Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1934-01-11
4. Office Help
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B7 DIANE WESTERLY y
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!: ever. Just at present Mildred David.
son was the typist who had most re-
Gently arrived and who, it seemed to
Miss French, ought to be the next to
leave.
"A nice, neat, pleasant sort of girl"
Miss French was telling Mr.. Michael
Hartford In a condescending sort of
way-condescending not, of course,
toward MIR. Hartford but toward the
girl in question. But she simply won't
do. She isn't the type-she doesn't
belong-and besides she can't manage
her typewriter"
"Oh, well. all right" snapped Mi.
chael Hartford who sometimes
wearied of the efficient methods of his
stenographer who was ten years his
senior and had way of treating him
like nephew.
Obviously Miss French had some
special prejudice against Miss David
son. But they decided not to tell her
OF her fate until pay day. Then they
would give her weeks salary and
tell her not to come back. That was
the system at Harbord's insurance Of
flee.
Neither he nor Miss French saw
her that evening go down the hall to
the stock-room where she sought and
found Teddy, the shipping clerk and
Office opener. 'You know you prom
Used me key to the Office" she whis-
pered to him. "Don't say anything to
anyone, Teddy. It's all right. You
know you promised" and with lit
tie more coaxing Miss Mildred David
son was going her way the cheerful
possessor Of the key she so much de-
sired.
Then as Miss French went out she
stopped to see Teddy. She asked him
about girl he knew who might want
a job. "We're letting Miss Davidson
go tomorrow"
Miss Davidson" exclaimed Teddy.
II don't believe she knows it-well. of
course. I haven't anything to say
about it."
"Of course you haven't, Teddy"
agreed Miss French acridly. "This
Miss Davidson isn't the sort of girl we
usually employ here. hope you un-
derstand."
Teddy didn't understand in the least.
Miss Davidson was neat. trim and good
to look at but not in the least what
Teddy would call 'flashy." Perhaps
her work hadn't been up to the mark
but she had only been there two
weeks. Teddy went home and con-
tinued to worry about the key until
called up Mr.. Michael Hartford at his
home and told his employer of the
key.
Michael Hartford said that there
could be no harm in giving the key to
the girl. who doubtless had some work
she wanted to do before opening hour
in the morning. Then he got to think.
ing about it. Miss French had said
that. the girl didn't belong" Michael
hadn't had the most remote idea of
what she meant by that, but perhaps
she really had some suspicious about
the girl. 1t was nearly eight o'clock
when Michael Harbord arrived at his
office.
Michael let himself into the outer
office. Hello" he called out, ANYONE
around?' Then there in his own Office
with the door open between it and the
outer office-he saw Mildred 1t was
Mildred Davidson surely-but Mildred
wore a dust cap. She wore an enor-
nous apron hanging longer than her
trim little frock. and when he first
saw her there she was on her knees
vigorously applying what appeared to
be furniture oil to the end of his
desk.
"Oh, never thought you'd come"
she cried 81 was just trying to clean
things up here little. heard you
say that it annoyed you because the
cleaning woman never really cleaned
your office, and it drives me most
crazy-the dust and everything. So |
just made up MY mind to come in
brought some soap and some cloths
and some furniture polish and found
an old pail in here-and. well, Pm get
ting things so they look little bet,
ter"
Michael was standing there smiling
with boundless pleasure and admira-
ton.
Mildred went on: Maybe I'm a
poor typist-Miss French told me I
was Of no use in an office-but / just
made up my mind that I'd try to do a
little to earn my salary. And knew
you said that the dust annoyed you,
too"
Michael begged her to stop, assuring
her that he didn't want her to do such
hard work and that he was afraid she
would mar her nice hands. But Mil
dred refused to quit.
'T'll stick around here then" he
said, until you are through. And
hen want to take you some place to
have something to eat. ran Off with
out half finishing my dinner. and I'll
bet you did. too"
The next day he gave Miss French
orders-quite drastic Orders-to do
nothing about discharging Miss David
SON. Miss French sullzed but did as
she was told. A month later he told
her to take Miss Davidson's name off