The Washington times., 1935-09-13

really-it wasn't much to brag
about, Salaries started to drop
about the time she started
working.
She didn't intend working
forever. It was just something
to do until Jamie was through
school.
Uncertainty
Until Jamie was through
school. and she could shake
the dust of the office from
her skirts and be Mrs. James
Todd, jr.
Sometimes she thought she
couldn't stand it.
The waiting. The uncer'
tainty.
Not knowing just where she
stood with him. He seemed to
love her. He must love her.
She knew he did. But he never
said so. Not in so many words.
And he never said just when
they'd be married. He never
really asked her, though he
implied that some day, not so
very far, far away.
That came of falling in love
with a boy who had money.
Money and social position. You
had his family to buck. His
family, and all his friends.
Well, that's the way it goes.
You've got to expect that.
Shed always been ambitious.
Independent. Shed worked
hard on her job, too. Tried not
to think of Jamie too much
during office hours.
There had been no time for
day dreaming today. A thick
pile of carefully-typed ships
manifests lay beside her on the
desk. She'd earned her pay.
Toward 5 her fingers Jagged.
She made two or three erasures
on the last page, jerked it
impatiently from the machine.
She felt the slow progress OF
the office clock. From her desk
in the San Francisco office OF
the A. A. Heeley Steamship Com
pany, she could look out of the
side window, see over the roof
of the Dollar Building, to a rec
tangle of leaden sky and sea.
On the gray water the ferries.
like fat ducks, bobbed busily
back and forth. The fat white
one just going out would be
the 4:45. Some girls were lucky
enough to get that. and some
were lucky if they got the Sis.
She glanced through the half
open door into Mr.. Bennet's
office. She could see his feet,
neatly polished, well shod, large
feet, pressed comfortably on
the blotter pad of his desk.
There he was, wool-gathering
as usual. Feet on the desk, do
ing nothing. Or planning some
fool thing to send a long report
about, to the home office in
Seattle.
The times she'd torn out Of
that building without even stop
ping to powder her nose, run
every inch of the way to the
ferry and been practically
speeches. until the boat she'd
caught by the skin of her teeth
was halfway across the bay.
Worse yet, the times she
hadn't caught it. The times
she'd seen the gate slammed in
her face, and had to wait for
the next one. All because of
silly letter or wire or something
that could just as we'll have
been dictated at noon.
That's all a boss cares for
you.
Well. Bennett wouldn't keep
her late tonight. Not II she
knew it.
Carefully she slipped note
book and pencils into top, left
hand drawer. Cautiously she
tiptoed to the mirrored cabinet
over the wash basin near the
door of the outer office. Looked
with interest, but without
approval. Added powder, pulled
a blue beret over dark, slightly
curling short hair.
Her eyes were dark-circled.
That came of trying to have
a little fun on week-ends and
evenings, and having to get
the $40 every morning. That's
what you get for living home,
and committing.
If the folks would just move
to San Francisco.
(To Be COntinued)
Copyright, 1885. by King Features
Syndicate, Inc.)