The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-02-25
MISS PLlNY
BY JACK LAYTON.

MISS Illny pinned an imaginary
loose hair into the sxnoeth coil at the
back of her head as she regarded
small. blue-eyed girl, seated before a
typewriter near by. TIE figure. of the
small blueeyed girl dropped despon-
IDENTIFY, and her face was wistfully APP
pealing.
Miss Pliny," the girl asked. as
though aware of the sympathy i'm tie
gaze bent upon her, what ever have
you done with all your evenings. alone
in this big city? l was thinking about
it last night as I sat in my room. You
told me once that you had never had an
admirer or lover To take you about.
Neither have |, nor am ! likely to
have, for it was the same back home
where | knew everybody. | seem to
have missed some way the secret of
attraction. Or it may be, that realiz-
ing the lack of mems interest in my
self, l grow bored and tiresome in
their company. l don't know the rea-
son, but conditions are not likely TO
improve in city where | am a
stranger. while the girls have too
many good times of their own To both
er about lonely me- Miss Pliny. dear,
how do you spend your time and keep
from utter dulness?"
The elder woman smiled.
Il used to ask myself just that ques-
ton" she replied, until | learned
how to find, and give. happiness. My
dear Violet" Miss Pliny leaned for
ward, her shrewd eyes sparkling. i've
had many love affairs, though never 4
lover. Highly diverting affairs they
were, too"
Violet stared. You don't mean," she
asked aghast, that you loved without
having your love returned-and were
| happy"
Exactly" nodded Miss rlipy.
Violet closed her typewriter.
Il can't see" she said laughingly.
show that could brighten a lonely eve
| ming"
The elder woman studied the girl
with a certain inscrutable expression,
which her associates in the Office rec
| OgniZed as preceding some clever
business venture. Miss Pliny had long
been a valued, though s;len, member
of the firm.
Good night" nodded Jim Bradley
toward her desk as he took his de-
! parture. Good night" called Billy
Blair, the office favorite Miss Pliny
| responded absently. She was thinking
| of little Violet, and wondering impa-
tiently why these same good-Iooking.
honest young fellows could pass her
shy, pretty assistant each day, without
n CLEAN of interest in their faces: Miss
Pliny knew the firms employees; they
were good boys, and straight on the
road to success. 1t was as Violet said.
The other merry girls of the Office
openly refused to recognize her exist
ence.
The girl slipped into her chair next
morning with her usual low-voiced
greeting, and it was not until near
closing time that Miss Pliny became
aware of a certain subdued excitement
r in her manner. ViOlet's blue eyes CLINT
: ed, her pale checks were flushed with
color.
Miss Pllny," she sad ut last breath
lessly. "the most wonderful thing has
happened. l don't know how to explain
it, and / do not know, exactly, what
, to do. Please, advise me. On my desk,
when l came back from lunch, was 4
r florists box filled with glorious red
roses. Red roses, Miss Pliny, with an
audacious card reading. Red roses, for
lnr-n NAH1,
clue at all as to the sender. The mes
sage had apparently been written by
| the florist, for when l called I'D TO
learn the name of the donor, the clerk
Informed me that the person distinctly
wished to remain unknown. l have
met no men here, Miss Pliny, save
those in the Office. and you know. how
likely they would be, to send me
flowers"
"Just wait and keep quiet" advised
e Miss Pliny safely; truth will come
, out"
After the fourth box of fragrant
roses had been received. Jim Bradley
y approached Miss PIiny's desk
/. $50 the quiet one has a influential
| oNihAANAE hN SttAI }uuri 3i-iA.
violet is lovely enough To have n
l dozen of admirers" Miss Pliny
brusquely retorted.
And Jim Bradley, pausing. regarded
with new light in his eyes the bowed
t head of the little stenographer. EilIv
Blair, passing later. mot,oHed toward
| the crimson bloom
: Tribute of devotion?" he as,,c,l
Miss Pliny, "or are we turning into a
> conservatory
Miss Pliny smiled. Devotion would
, naturally be yioIet's tribute" She
said.
!. Billy Blair gazed into the happily
transformed face of the stenographcr.
as though he were, for the first tilae.
seeing her.
Miss Pliny, seated before her desk
several weeks later. looked IN ia se,,
Il