The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-12-30
In Shorthand
BY FREDERICK HART


hard. In the outer office the sharp, |
inslstent note of the buzzer reverbernt-
ed, and Garrick's private secretary
sprang from her little desk, where she
had been copying letters. TO answer the
summons. Garrick greeted her with a
curt Good morning, Miss Carter" to
which she returned discreet Good
morning. Mr. Garrick," as she sat by
his side and prepared to take his die
tation.
"Ahemi" Garrick cleared his throat
noIsily. ID. II. Green and Son, Utica,
N. Y.-Gentlemen, yours of the twenty
| nth to hand" stephen Garrick
was of on his days routine.
As she automatically recorded the
lines and angles that would later he
transcribed into the utterances OF the
great Garrick. railroad magnate and
captain OF industry. Miss Carter let
her gaze wander through the broad
window Of the office over the outline
of roofs and towers that presented It,
self TO her gaze.
II was n brilliant spring morning;
the sky was deep blue In the sun
shine, and the white buildings. each
capped with its gay little plume of
steam, like the white feather In the
helmet of some knight, stood out
sharp and clear against the heavens.
The air blew soft with the promise
Of the coming summer; through the
half-opened window came the myriad
sounds OF the street muifled and con
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 hulls OF ferries and
lighters.
81 beg your pardon" She aroused
herself with start, aware that the
steady monotone OF Garrick's dlcta-
tlon had changed TO sharp note Of
inquiry; Miss Carter was uncomfort-
ably aware that she had been day
dreaming. IL beg your pardon" she
repeated. "l-Tm afraid | didn't get
that last sentence"
Usually nm admission like this from
the Invariably accurate Miss Carter
would have caused Stephen GarrIck
to make some sarcastic remark; but
. today he merely looked nt her sharp
} ly. His face relaxed into n smile.
"Dreaming dreams, Miss CarterT"
/, he inquired. swell. I can't say that
; ! blame you. I've been doing n little
! dreaming myself OF late. It's really
r a first-class morning for a dream or
4 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 IT.
: Miss Carter suddenly transformed
Q from girl with her thoughts into an
I exceedingly practical business woman
! consulted her notes.
b "-regarding the proposed mer.
ger of your lines" she read.
8 "Oh, yes Regarding the pro
. posed merger of your lines would say
q that at present IL seems lnadvlsable
Yours truly That's all for the pres
ent. Get those copied and bring then
! In to me to sign as soon as you can
. Miss Carter left the office She
walked out without turning her head
0 so that she did not see the look tha
= Garrick sent after her.
Perhaps II was the spring breezes
n perhaps II was the consciousness tina
he. the youngest man In the countr.
l. to hold such a position as he held
was a bit lonely sometimes; perhaps
II was the fact that Miss Carter EN-
: bodied all that was sweet and win
:, some. despite her business connection
u with him; but the fact remains tina
Stephen Garrick sent after her lool
u that could by no possibility be con
strued as one OF business.
~ And the little vagrant breezes con
~ rfnued TO fit into the room and sti
e. the papers on his desk as they whis
20 pered TO him, you're In love, Stephe
Garrick-you're In love--and yo
le darent ask herl Aren't you ashame
- of yourself. you great big man. you
'e You.-one of the biggest railroad me
=" In the country, even n you are onl
thirty-one-you're afraid 10 ask her
"By George, | will ask hcrl" sal
y stephen Gar,ick aloud. And then
- looked guiltily around the room a
though ashamed Of his statement.
- But there was no one there 10 hea
- him unless you counted the frame
- picture Of the directors Of his prime
N pal road, which hung over his desl
,y and they looked straight ahead Q
a. them as they always did, withou
a seeming TO he In the least affected
~ his unbusinesslike outburst.
or But the little spring breezes wer
q. right Stephen Garrick had been
love with Rosalle Carter for Ion
49, time. and had been afraid to voiC
. his feelings.
- Every day, when she came In to TAX
T. his dictation. looking so fresh an
~ sweet that he yearned to take her
.. his arms and whisper love-words
ra her instead OF pouring out string {
=. syllables connected with unlmportar
~ .tr 90. .ta,l,