The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-17
A Stenographer's
Romance
BY JANE PHELPS
NELLIE PROVES HERSELF CON-
PETENT
Chapter so.

Chapter so.
Mr.. Fallon was called to San Fran
cisco on business, would be gone about
two or three weeks. Nellie missed him
dreadfully a1tho. almost every day.
there came letters or message. of some
kind to her. Also an order had been
left at the florists and her room was
as gayly decorated as before.
His absence increased her work, her
responsibility. She threw herself
whole-heartedly into it; the Chief
that the business had gone well in his
absence. She paid no attention to
hours, seldom going out to lunch. The
office boy brought her sandwich and
a bottle of milk; she also remained
late at night.
I'm afraid you'll make yourself
ill., Mrs. Roberts said. you are look
ing very tired"
I'm all right" Nellie assured her,
''and George must find everything has
Then, rather ruefully she added: But
I'm not getting my sewing done. 1t
will be years, instead of months, be-
fore I get my clothes ready at this
rate" She smiled as she said it but
Mrs. Roberts understood.
"Get what you can, Nellie, and don't
worry. A man seldom cares whether
the woman he loves"
HE would" Nellie interrupted HE
couldn't help but notice if didn't look
somewhere near right. You see he
has been all his life with people who
have everything. I won't let him be
ashamed of me-Miss Dorothy either.
She's one of his family, if she is only
second cousin"
81 thought she was nearer than
that"
$50 did I until just before George
ho IL, do n
found it out by their talk. She is
so lovely! I do wish I was like her.
1 don't mean in looks, even if she is~
so pretty; 1 mean in ways. So easy,
whether >she is in an office or at a
dinner party. I get awfully discour-
aged every time I see her-yet / al
ways learn something too. she doesn't
come down now George is away
Mr.. Fallon's three weeks heightened
into a month. - was a very tired lit
tie private secretary and fiancee- who
greeted him on his return. He COM
plimented her warmly upon her eff
cheney; declared the business had not
suffered one whit by his absence, but
expressed concern because of her tired
look.
I'll take care of you" he said tender
~.
you'll let me help. you-afterward
won't your" Nellie asked.
Help me be happy, yes. We must
be looking for someone to take your
place here in the office. It won't be
easy to find secretary as faithful and
competent"
Nellie said no more, yet she felt a
bit sad to think someone else, an
other girl, would soon be sitting in
her place; making herself necessary to
Mr.. Fallon. Tt wasn't jealousy. 1t was
more feeling of love for her work;
that she would miss it, miss being with
him all day long.
Now she again gave every moment
away from the office to getting ready
to be married. Again he insisted up
on taking her to places of amusement
occasionally; to dinner parties, a1tho
she Iaughingiy told him she would
never be ready if she didn't remain at
home.
While he was away-she, busy in
the office, had had almost forgotten to
worry over her shortcomings. But now
they doomed bigger than before. She
met others, men and women to the
manner born, who did the right, the
gracious thing instinctively, not as she
did. with effort
Il don't make many mistakes in big
things anymore" she told Mrs. Rob-
erts. And I have learned to keep
still when they talk of thing I know
nothing about. But it is the little
things that bother me. Things those
other women and girls do so easily.
try dreadfully hard but I never go
where there are a lot of them that I
don't do something wrong. It's silly
perhaps to care. to feel as I do, but
can't help it. Miss Carter used to talk
about a salt water fish in a fresh wa
ter pond. 1 guess Pm iti'
(Tomorrow-Cora is unsympathetic. }