Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 169, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1912 — Page 3

Discharging Mary Drake

By Jane Osborne

(Copyright. 1912. by Associated Literary -.-r"'-,' ?**»«•> : I Mary Drake, the pretty stenographer at Bililngton’a, was kneeling before the filing cabinet in the outer office. Old Grenoble paced back and forth through the offices clutching his long, white hands in restrained annoyance. Never, in all the course of 20 years’ experience as prime' minister to the great steel king, Billington, had the jwheels of the office machinery played such a trick, now a mere slip of a ten-dol!ar-a-week girl had tied up a big deal involving tens of thousands of dollars by misfiling an important letter. Grenoble came back to the outer office and stood behind the pretty stenographer. She was such a defenseless, well meaning little thing, and now she turned around and looked at him so squarely and unflinchingly as she admitted that the letter “Was still missing that Grenoble was speechless. The fact was that Mary Drake’s simple, childlike frankness and prettines s had once more disarmed old Grenoble. The little stenographer’s smile had proved again to be her surest means of self-defense. Still she searched with unruffled serenity through the files, and still Grenoble stood torn between real anger and compassion. “I do wish I could find that letter.” the girl murmured in a conversational tone. At this moment Tom Wayne, Grenoble’s clever 'young assistant; came into the office and his eyes fell from force of the habit that he had been acquiring for the last few weeks on the figure of the pretty stenographer. Then be saw Grenoble, pale and struggling with suppressed irritation, and he knew that something had gone : Wreegr- - -

Miss Drake was the first to break the silence. “Pleaße, Mr. Wayne,” she said appealingly, ■without looking at him, "can’t you think where I might have , put that order from Smith’s. You see Mr. Grenoble wants to have it right away and it take all the afternoon for me to look in every folder in this cabinet It where it ought to be and I can’t think where I could have put it.’’ Of course, the letter was found. Tom Wayne himself helped the girl look through the files for it. It had been misfiled—Miss Drake’s fault of course —and even Mr. Wayne realized then that Miss Drake would have to leave, for this error, and several others which had'not been of so great moment, only went to prove that the little woman was as useless on the files as she had been at typewritings or stenography, or at the office telephone switchboard, where, after a week, she had'proved herself incapable of mastering the mechanism of the wires and plugs. “See here, Wayne.” Grenoble said to his young assistant''that afternoon M-when they bad finished discussing the Important business of the day, “you will have to discharge that Miss Drake. I have tried s half dozen times and somehow she doesn’t seem to understand, The first time I told her to go she was so nice about It that I promised to let her try another . week. Then when I told her that she had shown no improvement she pleaded so earnestly to stay that I turned the telephone boy into an office boy and gave her a try at the telephone, but you know how impossible She was there. Then It was on the files and she has failed. I have tried again to discharge her but I don’t believe she quite understood me. To tell you the truth, Wayne, she Is so near- the age of my own daughters, that I haven’t the heart to tell her brutally to go. But I think it would be easy enough for you. Mr. Billington will be back in a day or so and he would never stand for any one like Miss Drake." True, indeed, thought Wayne. Mary Drake would have to leave before Billlngton’s return. One of the secrets of .the great financier’s success was his ability to choose his employes. Now for the first time since he had been in business he had consented to go away and had sailed for Europe for a few months of rest Before he had gone he had suggested that a new stenographer be employed to lighten the tasks of the hardworking women In the offloe during the summer months. Miss Drake was the result of the suggestion—she had come from the employment agency the day after -Billington left and for the first time to hljory of^BiUtogton’s toTthe Billington that Tom Wayne came into the outer office that night intent on discharging Mary Drake He walked deliberately toward her—try ■miles- He drew a chair beside her |

monowpe tnai u& wrrttw " files had proved worse than uselesi. -You may as wen go home at once,” he said. "There will be no more to do." “I taew that I have failed,” said Mary#Rooking ortLof^tho—more Be discharged her and robe to get her wraps, and followed every motion as she adjusted her hit and drew on her little brown gloves. He said nothing and only smiled as she said good night to hjm and slipped out of the door. That night Tom suffered mental torments—remorse, pity and longingremorse, as he thought of the cruelty of his short, abrupt dismissal of the poor girl; pity as he thought of the possible want that awaited her, and longing—that was the worst of it .A selfish longing gripped at his heart, a hunger fqr one more glimpse of that frank, pretty smile. v The next day Tom Wayne came, to the office with a heavy heart, but to his great surprise there was Mary Drake, her hah off, carefully opening and sorting the mail. Why had she come back? What Would Grenoble say? What would the great Billington do under the circumstances?

