The Storyteller

New Zealand Tablet, 2 November 1911, Page 2171

The Storyteller

DOROTHY BENTON’S LUCK The day was gray.and gloomy, with frequent gusts of wind and rain. The streets were slippery and the rain falling on the unswept pavements trickled down the gutters in a murky stream. The shabby business buildings that lined the shabby street wore the usual air of poverty and unkemptness that distinguished them at all seasons of the year, and in all kinds of weather. Jackson street had once known days of prosperity, but that had been before the city had grown away to the west, and reared its tall business blocks where the hills sloped down to meet the river. After that Jackson street, shorn of its prestige, had languished, and the buildings had grown more and more dilapidated, until now it bore the reputation of being the most unkempt business street of the city. “ ■ Dorothy Benton, stenographer for the Waverly Iron Works, which occupied one of the shabby buildings, welcomed those days of rain, for the reason that they carried away some of the smoky grime and left the street somewhat regenerated. It had been a severe blow to her pride to begin her career as stenographer in this despised region of the city, but the financial condition of the Benton household had compelled her acceptance of the first opportunity to earn a salary, and it had come from the Waverly Iron Works. ‘ I won’t be there long, however,’ she had confidently said to her family. ‘As soon as I have learned the ways of the business world, I shall bid Jackson street farewell.’ _ That had been over a year ago, and still the opportunity of bidding Jackson street farewell seemed a remote and unlikely prospect. Dorothy had searched the city in vain for a more agreeable position, and was discouraged over her failure, especially on those days when the gloom of the outisde world penetrated the dusty office and gave shadowy outlines to the shelves of books and worn furniture. The Waverly Iron Works was a small branch of a large Eastern manufacturing plant. It, too, like Jackson street, had seen days of prosperity, but through poor management the business had dwindled away, until the income from its sales barely sufficed to meet the expenses of the factory. This had been the state of affairs several months back, when Mr. Adams, the new manager, had taken charge. The company had sent him out to build up the business of the branch it its former prosperous condition. ‘ Dismiss all the unnecessary and incompetent employees,’ the president had commanded. The branch cannot afford a travelling representative in its present run-down condition, so it will devolve upon you to attend to any business in your territory which requires the presence of such a man. Consequently, you will require a thoroughly competent office assistant, one able to handle orders without bungling during your absence —a stenographer, of course, for the office' work is not heavy enough to warrant the services of a third person, considering the paltry business that branch is doing at present.’ Mr. Adams had looked the ground over carefully, and found the employees competent enough, although there was plenty of evidence of mismanagement. Dorothy he had regarded rather dubiously. Her youth and inexperience were against her, but by the end of the first week she had demonstrated her capability and trustworthiness so well that he resolved to keep her. She found the new manager a welcome change. By degrees he pressed new duties upon her; she devoted her spare time to learning all the details of the business. Orders for goods began coming in with greater frequency, and these she learned to fill out under his supervision. ‘ This will be part of your regular routine when I happen to be absent,’ Mr. Adams explained. ‘Every order we secure promptly means a boost for this branch. And we need it,’

