Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-09-23
Many Flowers in
Her Office
.N~N~~~N~NNNN
BY HELEN FIELDING


tHul an ONCE COulu De HFllSllC, HUIueys
attractive and yet be the place where
successful business was carried on.
She surveyed the room In which
she sat. French gray walls, anne
thyst rug and hanglngs made a
background for the gray desks and
chairs, the small gray tea-wagon with
its purple china and silver.
She had started this employment
business on what her brother called
"a shoestring," but little by little her
business had grown until she was
known, far and wide, as most sue.
cessful woman In her line.
She was still young, and many who
came In contact with her wondered
that she had not married.
They did not know that the only
man she had ever cared for had been
married and that Fate had kindly
taken him out of her path. No one,
not even the man himself, had known
how deeply she had cared.
Absorption In her work had healed
the hurt, but nothing had ever come
along to take the place Of her early
romance. Sometimes she accused
herself of having hired young Frank
Barlow because he reminded her In
certain expressions Of the other
man. Frank was only two years
her junior, but she had taught him
nearly all that he knew about the
publicity and advertising end Of her
employment business, and she felt
a superior attitude toward him, in
years.
Their work brought them very close
ly In contact. They had long con-
ferences together; they frequently
had lunch together.
Agnes always had flowers In her
Office In lavender vase on the
tea-wagon there were rose or two,
sweet peas or daisies. In a bowl
on her own desk there were always
fragrant blossoms. And always,
about the person of Agnes, there
seemed to be a subtle fragrance as of
many flowers.
One spring evening when the
day had been very busy and there
had been little time for quiet, peace
full, concentrated thought, Agnes had
fancy that she would like to go
down to her office. There was no
place In the world in which she felt
SO much at rest, so completely at
home In her business environment
where she had at last surrounded her
self with the things and colors that
radIate happiness.
"Why shouldn't have a lovely Of
fice?" she would ask. II spend the
greater part Of my day in 1t. 1t is
home to me-"
She entered the outer hall quietly,
and looked into her own sanctum
through the open door, A silver cres-
cent moon was framed between the
soft amethyst hangings Of the west
ern window. A perfume from the
flowers greeted her. 1t was warm
and soothing. She stood drinking In
the beauty and peace Of 1t all. A
strange loneliness caught at her heart
strings and a sigh escaped her before
she stepped within the room.
Then she started back. Sitting in
her chair his head buried In the
snock she always left hanging In
the Office was-Frank Barlow. What
could be wrong2 Why was he heref
She felt herself breathing quickly.
Could II be that he-he cared for herr
He seemed always just the business
associate, friend, companion.
She heard him move. Had he
heard herr
She switched on the light In the
outer Office and he quickly rose to his
feet.
Miss Osborn" he stammered.
Are you working?" she asked, as
calmly as she could.
"NO--not yet. came down be-
cause | felt that perhaps ! might do
a little work. There seemed nothing
else so interesting as"
He couldn't 20 on. He knew, from
the way in which she was looking
ut him, that she had seen him with
his face buried In her smock.
Agnes sat down In the big gray
IehlntT CHdlT HeuE Luo ut5hs
do you care so much about-the
business, Frankf" she asked.
He did not reply at once, but his
fingers frightened on the folds of the
garment he had tried to conceal.
IL might as well tell you that have
been trying for months to keep from
loving you so entirely. 80 completely,
so utterly" he said. 81 have come
down here, night after night, just to
touch the fragrant garment that Is 80
much a part Of you, to sit In your
chair, to breathe in the personality
Of you that makes this office
heaven"
"Frank-Frank," was all Agnes, the
business woman, could say.
~ know I have no right, realize
that you look on me only as a busl-
ness help that"
"That | depend on you, entirely.
That, unconsciously, you have been
making me lean on you" added
Agnes. II did not know until saw
you with your head bent down on my
desk that-that--I-"
He had jumped to his feet and
was leaning over her In the moonllt
Office.
els 1t possible that you-care" he
asked.
1T is impossible that l should not"
she said.
A long time afterwards he said:
"And have received-employment,
Miss OSBORN
Permanent" she said.