Just then Mary smiled and saidstill opening the mail—"l c-an open the letters and sorb the' mail, anyway.” - A _/ : - ; Tom forgot all about Billington. *1 want to have a talk with you. Miss Drake,” he said. “J will start out with you tonight when you go. I can’t talk lfi this office?' Somehow Tom thought that it would be easier to make Mary understand away from the office that she would have- to leave, but before the evening came he had decided to settle the problem of discharging Mary Drake in a way that made him long with all Ms being for five o’clock to come. It waa strange, he thought to himself, that he had not thought of this solution before. ~ That night when Mary Drake walked from the office with Tom Wayne through the busy crowded streets he told her the secret of his love, and as he told It she looked Into his eyes with such a spirit of confidence and companionship that Tom wondered why he had hesitated to love her simply because she was an inefficient little working girl. “Mr. Billington landed this afternoon, and will be at the office the first .thing in the morning,” he told her, so you had “better not turn up there again. It be so hard, having to • leave now, will it, little girl? Everything I have Is yours, now, and you must not worry about the salary. We will talk that over later." As they walked Tom noticed that they were still walking up the brightly lighted thoroughfare, and when he asked to see her home Mary protested.

“Don't be ashamed, little girl,” he said. “Come, I insist.” “Come, then,” said Mary, and led the way past the business section to the brilliantly lighted fashionable residential section. Tom fairly, gasped as she led the way up the wide brownstone steps of Billlngton’s house. ' *T am not Mary Drake,” he heard the girl at his side saying as they stood before- the front door. “I am Vivian BUlington. I have been playing the part of a spy” she went on. “You know how father hated to leave his office even for a day, and this summer when he needed a rest so very much I hit on this plan. I knew he didn’t like to leave because be thought things would go wrong while he was away. One day he said he would go if he had a son .to leave to his office while he was away to watch things apd let him know Just what was doing—keep him constantly posted by wireless and cablegram and letter as only one of his own family could do. •*I told him I would take the place of a son —so he had me sent through the agency and, as yon know, I didn't know the first thing about anything, but I did know enough to keep my eyes open and to stick to my Job, even when you and old. Grenoble tried to discharge me. I think I might have done my work better if I had not bad to spend so much time when you were not around keeping the run of the business to let father know what yea were doing.” “Then it has all been a game,” Tom Wayne began, as be studied the girl's face. “You have been using us—you have been imposing on our sympathy and now your father Is home yon are through with ns? You have been very clever. Mis# Billington, and 1 congratulate you sincerely.” "Why, Tom,” Vtvlan’s two small hands were held out before her. “Tom, dear, it has all been a game but this, and this is the rosiest thing In the whole world.”

Not to Be Trifled With.

A rather forbidding-looking man walked Into the office of the collector of water rates recently and from the dangerous gleam in his eye it was expected that he had come for trouble. Attar looking around the office' he made his way to one of the windows “Did you turn my water off?” The clerk took his name and looked up his residence number and informed the "W«ll that's all riaht then” the man replied; “but never turn my water off again, my woman U a vi-

How French Woman of Fashion Has Utilized the Panier Idea

Photo, Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N. T.

The picture shows the panier gown In evidence at the Auteull races, near Paris. The papier effect was produced by a black English coatlike affair of pompadour silk, suggesting our grandmothers’ silk dresses, over am underbody of flowered black lace.

STRAW HATS WORN IN PARIS

Pretty-Vogues Are In Btyle for Wear Both In Morning and Afternoon. In Paris now the postillion and Glrondln straw hats are the accepted vogue for morning wear, and women, copying the example set by the Empress Eugenie some fifty years ago, twist their hair low in the nape of the neck and present a very trim and fascinating appearance, il --- ; . The Marquis is fashionable for afternoon occasions and is not invariably trimmed with the upstart plume, though in many cases the brim is held upwards by a feather pr a handful of wired loops starting from a small bow, and in 'some instances Is also edged or bounds with ostrich feathers. All the tailor-made hats .and .those that share the chief essential of that chapeau—namely its studious neatness—are made of very simple straws. The closely woven chip is deemed a most desirable medium for the making of the bowler, the Glrondln, and the Marquis models. The colors chosen are masculine In their sobriety.