To-day the office was quiet, except for the whirr of machinery in the factory beyond and the dull rumble of the cars in the distance. Mr. Adams had been called away the evening before on a matter of business; the mail had been light, and Dorothy was just finishing the regular- routine of the day. A weary little sigh escaped her as she filed away the last of a pile of letters. The musty files, the dust that was visible everywhere, the cobwebs that hung from the ceiling grew more distasteful daily. The advent of Mr. Adams had made the work more agreeable, but her dislike for the disorder of Jackson street was too strong to be overcome. '■ The clock struck three, and the letter-carrier, on his last round for the daj, entered, and laid a bunch of letters on her desk. Among the number she found one addressed to herself. She hastily tore it open, and her face lighted with pleasure as the full import of the contents dawned upon her. It was an answer from a prosperous firm to a letter of application she had written some days before. ' ‘ Will you-please call at our office between three and six Thursday afternoon,’ she read breathlessly. Thursday ! Why,, that was to-day, and on account of Mr. Adams’ absence she would be obliged to stay at the office until half-past five. Even though her work was finished, there was always the possibility of something turning up that would require her presence before the closing hour. Still, it was only a ten minutes’ ride on the cars to the Thompson Furniture Company, and if she hurried, there would be time for a short interview. She was tingling with excitement over the prospect the letter held forth, when the office door was again opened and a messenger boy appeared. ‘Special!’ he called, holding out a long yellow business envelope. She took it calmly, but her face took on an added glow of excitement as she glanced over the contents. What a large order that called for! She might •• not like the dingy office, with its ugly, dilapidated furniture, she might not like Jackson street, with its shabbiness and disorder, but still the business instinct was strong within her, and for the time she forgot the prospect of a new position. ‘lf Mr. Adams were only _here to attend to it!’ she thought regretfully. She read the letter again: ‘Please make us a price on the. following equipment, and wire answer immediately.’ Then followed a long list of articles which the Waverly company manufactured. Dorothy’s face paled a trifle as she.glanced over the sheets. The order, if her company secured it, would be larger than any they had yet had. It would take a long time to figure the prices and discounts on all the items called for and to make the quotation. for the whole. She sat down at her desk, drew out her price-lists, and began to work. The clock above her ticked away the minutes unheeded. She worked away carefully but swiftly at the figures, multiplying, summing up, and correcting. She had gone almost half-way through the lists when suddenly the Thompson Company’s letter recurred to her memory. It would be long past six o’clock before she could finish this quotation and telegraph the answer. Rebellion swept over her, and she pushed the price-lists aside impatiently. ‘I won’t stay! This night of all nights!’ she exclaimed. ‘ After waiting so long for this opportunity, I can’t see it snatched away like that.’ She pulled open a drawer of her desk, pushed the unfinished work within, closed the desk and turned the key. It was really too large an order for her to handle alone, and if she should make a blunder and send the wrong figures, it might mean a big-loss to the company.. At least it could wait until the next day, when she would be able to give it more time and care. Why should she interest herself in getting this order for the Waverly people at the expense of her own interests? They were mercenary, tight-fisted men, who did nothing for the comfort of their employees. They would take all her work as a mere matter of course, and would not even thank her, although she lost a good position in her efforts to serve them. , Then the voice, of conscience had an innings. Mr. Adams had expressed unlimited confidence in her

ability to ; attend to matters during his absence, and now she was trying to shirk what was plainly her duty. He. was working untiringly to build up the business, and much depended upon his success, for if he failed, the place would be closed and the men in the factory thrown out of employment. She understood, too, that promptness was 'essential, for they were competing with other firms; and if she delayed the work another day, the order might be secured .by one of their rivals. She looked up at the clock it was slowly ticking past the hour of five. With a sigh, she drew out the pricelists and began to work once more. ■ . The dreary day drew to a close and the rain began to come down heavily and steadily. The whirr of machinery ceased, and the only sounds that penetrated the office from the street were the footfalls of passersby. But Dorothy worked steadily on. It was long past six o clock when she had finished the quotation and sent the telegram. She felt very tired as she pinned on her hat and prepared to leave the office. The family was at dinner when she came in. Her mother met her in the hall with an anxious and troubled expression. ‘ You are over an hour late, Dorothy, and I have been so worried about you,’ she said. ‘ Yes, mother, I know. I was detained at the office by one of those tiresome quotations.’ . ‘ I" declare, Dorothy/ said her brother Jim, surveying her pale, tired face as she sat down to dinner, ‘you make a veritable slave of yourself for that old junk-shop on Jackson street.’ I hope you are not working too.hard,’ said her mother, lam afraid Jackson street is not a very healthy locality.’ ‘ Oh, it isn’t that,’ Dorothy replied. ‘I have just had a struggle with temptation to-day, and ended by giving up the ..chance of a better position.’ Then she told the story of the afternoon’s events. ‘Of course it’s too bad,’ her mother said. ‘And after you had waited so long for the chance, too -but you couldn’t have acted otherwise, and I am glad my daughter has her father’s sense of honor in business matters.’ ‘I confess I was terribly ; tempted to ignore that quotation and let the office take cafe of itself,’ Dorothy said. ‘I am glad now that I didn’t. It was for such a big order, and if they accept those figures the home office will be immensely pleased.’ .‘Pleased!’ exclaimed Jim contemptuously, ‘I should say they will be pleased, and they will pocket the profits and won’t so much as buy a new broom to sweep the cobwebs from the office ceiling. But lam proud of you, Dot, and I think you deserve some better luck.’ Dorothy rose early the next morning. She had made up her mind to see the manager of the Thompson Furniture Company before she went to the office. . Perhaps they had not yet filled the position, and she could easily explain her failure to keep the appointment of the evening before. The manager was at his desk when she entered the office, and greeted her pleasantly. She explained her mission in a few words and answered the several questions he put to her satisfactorily. ‘I am very sorry you did not come yesterday, Miss Benton,’ he said at last, when her hopes were beginning to soar. ‘ Your letter impressed us, and we were anxious to give you a trial; but when you didn’t put in an appearance, we were obliged to take the next candidate. We are giving her a week’s trial, and if she does not prove satisfactory— you might call again in about a week.’ ‘lt’s just my luck!’ thought Dorothy bitterly, as she boarded the car which took her within a few blocks of her office. ‘ I suppose I must remain in that horrid, musty old office for another age.’ The day passed without incident. The mail was heavier than usual, and she found little time to grieve over her disappointment. The next morning, Mr. Adams was at his desk when she entered the office. In his hand he held a yellow slip of paper, and his face wore an expression of elation.

