The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-03
A Stenograbher's
Romance
BY JANE PHELPS
NELLIE MAKES A NEW ACQUAIN-
TANCE
CHAPTER Is.

/ CHAPTER 10.
Enthusiastically Nellie thanked Mr.
Robinson for the pleasure he had
given them, and made him laugh
| heartily at some of her comments. AS
she turned to her desk she caught the
bookkeepers eyes fixed upon her face,
their depths. But with a shrug she
started to work.
THE poor NUT" she said to herself
| He never wants anyone to smile or
| talk. He should be in an undertaker's
place, or the morgue- HIS sour face
makes me shiver." But soon she had
forgotten the thin, serious-faced man.
Her work was going we'll She was
happy.
About this time Cora, who had not
| been very well, lost her position. Not
because she was not competent, but
an appreciable extent. Cora, being
the last stenographer hired. was the
| first to be let go. They gave her a
good reference and dismissed her with
words of regret. 1t was a blow a
hard one. She had spent quite a BIT
on Nellie. more than she could afford,
had she known she would be even a
short time out of work Her mother
needed what she sent her; needed it
to live in the simple economical way
she lived at the Corners-her invalid
| ism required food and medicine,
dainty food that would keep up her
strength.
| You must take a week and rest.
| Mrs. Thompson said kindly. The girls
| too urged her to remain quietly at
home few days before she tried for
another position
| Nellie and I can pay the expenses
for week, L guess Gladys said, and
Nellie, her arms around Cora, begged
her to stay in bed and let them wait
upon, her. But-~Cora was obdurate
She went at once to Miss McBride's
IAEenCV nr11y
found position with a good firm,
and two dollars week advance. But
tn work was much harder. OF this
she, however, said nothing. She must
work. What was the use of grum-
bling?
They aren't particularly kind. We
are Just machines, like our type
writer's But they are fair to those
keep me or any other girl a minute
wac didn't. There's no sentiment.
They want what they pay for-and
But think of getting SIS a week."
! Nellie said: Il wonder, if 1 will ever
be worth SIS of anybody's money ?''
| OF course you will, if you keep on
trying to improve" Cora encouraged
GU type as well as 1 do, and # you
work at your shorthand, look out for
raise q
I think it would help, Nellie. if
you'd talk in more ladylfke way
Giaoys broke in. In some offices
save it for US, and that boy who
walked home with you the other night.
| Who was he anyway %
Just an office boy in the building!
he lives near here. You weren't think
ing that kid was a beau, were Won ?''
/ Hes as old as you are, isn't he?
Maybe guess sol But boys like
him don't know nothing. They're just
silly kids. He said a funny thing
tho" she frowned
'What?" The girls weren't really
very curious about each otner's af-
fairs They were. however, intensely
interested.
Why, he asked me where 1 worked,
and when told him he whistled, then
said:
doesn't he? He has a new girl oftener
than anybody in the building. Must
be hard to work for
Il told him he wasn't! Not a bit,
that he was as kind as could be. Then
he-whistled again, and said:
Look out for him! Them old fell
lows amt being SO awful kind to their
stenogs for nothing-and what does
kind" ---'- - " 81
II told him they wasn't good
stenogs most likely, but he didn't say
nothing to that, just whistled again
ana then we was here. l wonder
what he meant by them whistles ?
I'm going to ask him if I see him
again"
Cora looked troubled. She had be-
gun to feel a little uneasy about
Nellie. Often she brought home flow
ers Mr.. Robinson had given her. love-
ly blooms from the florists. Then too
he had once more given her theater
tickets, and once he had taken her to
I lunch. 1t was all innocent enough
but Nellie was SO pretty, SO bright
and winning in spite of her impu-
dence
! 81 won't say anything-yet," Cora
said to herself Il won't put ideas
into her head. She needs the money
dreadfully and If she leaves he might
not give her a reference"
(Tomorrow-Cora visits Mr.. Robin
Sop's affice