The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-07-27
Glimpse Backstage
go
By OSCAR BELLOWS
ASSOCIATED Newspapers.)
WNU Service.

DETER MARTIN had never in
tended to have a woman secre-
tary, but during the illness of James
Holcomb he was forced to take
stopgap. Miss Chase had appeared
on a busy morning when the ac-
emulation of details had begun to
prove devastating to his temper.
81 don't want a woman in my Of
fice," he barked shortly. Ruth's
fine eyebrows moved upward and
her speculative gray eyes rested
curiously upon his irritable brown
ones.
"But l am an efficient worker"
she said quietly. eff I can do your
work well it doesn't matter whether
1 am a man or a woman. You
will never notice the difference"
Peter stared, cleared his throat,
read her testimonials and engaged
her. That was two years ago, and
he had never regretted it. She had
been right. She was efficient, and
whatever other agreeable traits she
possessed, they we're never brought
to his notice. She reduced his work
to half as soon as he discovered
that her initiative matched her good
judgment.
On the whole, Ruth preferred the
Cottage Tearoom to the Worlds
Best Restaurant. 1t was a shade
more expensive, but if you ate less,
and liked it more, at least your
aesthetic craving was satisfied. On
this occasion she took a cup of tea
and lettuce sandwich, which made
up artistically for its lack of filling
qualities. AS usual, while eating
her lunch, Ruth amused herself with
picking out the people she would
like to know. Then suddenly some
one walked in whom she did know.
With strange little thrill that was
almost resentment she realized that
of all the people there Peter Martin
was the one she would most enjoy
talking to-that is, in a socially PHI
able fashion, for Mr.. Martin never
exactly talked to her; he merely
expressed in her presence conclu-
sions at which he had arrived.
Its refreshing here, isn't it,"
commented Peter, seating himself
opposite Ruth and casting his eyes
about the green and orchid room ap-
provingly. If he approved of Ruth's
leaf-brown ensemble and burnt or
ange felt hat he kept it to himself,
for it was the efficient Miss Chase
of the office who answered him Sc
dately and, having finished her tea,
rose to leave the place. Peter
watched her leave. He found him
self wondering whether those gray
eyes would soften or flash with re-
sentiment if he should ask her to
dine with him some evening. She
was so darn pretty.
Peter, being chairman of many
boards of directors, required in
Vulnerable statistics to be compiled
at certain seasons of the year. At
these times Ruth, to whom the work
of compiling fell, usually went to
bed to sleep Immediately after din
L
nings that her telephone rang and
her employer declared in no uncer-
tain tones that he must have her
advice Immediately in regard to the
ACCESSIBILITY of revising an important
report, which he would be called
upon to make at ten o'clock the next
morning.
After standing up all the way
home on the 81" Ruth had decided
in favor of golden brown waff1es
and crisp bacon as an easily pre-
pared and satisfying dinner. The
first waffle was in the process of
putting up and turning a delicate
brown when the startling message
had come over the wire that Peter
was at that moment at the corner
drug store with the bothersome re-
port and would be right over.
Hell never keep secretary who
lives like this, walled Ruth trying
frantically to tidy up the gloriously
untidy studio apartment. There
were books everywhere, with shah
by but comfortable easy chairs to
read them in; there were shaded
lights and good prints; there was
the appetizing odOr of crisp bacon
and big yellow bowl of the where
withal of which waffles are made.
In her excitement Ruth forgot to
take off an intriguingly feminine tea
apron that seemed to Peter the last
ttyCrH in oil 1trr1v,1
you're just in time for dinner
or supper-or-anyway, it's waffles
and bacon" said Ruth gayly, if a
trife nervously.
"Waffles!" exploded Peter. Lead
me to them! I'm ravenous and I'd
rather have a mess of waffles and
some of that coffee that smells so
good than a seven-course banquet. 4"
That being the kind of apartment it
was, he made himself at home with
cigarettes, ash-tray, easy chair and
magazines, while Ruth fitted to and
from the little kitchenette complet-
ing the preparations for their feast.
No detail of the comfortable little
menage escaped him. n
''How did you ever manage to do
if2V nclad pafar aftar ba had cor,