The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-03
EVENING STORY
Force of Words.
BY JANE OSBORN.

today. and If yon don't see him now
he'll just keep on coming"
Miss Peterson seemed absurdly
small for the large swivel chair in
which>she sat and. as you looked close
ly absurdly young for the ponderous
rolltop desk before her. Then, IL you
had looked you would have wished
that, because she was so young and
petite, she might have had enough
sunshine and fresh air in her days to
put a little more color in her cheeks
and little more life IN those blue eyes
that obviously were meant to be more
sparkling than they were.
Did you ask him to write it2" she
asked YEARLY.
Yes. but he says it's important re-
iterated the girl.
IF it's important, Peg" explained
Jane Peterson, who had a way OF ex-
planning things to the indefatigable
little office girl, "if it's very important
he had better write 1t, because 1 car
write so much better than I can talk.
and I might have to make some i'm
portant answer, and If had to say 1t
| wouldn't know how, Peg" she went
on. dipping her pen in ink in order
that she might go on signing the let
tiers that lay before her, and then re-
garding the point of the pen almost al
fectionately. ut seems as If could
write almost anything. but when 1t
comes to saying them I'm stumped.
yes" and there was resignation
and WEAKNESS in the tone.
But Peg" and Jane showed more
interest, what does he look like? Do
you suppose he wants to sell a history
of Napoleon on installments or to get
me to have my life insured?'
HE is no agent" announced Peg,
Loyalty. "And he doesn't look like the
people you see around here. He's Dig,
and Just little rough looking. Just
fIn " thew
are fixed up to look like cattle rang
ers or something. Not the way he's
dressed. but the way he walks and the
look of his face"
well, send him in," and Jane again
lapsed into resignation and WEAKNESS.
Thus Peter Trevis was ushered into
the office of Jane Peterson, and Peggy
closed the door as she went out OF
the room, altho it usually stood open.
If he had something really important
to say, reasoned the romantic Peggy.
maybe it was to propose, and she was
sure he wouldn't want to have the
whole outside office hear 1t.
But Peter Trevis did not want to
prepose-at least he didn't want
propose marriage. With considera bic
abruptness he got down to the bust
ness in hand and to begin with pro-
duced a creased and well-worn sheet
torn from one of the popular agri-
I
out on the slide of James desk, and
Jane blushed as she beheld the words,
in display type. of one of her own
compositions.
Increase your income 100 per cent"
were the words on the first line. and
then more words of an equally dicta-
torial nature, assuring the farmer or
ranchman that by learning how to use
| a typewriter and how to write COM
| polling business letters he could, in
spare minutes, double his income. All
that was necessary was to buy a type
writer, which he was assured he could
| learn to operate within few weeks
| by "our new lightning method" and
take course of fifty lessons in
| 'forceful letter writing" and the pur-
chase and use for future reference of
some dozen or so books on business
and business English. any one of
which would be worth the price of
the entire course.
You wrote that, didn't you ?" de-
| manded Peter, becoming aware. as
did all who entered James sanctum.
that she really was too small and too
young for the heavy oak furniture.
Yes" she faltered, and then CROPPED
in her mind for something to say.
For Jane was not glib, when it came
! to talking.
'Weil, want to tell you that I've
come all the way from Oregon just to
meet you and show you that AMI to
say to you just as 1 did now: You
wrote that, didn't you?' I didn't
write to tell you because can talk
| better than 1 can write. Now, what
are you going to say?"
II don't believe I am going to say
anything" faltered Jane, feeling ex-
trcmely uncomfortable.
Nothing? You arn't going to de-
fend yourself or explain or anything?
I n 1.
ate rather stable prune ranch, and
there are enough trees on that place
so that in a few years, if they are
properly marketed. I could buy out
why, I could buy out this entire
plant" He waved his hand rather
fices of the Union Correspondence
1 School THE trouble is, just running
that place is enough to keep one man
busy, and I don't want to take the
chances with a partner to take the
| business end of it. The result is that
best advantage. 1 read that darned
advertisement OF yours and 1 fell for
1t and was convinced that 1 could do
what you said 1 could. So / bought
the whole outfit and began the les
sons"
But wrote only the advertise
ment." protested Jane. II had moth
ing to do with the course. You see,
i write all the advertisements from
points suggested by the people that
| get out the different courses"
Yes, but it was that advertise
ment," said the prune grower, wag-
! ging his finger threateningly at the
/ sheet that was stretched before them.
J 1T was that advertisement that per-
| suaded me to do it. Wen. thumped
( that typewriter every night for a
month and. honest, I can't do thing
/ with 1t and I read the books and took
the lessons and when it comes to writ
ing forceful sales letters I'm Just
where 7 always was"
''Well?" queried Jane. feeling that
the worst of the storm was over
| only this" went on Peter. THAT
when I got thoroly disguised and
woke up to the fact that I'd been
buncoed I just made up my mind that
I'd come east If II cost me- a thou