Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-03-31
A Revealed Secret
By HELEN CLARKE
t@ 1921. Western Newspaper Unioa.l

draw lOnT breath. What Is 1t that
has made NE so wildly joyous, oh lit
tie typewriter of mine? / will tap out
the story on your keys, for you are in-
directly responsible for it all.
First, do you need an Introduction toI
me? If so, / am Clara Hart, stenog-
rapher and happiest girl in the world,
just nineteen. Yesterday l could have
said nineteen and never kissed, but
today, well, typewriter, I'll tell you all
about it. I've had several other places,
but came here six months ago, and am
the only girl in the business, the 9TH
er employees being all men and boys.
from the head down to Red the office
boy. OF course my work was taking
the letters of the Head, and occasional
ly ones from the rest, although they
talk SO slow that | can write them right
off on you. The Head can rattle them
off so fast that it keeps my pencil fly
ing to keep up. It's hard to tell you
just what the Head looks like, for
you aren't a girl with eyes in your
head; but he's great and big and such
mani His eyes look right into
yours, and woe is me if you ever tell
even tiny tib; but l never have.
There is something about such man
that inspires confidence, and, yes,
love: | might as well write it and get
ii over. Some of the fellows in the
outer Office said that he was woman
hot hnf 7 hnliara1 hot for
there are kind lines about his mouth,
and when he smiles his whole face
lights up, and you feel better and
stronger for having known him.
Some one once told me that no girl
ever married her employer unless she
was fearfully in love or wanted a
home very much indeed. Perhaps she
is right, but ] wonder why. OF course
mans stenographer does know him
better than his hGme folks, in way,
but when he has only nice traits of
character to show, why shouldn't she
love him all the more? When girl
sees a man bear up under misfortune,
keep his temper, show consideration
under circumstances that would make
a saint long to break all ten of the
commandments, why, that tends to
show how awfully nice he is, doesn't
It? I think so. At last, yesterday
morning. things came to climax. The
bookkeeper had piled things up on me
the day before so that it was nine
o'clock before left the Office, and /
had not stopped for dinner. / left.
the work on the desk ready for him.,
but when l came down in the morning.
l found Red" the Office boy nearly
frantic because he had spilled ink all
over. This upset me, so Though didn't
say word to "Red"; poor little chap.
he couldn't help it) that my hands
were shaking when l went in for dicta-
ton, and everything looked blurred
before my eyes. 81
The Head began, speaking in his
usual rapid way, but it really seemed
to me that he, too, was nervous. Sud-
denly found that he was beyond me,
! and | said, my voice trembling:
Excuse me, but you are talking too
| fast" n
He stared at me- and no wonder,
| for 1t was the first time / had ever
| asked him to speak slower.
whats the matter?" he asked kind
ly, and I broke down. Just think of
1t, cried like baby, and all the time
he was patting my shoulder with the
ruler which he had snatched up in his
excitement, not knowing what to do
with a sobbing girl. kept on crying
harder and harder, and he kept on
patting my shoulder with renewed
force, until at last l couldn't stand it
any longer, and so l gasped out:
please don't hit me any mere,
you're fairly pounding me-" and then
he looked at the ruler and realized
what he was doing, He gave a gasp
himself, and said kind of breathlessly:
"Why, bless my soul, what have l
been doing?' and gaZed at me, as
could see through my fingers, for my
hands were over my face.
Il didn't mean to do this way"
began to apologize.
"And never meant to pound you"
he explained, still holding the ruler
and locking from it to me and back
again. The funny side of it struck me
and / began to laugh through my
tears, and then to cry again, and then
it all happened so suddenly.
He bent nearer, asking in that kind,
nice way of his: "My poor little girl,
what is it? Who has been imposingl
on you? Bless me, can't bear to see
woman cry.
my dear Miss Hart, / am going
to ask you a very strange thing"
"Yes," said encouragingly.
Il am wondering If you would feel
hurt If I asked for your resignation"
he blurted out.
"Why?' asked simply.
He turned towards me, and caught
my eyes. did not try to hide my Sc
cret any more. There was no need.
The dear reached forward, caught my
/ hands in his own, asking eagerly:
Tell me, little girl, If II is possible
that you can care for an old crusty fell
low like me?" Dear typewriter, he Is