Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1921-02-23
A Real Helper
By CENEVIEvE ULMAR
e. 1899. western Newspaper UAisa. (,

Pike had found her 80. although he
did not tell her that, desminE 1t peer
business policy to show distinctive up.
probation as to any one particula,
employee. He told his sen Rawson.
however, all about her. He had just
graduated from college, and it was ar
ranged to soon succeed to the man
agement of the business the elder
Pike had conducted for over twenty
years, with fair monetary success and
record for integrity and prestige OF
which he was justly proud.
"This Miss Linda Dale is a new ac-
planned Mr.. Pike, land she has made
friends with everybody about here
janitor and Office boy included"
what is her peculiar province, may
l ask?" submitted the son, studying
the young lady in question through the
open office doorway.
Unaffected and steadfast pleasant
ness on all OCCASIONS" came the
prompt reply. "She is what you may
call smiling through girl. When
she came here il was a dull place, with
many little chickering's and jealousies.
There was discomfort and a lack of
harmony. Miss Dale, put in charge of
the help, simply began to coddle,
cheer, comfort and coax the indiffer-
ent and dissatisfied girls. She planned
a new kind of luncheon hour for all
hands. She made herself familiar
with the worries and troubles, home
and office, of the others. She began
smiling system that soon did away
with wry faces. just glance over the
group and observe how scrupulously
neat and ladylike they all are, and
make it pleasant for an utter stranger
to enter the Office
Eyes, there is certainly a change
since was here six months ago." adj
mitted RawsOn. young, popular and.
suppose, happy home back of it all,
making the general environment Of
Miss Dale ideal.'
You never were more mistaken in
your life,' replied Mr.. Pike, 81 looked
the girl up in a general way, and learn
ed quite the contrary. She has an
idle, dissolute father, and the entire
home care of two little children
There is no mother and they live very
poorly, for the father dissipates all
he can get hold of. For all their own
narrowness of living sphere, however,
Miss Dale finds time to engage in COM
munity welfare work in the vicinity
Of her home. A grand girl, Rawson,
and when you take charge here don't
spoil her."
'Why should 1? How can I?' chal-
lenged Rawson, quite unconcernedly
He had been an INDUCED son, and in
Indifferent as to any burdensome in
terest in others. His glance still
sought that attractive face in the next
room, however, and if he had con-
fessed the truth he would have &C
knowledged that Miss Dale was quite
charming and worthy of admiration.
Sooner than either father or son
had anticipated, Rawson Pike was
compelled to assume his fathers place.
The latter became seriously i'll and
it was necessary to send him to an
other climate. 1t was a bad time to
spare the old man. Business tr0u-
bles had arisen and Rawson found
himself burdened with complications
he had never dreamed Of. The en-
ployees and the general public knew
that this was the case and affairs were
not what they had been. There were
some days of uneasiness and gloom.
but Linda like the true business wOm-
an she was, sought an interview with
the young man. She had been trusted
by his father with thorough knowl-
edge of the business, and this proved
a saving clause in a decidedly desper-
ate condition of affairs.
''Mr Pike she said, there is less
call for being frightened or discour-
aged than for the use Of grit, perse-
verance and cheerfulness. We must
not wear sad faces or allow competi-
tors to guess that we are in financial
trouble. I have schedule of our
affairs all made out for your inspec-
ton, and I will work day and night
to carry out plan to tide over the
present crisis"
Rawson woke up. So clear, so prac-
teal, so optimistic was Linda that the
situation now presented gave every
encouragement for hope and finally
weathering the storm. Linda had q
long talk with the employees. The
last one of them agreed to "smile their
way through" and the Pike office pre-
sented to anxious creditors and sus-
picious business rivals the semblance
of a place where everything was go
ing on prosperously. Linda's knowl-
edge and advice proved of inestimable
value to RawsOn Pike. At times he
could scarcely repress his admiration.
gratitude and increasing liking to-.
wards her.
"victory," ne announced, coming in
to the office one day all aflame with
excitement and gladness, and he
waved triumphantly the last paid note
Of very large amount. Then his
eyes sought those of Linda longingly.
tenderly.
"You have saved us, Miss Dale" he
said "Well and truly my father did
not overestimate you"
He was very near to her. She was
very dear to him. A fitting climax
nresented In the eXuberance of his