The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-08-10
CYLINDRICAL | Owe
BY LUCY oLADWIN


| little frown. Never before had Bne
thought herself so uninviting. The
brown Of her jersey dress melted into
that 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
dress she owned which did not need
pressing. And whatever else she was,
Marjorie was neat
As she entered his private Office,
Robert Irving looked at her as II to
speak. but he dropped his eyes with
out word. Marjorie sighed to her
self. No wonder he did not care to
look at her a second time. She would
feel the same were she in his place.
She took her notebook from the desk
and stood expectantly beside her en-
ployer's 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. Il 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 bromidic,
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 an
Attachment" as. her mother would
have called 1t. Many ana many a
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 II to rise, but, evidently
thinking better Of 1t, 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 q few minutes.
But 1t was no use speculating. Mar
jorle dabbed her nose violently
with minute powder-puff, and turned
on the dlctaphone.
ITO John Johnson, Blank, Broad
way, New York City.
"Dear Sir: Yours OF The seventh in
stant at hand, and would say In re-
And 80 on, and so on, through 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, 1t was
dark. Marjorie turned on the light
and looked at her watch. 1t was 5 80
80 minutes after hours, and she was
to 60 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
II typewriter.
Clank, clank--the revolution Of the
dictaphone made cultural sound Of
despair as IL 1t, too, were tired. Smil-
ing at the harmony Of spirit between
them. Marjorie wound It up.
"De-eer-er-est Mar-af-ar- jo-o-rie-'
Marjorie started, then set 1t 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 first
met you.
'I have not had the courage MAR
joric drew IN incredulous breath) to
tell you in person, for Lam shy man
(again Marjorie snorted), but since
that first day when you came to me
in your modest beauty / have longed
to tell you that for me there was no
other woman. could never be another
woman. Will you? But, Marjorie,
am a shy man."
There the message broke off. Mar
jorie stared at the little wax cylinder
as II It were alive. She clasped and
unclasped her hands. But presently
she giggled II was too funny. Shyi
But. as she laughed, she heard be.
hind her an echo OF her. mirth. She
turned. There in the doorway stood
Irving, his face wreathed with the
smile of self-approval that young
boy feels when he has put something
across"
"will your +" he said lamely
and held out his arms.
And when the girl could extricate
herself from his "bashful" embrace