The Glenwood post., 1924-03-27

tragedy of everything; ana though she
was yelled from Lewis Beitleman by
the dark, he knew exactly to which
emotions she was giving form and
body.
Perhaps. with his slight assistance
she might mount In dazzling arc to
stardom in the sky. He wasn't, he
felt mean; but, aside from the already
comparatively large cost Of his family.
there was the greatest need now to
turn everything possible back into his,
| business 1t could be counted
on to make, when all was considered,
tremendous returns In three years,
1t might be, they could easily send
Eldreda to the South seas, and he
said so, aloud.
II suppose" her voice answered out
of the gloom. "you chose the South
seas SOS you wouldn't have to buy me
any clothes"
"On the contrary" he replied e1-
plicitly, Il was trying to think of the
farthest and most expensive place
could. 1t seems like, with you and
| your mamma, person Is always mis-
understood.
Don't pick continual on Eldreda.
won't have it," her mamma put in.
You can't seem to learn that 81
dreda's delicate She's not a pot but
| a fine vase easily shattered"
''Well." he replied paciflcally, "it's
too nice an evening for ructions.
| Things is going too smooth for that"
The smoothness of things" brought
Miss Conifee back to mind; and, after
| moments forced hopeful considera-
tion, he spoke of her to his family.
"Now, take Miss Conifee-"
Who's sheY Nanine demanded.
"That's his stenographer," Eldreda
explained.
"She is more than that, Eldreda,"
he patiently corrected her; Miss Con-
ifee is good half Of our business.
She's been with me now for fourteen
| years, and In the first month after /
| got her she near to paid for all she's
had since Taste! That's where she's
small house, but tell you our works
been complimented by big people. We
are going, not coming. What am
getting at is this, and know" he
hesitated shortly, and then began
again with rush. "I know you'll
both back me up. Miss Conifee's been
with me, us, for fourteen years now,
and she's part of the place. The truth
is she can't work any more without
me than I can her. If anything hap
| pened to that she'd be gone. It's her
mother and her honesty both together;
her mothers got kind Of expensive
sickness and Miss Conifee won't take
anything from me but doggoned mod
| crate salary. She won't have penny
more. after all she's given us; but with
| your help, with your approval, I've
thought of way to make her safe,
when pass on to my California. It's
this-we will give her an interest in
the business. make her small partner
like"
J He waited, on the mark of an op-
timistic interrogation, through the
deep silence that followed, a silence
finally shattered with an unqualified
derision.
Partner" said Nanine, partner,
her, stenographer? You're mad.
amt you'll"
| His momentary unwarranted expec-
tations. like glass. fell swiftly, shat
tering, on the hard ground of reality.
Eldreda giggled:
you don't know the best, because
you haven't seen her-why. she's a
million and looks like an old wisk
broom with most Of the straws out.
I'll tell the street PAS got some taste
himself, I'll say so"
"You ought to be ashamed Of your
SELF" Lewis Beitleman's wife told him,
trying that on us. You must think
we never see anything Of life. What
makes me mad is your speaking 1t
right out to US, before your daughter"
"What do you meanr' he demanded,
vaguely trying to face them both.
'"Take It to the flreplug," this was
Eldreda.
"How long has this been going onr"
Nanine asked.
Drawn rgidly upon the edge Of his
chair, with his face burning, he was,
at first. unable to reply to either.
When he spoke 1t was in q repressed,
hard tone. Il told y0u," ne said, II
told you Miss Conifee had been with
mo fourteen years. and 1 told you. too,
that we had her to thank for a half
Of our success. What was trying to
find out was could she hope for little
kindness from you SOS she could look
easy at any future. DO you under
stand-while Eldreda and you have
been setting, sitting, at home reading
moving picture magazines, Miss Con-
ifee and I were In 1t with our last
breath keeping a roof over your heads
and wondering where we'd all be next
year. She's helped to make every deal
we've pulled out on-those nights l
was so late we were sitting up figuring
in dimes" :.
A desolating feeling Of the useless