editorial desk. 'Thnt would at least
seem falr-but the fact Is that Fordyce
is an odd sort OF fellow. Hasn't per-
sonally visited the Office for I'm sure /
don't know how long. Suppose you
write a letter to him and I'll see that
II gets TO him"
Stokes had already made this sug-
gestlon. which had met with olives
disapproval, but the matter was impor-
tant. The entire success OF the Banner
depended on laying her proposition be-
fore Mr.. Fordyce without delay. so with
an expression thdt made 1t quite APP
parent to Bennett that she held him
personally responsible for the inacces-
sibillty Of their chief she withdrew,
promising TO have the letter ready be
fore the evening was over.
II WINS a harder letter to write than
nun- n1tru hoa arAfrtvufo h.tf M h.sof
ness manager of a morning paper she
hRd no pressing duties at that time
and while the editorial force and com.
positors and pressmen were working
under the grim concentration necessary
10 get sven so u"npretentlous q paper
ont ms the Morning Banner, she was
rather deliberately composing the i'm.
portent letter.
She waited until the paper was wei
In the hands of the composing room
before she again sought Mr.. Stokes In
his ONCE. She had thought twice be
fore she had sealed the enyelope-and
then she had sealed IL.
After all, there was no reason why
she should leave Ii open. she a ask.
ing Stokes no personal favor In seeing
that II was addressed and II he did
read it--but something assured heI
that Mr.. Stokes WAS too honorable for
that.
"Won't you wait just two or three
minutes-till ! get my desk cleared7'
he snid as she turned 10 leave the
room. II wish l might walk home with
you. II Ia rather late"
'.Thank you. no." Olive said In spite
Of a desire that was strong within her
Il am going with n of the girls-w,
are quite used to II, you know"
Bennett waited only till Olive ha,
got halfway down the corridor; thel
he arose quietly. pushed the door shut
returned to his desk and deliberate
ly broke open the sealed flap OF tn
letter ~ MIR. Fordyce.
The proposition was clearly put, l
nj not Olives proposition, but on
that Ind been formulated by the entir
stan Of the Banner. save. of course
Mr.. Stokes, who had always failed I
attend the weekly meetings of the pei
sonnet OF the paper. Now, as every on
knew. the Morning Banner had bee
especially hard hit by the draft.
Composed as II was almost entlrel
OF young college graduates. who sougl
this way to receive their newspaper al
premiership, n dozen or so OF the moi
active men In editorial and bushes
departments had gone OF with the nrl
cali. Results would have been dire 4
deed had II not been for the woms
who pluckily filled 10 the places high,
up. calling other ONE to take the
recently abandoned subordinate place
Olive herself had been right-har
"man" 70 the business manager, b,
when he enlisted she shifted into h
swivel chair and had worked wi
ca9ermess and complete devotion &
the Banner. The editorial stan hi
been 20 hard hit that no one remain.
but Mr.. Stokes; all his reporters a,
assistants were women
The constant going OF OF men
the composing room and presstoo
suggested getting women In to do d
work. II had been tried successful
~ anather paper. IN fact Olive to