The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-16
Etenir1g Story
In Shorthand.
BY FREDERICK HART

BY FREDERICK HART.
Stephen Garrick pressed the little
pearl button on his desk-top long and
nard. In the outer office the sharp,
insistent note of the buzzer reverber-
lated, and Garrick's private secretary
Isprang from her little desk, where she
had been copying letters. to answer
| the summons. Garrick greeted her
with a curt Good morning, Miss Car
tier" to which she returned a discreet
GOOD morning, Mr.. Garrick," as she
sat by his side and prepared to take
| his dietation.
"Ahem!" Garrick cleared his throat
naisily. ID. H. Green & Son, Utica,
N. Y.-Gentlemen, yours of the 25th
to, hand" Stephen Garrick was off
on his days routine.
AS she automatically recorded the
lines and angles that would later be
Transcribed into the uterances Of the
great Garriek, railroad magnate and
captain of industry, Miss Carter let her
gaze. wander thru the broad window
of the office over the outline of roofs
and towers that presented itself to her
gaze.
| It was a brilliant spring morning;
! the sky was deep blue in the sunshine.
and the white buildings, each capped
with-its gay little plumeNof steam, like
the white feather in the helmet OF
some knight, stood out sharp and clear
lagaiast the heavens.
| The air blew soft with the promise
Eef the coming summer; thru the half
iopened window came the myriad
sounds of the street. nuffled and cons
fused by the height into one organ
| tone of sound. Miss Carter let her
eyes rove out over the blue waters OF
the bay, speckled here and there with
the black hulIs of ferries and lighters.
| 81 beg your pardon" She aroused
herself with q start, aware that the
steady monotone of Garriek's dietatten
had changed to a sharp note OF IN
| quiFY; Miss Carter was uneomfortably
aware that she had been day-dream-
ing. ct beg your pardnn," she repeat
ed. Tim afraid didn't get that
last sentence"
| Usually an admission like this from
the invariably accurate Miss Carter
would haye caused Stephen Garriek
to make some sarcastic remark; but
today he merely looked at her sharp
ly. His face relaxed into q smile.
Dreaming dreams. Miss Carter %
he inquired. well. I can't say that
I blame you. I've been doing a little
q first-olass morning for dream or
so, but unfortunately this sudden de-
preston in Great Western won't allow
US to stray too far from the unpleas-
ant realities of life. Let's .see-where
| was II"
| Miss Carter, suddenly transformed
from a girl with her thoughts into
an exceedingly practical business
woman, consulted her notes.
Regarding the proposed mer-
ger Of your Ines she read.
posed merger of your lines, would say
! that at present it seems inadvisa BILE.
Yours truly. That's all for the pres
ent. Get those copied and bring
them in to me to sign as soon as you
cam
Miss Carter left the office. She
walked out without turning her head.
so that she did not see the look that
Garrick sent after her.
/ Perhaps it was the spring breeze;
perhaps it was the consciousness that
he, the youngest man in the country
to hold such a position as he held.
| was a bit lonely sometimes; perhaps
| it was the fact that Miss Carter eIn-
bodied all that was sweet and win
some, despite her business connection
| with him; but the fact remains that
| Stephen Garfick sent after her look
that could by no possibility be con-
strued as one of business.
| And the little vagrant breeze con-
! tinued to fit into the room and seff
the papers on his desk as they whis-
pered to MIN, You're in love. Stephen
| Garrick-you'r in love-and you
daren't ask 1eri Aren't you ashamed
| of yourself, you great big man, you?
You-one of the biggest railroad men
in the country, even II you are only
thirty afraid to ask hertz
by George, I will ask herr said
| Stephen Garriek aloud. And then he
looked guiltiiy around the room. as
tho ashamed of his statement.
! But there was no one there to hear
| him unless you counted the framed
picture TO the directors in his prin-
eipal road, which hung over his desk,
and they looked straight ahead of
them as they always did. without
seeming to be in the least affected by
| his unf1u sin eSSlike OutbuPSt
But the little spring breeZes were
right Stephen Rarriek had been in
| love with Resale Carter for a long
| time, and had been afraid to voice
| his feelings.
Everyday, when she came in to take
his dictation, looking so fresh and
sweet that he yearned to take her in
| his arm and whisper love-werds to
! her instead of pouring out a string of
| sylia bles connected with unimportant
| things like rights-of and freight
rates, he had intended to say what
was in his heart and every day he
had confined himself to a brusque~
Good morning, Miss Carter."-and
| ing himself fer an arrant coward.
| "But-what If she should refuse
me?" his craven mind demanded, And
that fear had held him tongue7tied.
| Spring breezes. however, are tricky
things; and this particular spring
breeze had a way with it. Such a
| way, in fact, that suddenly Stephen
Garrick found his hand straying to-
ward the button which. pressed, would
summon Miss Carter to his presence.
| His fingers rested on it, and in
moment he realized that he had push
ed it. A sudden panic shook him then
| he felt that she was standing in the
door.
Yes. Mr.. Garrick? ?" she said.
"Er-Miss Carter-will you take a
| letter." he stammered, and then men
italy beat himself for an idiot. But
| she had seated herself and waited,
notebook poised GarFick coneen-
/ trated for a desperate effort.
| ''Ahemi" 1t was the welI-known
the window, and suddenly his voice
ran full and smooth.