Evening star., 1921-12-11

term that might be applied to this
dtctation machine comma don't you
think SO Interrogation point 1 seem
to have no other way Of reaching
you period j may be discoursing
about cotton mash semi-colon urg-
ing to contribute to the doughnut
d-o-u-g-h-n-u-t fund comma or
pleading for a candidate comma but
my inner voice seems always aware
that I'm really talking to the only
woman ever cared about period If
I could only hear your voice in re-
turn exclamation point 1 almost
fear to ask you whether you care
for me comma because perhaps you
have not heard anything in my voice
but cotton mash or candidates period
If you do like me little comma
won't you tomorrow before the girls
como in dictate a little answer on
this cylinder and put 1t on my desk
so can put 1t on my machine and
listen to your voice Interrogation
point It will be wonderful period
Please believe me to be sincerely in
earnest period"
Gravely Mr.. Gambler lifted tho wax
cylinder from the Misunderstanding
used UP not quite half Of tho surface
and placed 1t on tho tray with the
five or six other cylinders. Tho half
asleep ONCE boy came in after q bit
and took them out-rather roughly
handling the tray to the exquisite
pain Of Mr.. Gambler.
That evening the girls in the office
as usual hustled OF with Miss Hatha-
way in their midst, but Mr.. Gambler
made no move to see her.
AS he walked with his light step to
his Office the next morning no one
saw any difference in Mr.. Candlers q
demeanor. But when he saw on his
desk a lone cylinder his eyes spark
led. and slipping It on his machine
and reversing it's levers for listening
instead Of debating he held the
mouthpiece to his ear. his eyelids
fiuttering. as with a scraping whirr
tho needle found the right place, sub
joining his own dictation. where a
new dictation had been put on the
cylinder. A very small voice said:
mo copy no carbon use only MEM
ory no salutation. do like you
comma and must admire you period
I could not help that semicolon your
work compels 1t period Sometimes ]
have thought four asterisks and won
dered nve asterisks I wish dash but
then again comma you may really
only be amusing yourself period''
Twice, three times. four times Mr..
Gambler listened to this cylinder. un-
til the wax began to wear down.
There was still plenty Of room on the
cylinder. so he placed 1t for dictation.
In tho same workaday voice he said:
"One copy no carbon special white
vellum bond Salutation My Precious
Girl Paragraph knew your voice
would be like that dash like q Colum-
bine capital C-o-l-u-m-b-i-n-e in
some far hyphen OF garden Of the
moon period wish you had kept on
talking until you quote ran of the
cylinder end quote period What did
you wish interrogation point ana why
did you wonder Interrogation point
repeat comma love you exclamation
point"
Il 4 i y
EOR several weeks there were many
more cylinders shaved than the
ordinary work Of the Office called for.
but. watchful as were tho clevercor-
dons Of females in the ONCE. they saw
only business as usual" and not q
single move on Mr.. Candlsr's part.
Hes getting over It," grinned
Ethel Barclay to tho other girls one
day. Hes debating work like mad
these days. Nothing like hard work
to nip romance!"
Now it happens in a crazy office
like that Of tho Mercury Publicity
Service that all sorts Of sudden ener-
gencies arise, and one evening. when
Mr.. Armstrong strayer. the head of
the business. was at dinner. he was
appealed TO by . prominent woman