Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-06-15
AS OTHERS E US
BY HAZEL NJ. ROBINSON.

ioHE, tiTeSOlDe uay, was peace Tor tne
weary mind and sore heart. No rau-
cous blare of jazz Jared tired nerves,
no loud laughter pierced the stiffness.
Even the serving was so quiet, hardly
a dish was head to rattle.
As she waited for her order to be
brought, she was conscious of a IA
miliar voice, coming apparently over
the low partition between the booth
she occupied and the next. 1t seemed
Incredible, yet that surely was Rich
ards voice. Yes, his companion spoke
his name. Wonderlngly, she began to
eat the food placed before her, paying
no attention to the conversation, until
her " name vas spoken.
eff 1t wasn't for Miss Heath, I'd
like II immensely" said the girl.
whats the matter with her, Mir
tam?" asked the man.
Why, surely, that was Miriam
Brown, the new girl she had hired
two weeks age. AS IL In q trance,
she sat and waited for the next word.
She's worse than blue Monday
goes pussy-footing around the place.
looking as though she had lost her
last FRIEND. Her eyes are sad. Never
a smile or joke from her. Cross, II
the least little thing goes wrong.
The place has changed q lot in the last
year, the girls all say"
Elsie continued eating mechanically,
until her food was gone, then she de-
liberately set herself to eavesdropping.
PLENTY Of talking and laughing In
those days, but plenty Of work done,
too. Seemed like a jolly family Of SIS
tiers, from all they say. Now, the girls
are delighted when the 4:30 closing
hour comes and they can get outside
to do their talking and laughing"
Elsie seemed dazed. as one awaking
from a trance. Mechanically she
picked up her wraps. paid her bill and
started homeward. Once In her room,
the healing tears began to flow, and
memory recalled the whole story.
Elsie Heath had opened an Office as
public stenographer five years ago.
Her location was good and her care
"a ahtShtioh W NOAh oOOu DlOuSut hcT
more than she could do alone. The
business had grown until she employed
four girls, while she tended only to re-
ceiving the patrons and doing the
bookkeeping.
Richard Ferris had been among her
first patrons. They became more than
good friends, yet no closer ties were
made before he left to serve his coun-
try. Just before he had left to come
home he wrote declaring his love for
her. For days and weeks after mailing
her reply she sang at her work. Her
laugh never wal so ready, her jokes
so many or witty, nor the place so
gay.
Two months, then three, went by,
and no word came from him. She
read of his return in the papers. Each
day she looked for him every time
the door opened.
Then had begun the change Miriam
had spoken Of.
Elsie finally sat up, looked about
her, and thought what a blessed thing
1t is to "see oursel's as ithers see u.s."
A card stuck in one corner Of her MIR
ror flashed out "Never too late to
mend" and its twin from the other
corne sent the message Better late
than neyer." She got up. patted her
hair into place, bathed her flushed
face and whisked a bit Of powder over
1t and made a resolve. No man on
earth was worth SO many hot, bitter
tears. Then, too, she had made her
dear girls suffer in her bitterness. 1t
was "up to her" and shed play fair
from now on.
She spent the rest of the evening
searching the latest papers and maya
zines for new jokes.
Next morning she startled the girls
by arriving one-half hour late, greeting
them with an unusually CHEEKY good
morning, and then s~pringing a joke
on each Of them. She noticed their
puzzled. yet pleasant glances, as she
passed into her small Office. and for
the rest Of the morning joyousness
filed every inch Of the little room.
The girls were all busy on hurry or
ders. so Elsie slipped on a record and
started the dictaphone. used only for
such emergencies, as she did not like
to use 1t. The door quietly opened
and she looked into the smiling eyes
Of Richard Ferris.
No one knew just what happened
until the next morning. Miriam, look
ing for more work, took q dictaphone
record and heard this:
One hundred copies circular for
James & Smith to be ready tomorrow
morning as follows" "Dick I" elsie,
girl, on! my girl. And I never saw till
last night just how selfish ! have been.
AS soon as / received your wonderful
letter, dear, I was impatient to come
to you, but luck was against me.
That old wound began to bother again,
and after I got this"
ooh, Dicki"
Sure, but It's almost as good as
the other, jointed and everything, and
/ always was right handed, you know.
Well, after I got this, l couldn't just
bear to come for your pity. But 1t
took my kid cousin to show me my mis-
take. Can / ever make up for the
hurt these months have brought you?
I'll spend the rest of nv life irving.