The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-08-13
THE DAILY
STORY
The ]. q. T. Letters
y. LAURA REID MONTGOMERY

81 LAURA REID Montgomery
T,lMMA picked up a sheet Of
paper and fitted 1t in her
~ typewriter with, q half smile
ibout her lips. The cylinder that
she had left Until the last was
The one she liked best She had
never seen the correspondent who
dictated the letters into the dicta-
phone from the complaint desk as
he had never given her any Wprk
personally but she liked his voice.
Voices tell so much, /" she had
said once to the girl next her.
'.They don't tell me much except
aslot Of words that hate to spell.
Makes a girl tired to work all day.
I like to work in an office where
there isn't much to do. Then I'm
fresh for the evening" snapped
Maize adjusting her headpiece as
tie office manager glanced In her
direction.
Emma was already listening to
the voice that went on slowly and
evenly and her fingers flew over
her machine. :
II Just know that he ia good
tempered man. his voice is always
so pleasant" she reflected as she
finished a certain cadence In the
moduiated tones had awakened old
1nemories,
\ Back in her home town there
had been red-haired freckled
boy. Fred Smith. whom she had
aIways secretly liked. The other
girls had not cared for him. His
3phyness kept him out Of many OF
the village affairs but Emma was
always, more pleased to have him
walk homo with her from church
than TO drive with Fenton Bates in
, his shiny buggy. After Fred, who
Was two years ahead of her in
school, had gone 70 Chicago to get
start in business. Fenton sad
called twice on Sunday nights,
whs.l in that town, slgnified n
very particular interest but Emma
had not encouraged him. When
she had in her turn gone to the
big city to work She had dreamed
1 ot seeing Fred again but after a
Sew weeks in the busting place,
gaere one hurries all through the
day toSbe ready for the next days
work. She speedily gave up the
pleasant hope.
~ could live here for years.,
she thought land we would never
meet I wonder II he ever thinks
Of that little house on the hill
where he said once he wanted
to buy when he married." The
expression in the shy freckled face
had always remained in her mem
npfs; his eyes had told her what
HE stumbling tongue had hesitats
I'd to say. She knew that at that
time she had been the girl he
wanted to preside over the quaint
place half smothered In tiny yell
lew roses.
.Says Emma, my mother is sick
! aud wants me to go home. WIN
you finish my letters for me? I've
fixed some notes about the work
50 Il won't be hard, Jobs are get
ting so scarce that I'm afraid to
leltve a bit of work over" Daisy
v6.ee held frightened pote.
eof course I will" Emma re-
sponded instantly, taking the notes
and cylinders over to her desk.
At S O'clock Emma was called
into the private office. Her heart
save a sudden throb: she had
thought longly Of her home town
out she couldn't afford TO lose her
crk. Owing to the slack times
mary Of the employees had been
dropped.
miss Gordon" The busy man
af1he desk glanced up, sharply
YOU'VE been taking the letters
from the j. U. P. complaint
deak?n
Eyes SIR"
lyon also wrote Daisy Nor,
lon's letters today?"
sYes sir"
.Did che leave the copies OF
only notes?" Mr. Blatchtord look.
ed down at the wire basket before
him containing Emma's pile Of
finished work.
slust the notes; her mother is
ILL.,, Emma's forebodIngs were
, crystalizing; there would DO
changes.
you have been doing the ]. 0.
p. letters for some months, Miss
Gordon. Do you think you could
write those letters without dtcta-
don The man in charge is go
'.Going away?" Emma interrupt.
ed then stopped, what had poss-
used her to say It.
NO. TIE bushy gray eyebrows
we're raised. he wondered at her
yetemence. HE is going to be
promoted and I think I shall try
you out GU his woik Your letters
thaye been satisfactory. You will
/! 50. o raise In saiu1y. Want to try
eyes. The relief III her voice
was palpaple.
every well. 1,s spoke cordial
Riy .'gu up to tho correspondents
sopa on thu fifth floor ard he'wilI