The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-17
A Stenographer's
Romance
BY JANE PHELPS
NELLIE RILEY's AMBITION,
CHAPTER

Nellie Riley had ambition. That is,
she had one ambition that doomed
Iarger-to be an office girl in New
York. To take down letters in short
hand, to play on the keys of a type
writer. represented both independence
and happiness to her.
Not that she knew much about it,
| for Nellie never had been beyond
Hudson Corners, where as soon as she
was old enough she helped Miss Car
ter who kept a rooming house But
/ one of the Hudson Corner girls had
gone to New York, and was doing well
in a brokers' office, and what Nellie
heard of Cora Bakers success only
made her the more determined some
day to try her luck in the Big Town."
as she heard it called by man who
occasionally stopped at the boarding
house.
Nellie's schooling had been an I'M
certain sort of an affair, Miss Carter
keeping her out as often as she dared.
But Nellie never grumb1ed because-6f
this. Some time in the dim past a
boarder had left a typewriter when
he departed; Nellie never dreamed he
left it voIuntarily-she knew Miss
Carter too we'll. But when her work
was done, and often when it was not,
Nellie stole to the attic where the
typewriter reposed in company with
various cheap trunks and bags-Miss
carter was a ROOQ business women
and with painstaking diligence slow
ly, laboriously, taught herself to use
the machine. She knew she should
also study shorthand, but there was
no way. No one at the Corners could
teach her; if they could Miss Carter
to learn. So she gave every minute
to perfecting herself on the type
writer, hoping if she did tipping well
she could some day get position
where shorthand was not necessary.
1t was really remarkable that Mel
lie did as well as she did with her
stolen moments, working at night by
the glimmer of candle, going with
out sleep to perfect herself Yet altho
she gained considerable speed and
typed a neat looking page, her SPELL
ing was atrocious.
Miss Carter paid Nellie very little.
High wages had not reached as far
as Miss Carriers boarding house. But
Nellie boarded every penny she re-
ceiyed, her occasional tips from some
boarder for whom she did an extra
service; and went shabby, doing with
out all the little things and outings
young girls love, to save against the
time she could get to New York.
Nellie was IT. At IT hope and faith
are instructive. She never doubted for
a moment that once in New York she
earn enough to take care of herself.
Nellie was also pretty She had dark
brown hair that curled in riotous fash
ion about her head; bobbed because
Miss Carter said she spent too much
time doing it up, rather than because
bobbed hair was in style. Her eyes
were big and brown, laughing eyes
that intrigued one at once She was
rather short and very slender-the
latter she claimed was caused by over
eating at Miss Carriers! Tr
Nellie had Cora Bakers address, but
she always said to herself:
I'll never let her know I'm. there
till I get a job and some clothes"
would have pride in her appearance.
There she cared nothing how she
looked--al she thought of was getting
away
New York. she also knew she must |
have a little to keep her until she |
found a job. Beyond that she did not
look.
She had set $25 as the amount she
must have over and above her fare. |
That would keep her long time-she !
knew nothing of New York prices
she probably would not need to use it |
all for she would find office work be-
fore it was gone, she was sure.
Unconsciously one of the boarders |
helped her. She was a small woman |
who, feeling sorry for the shabby little |
slavey, gave her a fairly decent look |
ing dark blue tailored suit. Nellie was |
IN ecstasies, and when a man passing !
thru gave her dollar, she bought a
sailor hat at the general store and felt |
herself equipped to face the world.
A train passed thru the Corners at |
midnight. She would take that. She
had no intention of taking anyone into
her conference.-the would never be
allowed to go If she did, So the day
she had $25 aside from the amount
necessary for her ticket, she borrowed
1ne of the cheap suitcases from the
lttic, and at midnight quietly stole
lway, all her worldly possessions not
illing the case.
81 didn't steal it, I'll send 1t back
when I get in an office" she said as !
the tugged it to the station.
(Tomorrow-In the big town.
Hup uarR