Beautiful Neck a Necessity.

The collarless blouse has done much to Improve the shape and color of the throat of those who have patronised it for some time past, and it is not surprising that, having achieved that rare beauty, a perfectly modeled neck, girls are loth to abandon the corsage that discloses it. Instead of accepting the high throat band rigidly wired to keep it in place, they are declaring their adhesion to the corsage without a collar, and,are about to wear it very much more open in front than it was this time last year, with a tulle transparency if a covering is.required for the outdoor toilette.

Coloring Lace.

Very frequently we desire to give that rich, old ivory tone to white laces. This may be accomplished by the following method; Place a pan In five cents' wprth of yellow ochre. Mix with this sufficient rice powder to produce the desired shade. Shake the lace into this, and after removing brush away all loose dirt. The lace will retain the yellowish tint indefinitely.

The Newest Hat.

The Glrondln is the newest hat shape which has made its appearance in Paris. It la remarkable for lts simplicity in trimming. Narrow velvet ribbon, which is extremely fashionable, encircles the crown and Is tied to a small bow at the back, sfejDe in front It la supplemented with an upstanding ostrich plume or a high cockade ribbon or flowers. J. v '

Outside Waist Finish.

Sample, of blrtmde waist, trill he complete within the next two Weeks, and these will include a good showing of dressy styles finished to wear outside the skirt, says the Dry In the new lines. _ , 23 1 35

OF SPOTTED SWISS MUSLIN

Simple Dress That- Makes for Both Appearance and Comfort During the Hot Day# y Spotted Swiss muslin is used here. The upper part of skirt Is of the muslin, scalloped and buttonholed at the edge with a floral design embroidered above; two frills of plain embroidered muslin with a piece of the spotted between them, compose the remainder of the skirt. The bodice has a yoke of finely tucked muslin, with a frill turning from

the aide and an embroidered edge resting on the left. The sleeves are drawn into embroidered bends. A colored ribbon encircles the waist. Hat of Tagel, trimmed to frills of silk standing np with a wreath of flowers'beneath. . Materials required: 5 yards spotted muslin 28 Inches wide, % dozen yards flouncing 18 inches wide , ■ ■ ■■

Mismated Hooks end Eyes.

The woman who amides along complacently with placqnet or waist unfastened may not be as careless as she looks. It may be that she has fastened the gaping parts religiously, but that Die hooks and eyes were not intended for each other. Many women, when the loss of'a hook is discovered, handy, instead of looking for one that -

Gathered Smiles

ABLE TO TRANSLATE LATIN.

Long years ago an Indiana candidate tor congress was making a stump speeqh. Two merchants, who had been boys together and in the same class in Latin, heard the speech. The speaker closed his peroration in full, rotund voice, with “Vox populi, vox Dei!” Tom turned to William and remark ed, “Bill. I'll bet yon |5 that you d*n*t remember enough Latin to translate that sentence. ’’ “Make It ten,” replied William, “and I'm on.” The bet was made and William translated as follows: “Vox populi, vox Del—My God, my God, why bast thou forsaken me!” Without protest Tom passed over a $lO biH, remarking, balf-regretfully, half-admiringly: “William, I really didn’t think you -would be able to do ft" -." r ~

At a Disadvantage.

While awaiting the coming of her Mend, the mother, a visitor to a Baltimore household was holding a desultory conversation with one of the little girls in the drawing room. : ‘•Where are your two little sisters?" the caller asked. “Oh, they,” observed the little girl, with the air of one upon whom responsibilities rest heavily—“they’re out somewhere to have what mother calls •mischief’ and what they call Tun.”’ “And why didn’t you go to share to the ‘fun?* ” asked the caller. The child sighed. “Mother trusts me so dreadfully," she explained, “that I can’t have much fun.” —Lipplnoott's. _

The Lion Tamer.