.‘Miss Benton,’ he exclaimed, that was a splendid piece of work you did on' Thursday ! Here’s this order from the Baxter Company. I have gone through the lists and find you have put it through without the slightest blunder. It’s by far the largest order we have had this year. There will be a big margin of profit, and I am sure the home company will be delighted.’ Dorothy flushed, with pleasure. It was gratifying to hear her praises sung, but still there was a sting of disappointment in it all. To secure that big order, from which others would reap the benefit, she- had given up a long-cherished desire. The week passed quickly, and at the end she went again to the manager of the Thompson Furniture Company. The manager was polite and regretful. Miss Brown had proved a very capable stenographer, and the management had decided to employ her permanently. Dorothy went back to her office feeling that luck had deserted her forever. ‘Miss Benton,’ said Mr. Adams, without glancing up from the letter he was reading as she entered the office, ‘ the home office at last has begun to appreciate our efforts.’ ‘Really!’ she exclaimed, with a polite but feeble display of interest. Yes, indeed ! Just guess what they have decided to do !’ ‘ Buy us a new broom and a bucket of paint, perhaps,’ she returned, with reckless sarcasm, for her amiable spirits were fast deserting her. Mr. Adams laughed, ‘ Can’t your imagination picture anything more magnanimous than that Well, then, prepare for the greatest surprise of your life. They have come to the conclusion that they have buried themselves in this wilderness long enough. The volume of sales of this branch has grown to such an extent that they can now afford to indulge in a little extravagance, so they have decided to take a modern and thoroughly equipped building in a more progressive part

of the city. So our days in Jackson street are numbered, Miss Benton.’

Dorothy stared in amazement. The Waverly Iron Works in a modern building, in any place but Jackson street! She had never dreamed of such a possibility ! ‘ And,’ continued Mr. Adams, ‘ they were immensely pleased about that last big order you secured. I wrote them all the details. According to them, there lias never been a stenographer in this office who has taken hold of the work as you have done, and they would regret very much to lose you. They wish to express their thanks in a substantial manner, and have therefore decided to add twenty dollars a month to your present salary.’ Dorothy sat in a stupor of amazement and happiness. Mr. Adams turned back to the morning mail on his desk, but looked up -presently to say. ‘ When you are ready, Miss Benton, we will dictate a letter expressing our thanks. 5 ‘And just think,’ Dorothy said to herself, as she bent over the typewriter, ‘ how near I came to spoiling my good luck —Exchange.