The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1921-09-09
A Postponed
Proposal
BY JANE OSBORN.


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g, 1874. BY Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
1t had been a dull executives meet
ihg-seemingly to Rodney Blaine a
great waste of time. Mr. Stewart. the
president of the concern, was going to
Europe and Mr.. Stone, of the Chicago
office, a slxty-year-old contemporary
Of Dir. Stewart, was coming to take his
place In the New York Office. The
meeting had been called to make final
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES which it
seemed to Rodney could have been
made as we'll without his presence.
But when the six other executives
were making their departure from Mr..
Stewards Office and Rodney was try
Ing to escape the usual threshold
pariey. Mr.. Stewart stopped him,
placed a fatheEly hand on the young
mans shoulder and asked him to wait.
The others gone, he turned back TO
his desk. requested Rodney to close
the door and then to sit down beside
him.
There is something / want you to
dO-sOmething simple. but very i'm
pOrtant," began Mr.. Stewart. II have
the greatest respect for Mr.. Stone
and know that his coming here may
he fraught with many inconvenience
and aHxieties Now, I'm having the
office turned about little to please
him. He rather likes a rocking chair
in his Office, I don't know whether it
Is a Chicago custOm-never noticed
hut I've ordered couple of them to
be put here, and I've had two addi-
tiOnHi electric fans andy tke way,
that reminds me"
"Of what you wanted me to do?"
asked Blaine, somewhat bored by all
these considerations for Mr.. Stone.
only this" Mr.. Stewart hesitated
and then plunged ahead. It's about
Miss Drew. 1t would be a trifle diff
ficult for me, you see. She's an ex-
ceiient young woman. and invaluable.
We couldn't get along without her.
That's why it will need someone with
great deal of tact. Dear me. we
couldn't get along without Miss Drew.
You will be tactful, won't you?
'You see" Stewart continued with
out waiting for rejOinder, miss
Drew knows so much about the bust
ness, we couldn't possibly have her
go. She Is to be Mr.. Stones secre-
tary. ''I'm used to her, but Miss Drew
Is. well. rather"
yes" agreed Blaine. calling to view
the swapping black eyes and vigorous,
waving black hair of Mr. Stewards
secretary. "She is a trife"
Quite so. / don't mind It now
., z -
upset me at first And of course. IL
she becomes really annoyed at any
one imagine she would be a tartar
It is her temperament. We spoil her,
here. too. Headstrong. fine looking
girls Ike that usually are spoiled
when they have unusual brains.
and"
You surely don't expect that 1 can
dull the edge Of her temper or tame
the untameable, do you2"
"Oh. no. no. Just suggest that as
Mr.. Stone is a stranger, and not very
young. nor in exceptionally good
health. and possibly a little slow in
some respects-fOr she is especially
impatient of slowness-that she might
treat him with gentleness. We decid-
someone would better suggest this to
her. and for reasons we decided that
You would best be able to do it."
"But I have so little business as
sociation with Miss Drew" protested
Rodney.
THAT is one of the reasons why we
thought you could undertake the mat
ter. Then you are young"
Sir. Stewart paused and kindly
smile came into nis eyes. Really, she
is not I'll natured. When she has
called me down, as it were, / have
always deserved it, When / have
been playing better golf than business.
I feel like a small boy who has been
playing hOoky. She is the sharp
tOngued schoolma'an. Yet l believe
she Is barely twenty-one. 81 don't
care how you go about 1t, Blaine"
said Mr.. Stewart with an air of final
Ity, "but / depend on you to breach
the matter and l know you won't fall
down"
This was the hardest assignment
that Blaine had ever had in his as
sOciation with Mr.. Stewart The fact
that he always did. and did promptly.
what he was asked by his chief. was
the cause OF his rapid advancement
Ia the Arm.
Rodney had never taken much mo-
tice OF her before. but now he DELHI
erately studied her face and her car
riage when she was not looking. He
had made up his mind that the only
way 10 go about 1t was TO become
friendly with her. to get her conf
dence and then to make an honest
breast of the matter. So Rodney
Blaine cultivated Miss Drew's ac-
quaintance. He was unsuccessful in
the usual wedge of an Invitation to