"Why ain’t the lion tamer here?" asked the, manager of the circus. “It’s time for the show to begin and he ain't nowhere around.” “Haven’t you heard about him?" repilled the ringmaster. “He married the' midget this morning, and she chased him out across the hills back of town a little while .ago because he flirted with one of the lady bareback riders.”

A STRONG PLEA.

"How did Mr. Rock happen to get off so easily?” “His lawyer made a very strong argument showing that so many of his family went in seine.”

A Feminine Trait.

Oh, she is a woman, through and through And this is her greatest passion; Vo wear fine clothes and costly, too, And all in the latest fashion. s

Old Story Now.

Tourist —I suppose quite a lot of people come here to see the Roman remains? Resident—Well, zur, when they was first dug up—thirty years ago—lots, corned; but now the things are getting old nobody bothers!" —London Opinion.

Striving to Please.

"That man does not hesitate to contradict himself, “It's the fault of the people," replied Senator Sorghum. "They like novelty and would rather hear a mas contradict himself than have him keep saying the same thing over and over.”

Too Busy.

"Now," said the lawyer, "please tell ns bow the altercation began."-/--.-: "I didn’t see any altercation," replied the witness. ‘*l was too busy watchin’ the fight”

To Be Shunned.

Knicker —What is the matter with to* cottage? Becker —It is as distant as a rich relation and as hard to support aa a poor relation.

Heard on the Train.

Mr. A.—Then you haven't much faith In the skill of Dr. Cuttemr Mr. B. —Fkith! I wouldn't trait that man to remove the appendix from my dictionary.

Mixed Up.

"Scribbler must be something of an acrobatic author;” “How so?” . “He told me he had some footnotes on. hand.” ± -1 v ■■■■■■

A Poetical Feat.

- "That writer ia a paradoxical,poet” "I called to me him one day and toundthat his idyl moments were . ' ’ ' * . . <r;

A Smart Boy.

“I don’t like to brag, but our little Willie te the brightest little boy I ever knew. I don't say this because be hi mine, but all our friends say the same thing. He’s so quick to grasp ideas. The other day he came to me and suggested that he ought to go to Sunday school again. As a rule it is hard to get him to attend, hut now he is eager to go”; “So?” . : “Maybe you don't get the wonderful part of this?” "I don’t” "Why, yon see, it has Just dawned on him that the time for the Sunday school picnic Is approaching. Isn't that smart?”

NOT WORTH IT.

Doctor—Get ont and take the air. Plutocrat—Bosh! The air ain’t worth taking. ' - - . aSjsysffl

Behold.

Behold the hard-worked editor. Of wisdom wondrous ripe; Though much he’ll ne’er get credit for. There’s solace in his pipe. - - -

It Didn’t Work.

Hubby was trying to jolly wifey along and make her forget that she wanted a spring suit "Now," said he, "the town committee is offering a prize for the prettiest lawn.” "What’s that to me?” “Why don’t you enter the contestfV "I haven’t had to five year#. I haven’t even a gingham that Is fit tot wear.” _ . . . . * • •• i

A Coid Storage Egg.

“Somebody told me you were writing a love story,” “Yes.” “What is the title?” “I haven’t chosen 'a title yet, but the story is ahout a farmer's daughter who wrote her name and address on an egg and some years later she received a proposal of marriage from, an ultimate consumer.”

Was Slow.

"Do you remember the first time I ever put my arms around you?" ha asked, after they bad started on theirhoneymoon. , . ■ - ' “I shall never fdrget,” she replied. "What did you think?" J "I thought you had fooled away a lot of time over the preliminaries.” ' r ,

Evil for Evil.

"You are daffodilatory about setting out your flowers this year," remarked the first humorist "I always wait until the weather is settled,” responded the second humorist "That is my invariable eracustom.”

Wifey —Do you believe in hypnotism. dear? Hubby—Sure, otherwise I would still be a bachelor. '

Yes, The Weather.

He poured Us heart out to the maid “The l beer her afraid ’Twin 6 thunder, by iand by.”

Utilitarian.

“Are you In favor of the half ceatf* -Tea,*' replied Mr. DropHne; “bo* they ought to make the coins with holes in them.** “Whet for?” “They would come in so handy whjajlj ever you happen to need a sinker.” « <f - -- -

Playing a Winner.

Ton say you play every itidggH the Casino and never lose. How <fci you manage itr ; “I play the trombone! follea.