Shoshone journal., 1923-07-27
CYLINDRICAL LOVE
BY LUCY GLADWIN

] "PS~1Oh III lHc glass Sne ndue
little frown. Never before had she
thought herself so uninviting. The
Drown Of her jersey dress melted into
.nat OF her hair; the shiny dusk of
her eyes was at one with the braid on
her bodice; she was nondescript.
But today the brown was the only
uress she owned which did not need
pressing. And whatever else she was,
Marjorie was neat.
AS sho entered his private office,
robert Irving looked at ber as If to
speak, but he dropped his eyes with
out a word. Marjorie sighed to her
self. No wonder he did not care to
look at her a second time. She would
1eei the same were she IL his place
She took her notebook from the desk
and stood expectantly beside her en-
ployers chair Again he looked at her.
His eyes glOwed, and fell once more.
He cleared his throat
Ready for the dictation, M-er-
Miss-Hardyf"
Marjorie flushed. 1t was becoming
increasingly hard for her to obey the
behests of this man-that is, to obey
them In a businesslike manner. And
she was much chagrined For, humil-
iation Of humiliations, she had done
! just what she had vowed she would
never dO-she had fallen in love with
her employer. And Of all bromide,
wishy-washy situations, that was the
most insipid and futile. She had not
a chance.
Besides being a rich young bachelor
Of the ''six hundred" Irving had all
Attachment" as her mother would
time had Marjorie called him to reply
to a certain feminine voice, and many
and many a time had she listened to
the raillery of pals" the give and
take Of friendly teasing, and good-na-
tured banter which only intimacy
could allow. Even as she thought Of
1t Marjorie grimaced to herself and
Strengthened.
Irving looked at her and leaned for
ward as If to rise, but, evidently
thinking better of It, settled back In
his chair.
Marjorie went to the inner office and
shut the door carefully. She laid her
head on her arm and fought desperate
ly with herself for a few minutes.
But it was no use specializing. Mar
jorie dabbed her nose violently
with a minute powder-puff, and turned
on the dictaphone.
ITO John Johnson, 2 Blank, Broad
way, New York City.
''Dear Sir: Yours Of the seventh in
stant at hand, and world say in re-
ply
And so ON, and so on, through a me-
lee of business letters. 1t was heart
rending to feel that she would no long
er have a part in his life, even so
mechanical a one as this. But she
comforted herself with the reflection
that he had paid her one compliment
he had never dictated punctuation.
He must, therefore, have some idea
that she knew what was what.
There were 13 rolls. and before she
was through with the twelfth, it was
dark. Marjorie turned on the light
and looked at her watch. 1t was 5 80
80 minutes after hours, and she was
to go to the theater with Bah and the
girls.
She decided that she would let the
last roll go till morning. She covered
the typewriter and, gathering the let
ters in a pile, addressed them in long
hand. for the envelopes would not go
into the machine. She turned to the
dictaphone. The sight of the lone
cylinder oppressed her. 1t was like
evading the last lap Of the race. She
sat down once more and opened up the
typewriter.
Clank, clank-the revolution of the |
dictaphone made a cultural sound of |
despair as if it, too, were tired. Smil- |
ing at the harmony of spirit between /
them. Marjorie wound it up.
'De-eer-er-est Mar-ar-ar- -jo-O-rie-'
Marjorie started then set it back.
II began again. but this time with the
blythe clearness of new power.
dearest Marjorie: Just good
night word to tell you that love you
have always loved you since l first
met you.
"I have not had the courage MAR
Iorie drew an incredulous breath) to
ell you in person. for am shy man
(again Marjorie snorted), but since
hat first day when you came to me
n your modest beauty I have longed
o tell you that for me there was no
,ther woman. could never be another
woman. VIII you? But, Marjorie,
am a shy man"
There the message broke off. Mar
orie stared at the little WAX cylinder
IS II IL were alive. She ciasped and
Inclasped her hands. But presently
he giggled. II was TOO funny Shyl
Bur, as she laughed, she heard be-
Ind her an echo Of her mirth. She
urned. There IN the doorway stood
rying, his face wreathed with the
mile Of selfapDroyal that young
oy feels when be has put something
across"
.Wul y0u-7 T." he said lamely,