Plentywood herald., 1928-10-04
Published by special srransemcnt With Tns
Chicsgo Tribune eyndicsts)


IN IL W UNI
NOR the first time John Merton had
an office of his own. Until his pro-
motion he had done his work at q
desk in the large general room. When
there were letters to be dictated he
pushed button and any one OF the four
stenographers answered the summons.
Now he was to have a secretary TO aid
him with his larger duties.
we pay thirty week." his chief told
Merton. The office manager will inquire
of the agencies and send to you any like
ly applicants, or you can pick a secre-
tary from among the girls in the outside
office. II any of them has seemed un-
usually competent. AS a rule 1 like to
promote people already in our employ. 1t
helps the morale. But suit Yourself"
Merton settled to consideration of the
four girls who had done his letters be-
fore he came to this seat of .he mighty.
He decided on Miss Champion. She
dressed quietly; her voice was pleasant;
she was an excellent stenographer; she
didn't ask for attention, just did her
work. Yes, Miss Champion would do.
He lifted the receiver and broke the
news to Miss Eggleston. The office man
ager was a dried kernel OF q woman who
also had a poor opinion OF her sex from
long years Of trying to make expert
clerks and stenographers out of raw ma
terial. She held that ziegfeld had an
easy job: all he needed was beauty while
she had to look for brains-try and find
theml But Miss Eggleston nodded ap-
proval into the telephone as she listened
to Merton.
Miss Champion came in at once. Mer-
ton gave instructions concerning rear
ranging the letter files, suggested new
card index system for. keeping track of
small orders and told her to ask for any
supplies she might need. She listened
with quiet attention and little later
Merton had momentarily forgotten her
as he went through the mail which she
swiftly opened and arranged for his
reading.
At 5 o'clock he found that she had
done an excellent days work. On his
desk lay the crisp pile OF typed letters
dictated early in the afternoon. 1t was
closing time. but Miss Champion waited
without trace of impatience for him to
sign his correspondence. Then she took
the letters to her own desk to make them
ready for the mail clerk.
III take care Of these; you needn't
wait" he said without looking up
There was no response. Merton swung
about to find Miss Champion looking out
aCIOS5 LIE Hills. ne odiQ dSdAl4t 1od
needn't wait. Miss Crampton. I'll take
care of these letters"
The girl flushed slightly as she turned,
and for the briefest moment Merton had
glimpse Of young woman very differ
ent from the remote and efficient Miss
Crampton of office hours. The color in
her cheeks, the widened eyes still in the
spell of world outside office walls; these
had for the moment transfgured her.
Why, she was beautiful! But instantly
the glory had departed 1t was the coolly
remote Miss Champion who answered,
I'D rather wait, If you please"
Merton understood that. The girl, he
thought, was as interested in her new
job as he was in his. Good stuff. She
was sure to be great help. She finished
the letters at half past five. Merton lin
gered after she had gone.
| 1t was pleasant to sit in the quiet office
and cast up mental accounts.
! Yes, he'd done well and there was more
ahead Next year he might be sent to
London to buck up the office there.
Lucky he hadn't married There was Tom
Thorpe. Steady old hack. Was with the
company before Merton and doing well,
but he married and that finished him.
Had a chance at the San Francisco
branch. Wife didn't want to go SO far
away all her friends in the east. Tom
passed it up. Now he was in rut and
there to stay. Yes, women played the
devil with a mans game.
An unusual pressure of business de-
veloped in November. Milton Hughes,
the second vice president who handled
the South American trade, had nisbe
having appendix and the doctor said he
would be laid up month at least after
the operation. Merton had to take over
Hughes work. AT times he found himself
almost swamped under the mass of de-
tail and he knew he would have been
overwhelmed had 1t not been for Miss
Champion. She understood his regular
work nearly as we'll as he did and almost
without knowing it she began to handle
all but the most important matters as a
regular part OF her days work.
They were at their desks early and on
many evenings the light in Mertons Of
flee made little square of radiance in
the black face of the building long after
the night watchman had come on duty.
He took to cutting down lunch time to
ten minutes; a dash to the nearest cafe
terra for a cup of coffee and sandwich
The eating place was crowded, the food
unappetizing and finally he decided he'd
be better off without lunch. So he kept
on at his desk.
Miss Champion had also cut lunch time
to minimum. But she never went en-
tirely without eating and to all appear
ances she was standing the strain better
than was Merton. His nerves were getting
edgy and the end of one particularly ex-
asperating morning when everything had
gone wrong found him snappish over the
telephone and ready to quarrel with any
one who gave him half a chance Once
or twice he was curt with Miss Cramp-
ton, but she appeared not to notice and
he had the grace to feel ashamed. At
o'clock he rose YEARLY.
I'm going to knock off for half an
hour" he said. Think / need some air
and q cup of coffee or something to
straighten me out" He paused and add
ed. Sorry I've been such a bear today"
He was reaching for his overcoat when
Miss Champion stopped him.
It's all slush underfoot and beginning
to rain" she said. Don't go out. Just open
the window a moment and do a deep
breathing exercise. Keep your back
turned and don't look around until /
say you may"
She spoke with brisk authority and
Merton stared. But somehow he liked
being ordered about by Miss Champion.
He felt the strain relax and even man
aged laugh. He did his breathing exer-
cises faithfully and was contemplating
some mild calisthenics when Miss Cramp-
ton told him time was up On his desk
was white square of napkin a plate
with three sandwiches and a cup of hot
tea. Miss Champions desk was similarly
equipped.