The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-10-30
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Faith .Clarke's Career
BY JANE OSBORN

It was the first time n Faith
Z. Clnrke's career as Stenographer II
the Gage Manufacturing COMPANY
that she had been fate. Her small
purse had slipped from numb'4
fingers on her way from the BlalT
Street Home to tho corner wheT2
She Customarily took the hug. SLH
had retractd hor steps, hui the
rapidly falling snow had hidden
the place where It had fallen. SO
Faith Clarke went her way on foOi'
punching the tine clock In tie en-
trance to Indicate half hour
hardness.
As soon as she had taken her
seat In the room where nine other
stenogfaphers, worked and had
OPENED her typewriter desk to be:
Ein transctibing notes from dicia'
ton taken from one Of the sais''
men late the previous afternoon,
Faith was aware Of the fact that
something Of unusual interest was
in the air.
Batter powder your nose and
look alive" said tho Girl at the
next desk. "He's coming in this
morning To iooE us over"
Just my luck" sighed the glrl
at the desk on the other side.
looking into the tiuv mirror on tue
cover of her vanity case. The
snow got on my hair aad t0o% out
all the waves, and I've gGs on my
Oldest dress. I should worry"
Eventually Faith Clarke piece !
|, together the information that
0fhomas Gage, Jr.. son Of "the big
boss had arrived. He had pre-
yiously had charge Of the western
plant OF the concern, but had now
come to assume control Of the main
office and would need private sec
rotary, and had announced that he
would choose one from the stenog
fraphers already employed.
Hes coming to look US over, "
!. Jimmy overheard him telling Mr..
B Mills. "Then he will pick out the
one that he thinks looks the hest.
lt will mean thirty dollars a week
to tho girl that cults"
Faith kept on with her work and
carefully rolled a sheet Of letter.
head paper Into her typewriter. Ap-
parently she was not especially in
terested. at Isn't likely he'd pick
me-" she murmured.
"oh, don't know" consoled the
neighbor at tho left. You've got
a fine record. You've got more
speed than any OF the rest Of us
and you're terribly accurate. Those
things count, though, of course, he's
Young and fine looking and will
probably pick good locker"
Faith Clarke sighed again and
opened her notebook to begin the
monotonous days work.
For an hour little work was done.
The buzzing OF voices was inces.
SAINT, and thore were frequent paus-
es IN work for powderinG Of noEes
and readjustmentsot hair nets.
Then q hush suddenly foil on the
room, for tho door had opened and
Mr.. Mills. office manager. with 4
Hall, keen.eyed stranger, entered
the room.
"a Never had the stenoEraphers'
s1oom Of the Gage Manufacturing
10. hiimedm with such iucessant
SA'loklng OF the typewritess, and
never before were the heads bent
IN such keen attention TO work.
Mr.. Mills and tho stranger stood
talking in subdued tones. but OBJ.
vlously the stranger vas making
observations. Then they left tho
room and the door closed. For four
or five minutes more the typewriter
= keys bu1zed fhriously, and then
came a lull.
GOSH" said the girl at Faiths
Gee Whit" said the one at her
isn't the suspense something
awful?" said girl across the
room. How soon do you thlni;
he'll let US know"
After the noon lunch hour the
girls took their places promptly.
And then Molly Day who had
found the suspense so trying. was
called to Mr.. Cages office. She
stopped In the dressing room for
a careful reapplication Of rouge