Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-17

am on the right track, and to give me
a better pay check"
well, let me give you some ad-
| vice. Martha Miller of Mr.. Seabody S
Office is leaving next week for a long
rest. You are next in line, so steer
clear. 1 told you he was a woman
killer"
Paula made no promise. She had
seen Mr.. Seabody occasionally dart.
ing through a door to call an order in
a high-keyed voice, darting in or out
of the elevator, or through the of
fees He was tall, stopped, hollow
eyed and sallow, with hands that
worked continually. She felt that Miss
Miller was not the sort of secretary
he needed, for she was thin and
"jumpy," with a reedy voice and fussy
way of rafting papers and desk tools.
However efficient, she would prove an
irritant to a nervous man.
She went willingly to the place when
she was called. Miss Miller stayed un-
til noon of her first day to direct her
in office routine. Paula's mind ran on
a double track that morning. She
caught every word of information
watched all the office detail, and at
the same time was realizing that no
matter how great a success he was in
business her employer was not an of
flee organizer.
The office boy was restless imp,
constant noise producer; the assistant
occupied a desk in the Office and she
cracked her chewing gum and reeled
papers in and out of her machine
with much noise. Paula traced
sharp point of sunshine that stabbed
a pile of papers on the desk, TO a
crack high up in the window shade,
saw chronic tangle in the telephone
cord at which the man pulled wrath
fully every time he picked it up, and
marked that at every lurch he gave
his chair-spring creaked.
At II Mr.. Seabody left for di-
rectors' luncheon. Ten minutes later
Miss Miller stopped in the door to
say:
"Good-by. May the Lord help you.
No one else can here"
Paula put in some intensive work
in the next two hours. First, while
the stenographer and Office boy were
out at luncheon she found the JAM
| tor. Under her directions he gummed
| tape over the hole in the window
shade, shutting out the point of light
| that Travelled across the desk all fore
noon, oiled every hinge and chair, the
grooves of the filing cabinets, and
! scraped the edges of the desk drawers.
! Then she called in Miss Sebree and
| traded the restless Office boy for a
quiet lad with a soft Southern accent,
moved the assistants desk into an
outer room and her own as far away
as possible.
| 1t was after when Paula heard
the rushing feet in the corridor and
| Mr.. Seabody dashed into the room. 1t
was shady and cool and empty except
! for Paula at her desk by the farthest
window. Her gown was of dark crepe
with a line of white at neck and
sleeves. the bands of her hair shone
smoothly above her brow. Realizing
the quiet effect she had achieved, she
did not look up from her copying. Her
! employer crossed the room and his
| chair received him without a screech
II took the liberty of making a few
changes" she began in her quiet
voice as she was leaving that night
TN glad you did. Miss Stafford.
The quietest afternoon I've had in
months Lord. the fuss some people
make,'
"Mr. Seabody was in the bank to
day" remarked Ellen. some six
months later. He looks like very
distant and much younger relative OF
himself. | cannot understand the
change in him"
Entirely due TO my theory" laugh
Ell Paula. Il surrounded him with q
zone Of quiet, while my predecessors
accepted the confusion in the office
as something preferred Dividend,
nave been satisfactory for both of us
because his wife says that his nerve.
are almost normal now. while my sal
airy mas been raised twice And I die
only what / used TO do for father
when he used to be so nervous"
Just what is your theory" dueriet
Ellen.
A woman should carry the bushes.
= Of being a woman into business" ex
pounded Paula
CThe End)
4 IcoDyriKht. 1877