Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 7, 1925 — page 37: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SUSPENSE. _stenog had been stole from the staff. I hadn’t informed him just why I was going. - Being an old bach he wouldn’t of under- - stood why a woman would rather leave off spanking the keys at thirty per for -spank- ing the kids at try-and-get-it per. So f had merely told 2s I was quitting for a “ better position.”’ — 3 “One with — a future, I trust,”’ he re- marked, affable enough for him, “and a chance to rise.” | “Sure, it’s all future,” I answered, enig- matic, ‘‘ and there’s plenty of time to rise —at six thirty a. m.,” I added, soda voice. But the crowd on the news, and as I kidded the keys that morning T was the cynic’s cure of all eyes. Some of the girls. _ had been privately doubting my ability to hook a husband, especially one that didn’t _ expect this fifty-fifty, you-give-half, I-take- half arrangement of modern matrimony. But so far as I knew, Andy had every in- tention of supporting me in the style to which I was not accustomed, and all I had to do was to remain ‘comfortably. at home _in a Bronx flat, perform the cooking, -wash- ing and worrying, look after the ice, coal and meat bills and take care of any other little trifle that might come along in the natural course of. events | in Ey coming. Tew: life. And as I thouskt of these things my heart grew warm and sweet, so that when I idly binged the buttons I knew not what I wrote. Anyhow, what did it matter? At two p.m. I would be making my grand exit -—and the doors of the old life would swing to behind me forever. i In fact, I become real gay and Soe snapping cnippily at the boss and my asso- ciates, unburdening my soul that one glor- ious morning of the effervescings I had been cold storaging ever since I hit the outfit— and, like the Kaiser, I got away. with mur- der. es Hey, you!” the old crab would roar, summoning me to the sanctum. “ What the double darn damn is the idea of this?” waving a letter addressed to one Mrs. An- drew R. Gibbons. “Since when has the Harlem Ham Products had a female for its head?” T blushed. ‘Unconscious, T must of writ my new married name on the ‘salutation. But I come back snappy. = “ Pardon me,” I snickered. “ My. error. It should read ee ‘Harlem Home Prod- ucts’ and you can bet your last year’s toupee z’s going to have a female for its head.” — 2 You" re decidedly jeapertneat young voman,” he hissed, sour. - Impertinent’ “2 I aired, “ but not peev- ish, thank Gord,” and I swept: from the room, settling myself Serene in my seat. ida Snyder, a typist of the. feline ‘species, eyed me jnterested-- = Well, well, Elsie,” =e ee “'s you're gonna get married—finally?”” “Finally?” I cooed. “ Nothing’s final, my child—least of all matrimony.” Oi eourse I didn’t believe it, but it sounde | ed clever. “ Going to keep 0 on 1 working?” she asked, sidetracked. “T am- marrying a. man,’ “not a mantelpiece. df any one stays to _ home| it Ibe me. I want a guy that’s will- _ing to fare forth into the great, wild, gropin’ “spaces where subways are sabways and only the fittest survive.” Here L emai broadetvicd: the fee- ble. file clerks and drowsy draft boys a : ‘sugary - smile of ‘sarcasm, but it took like Gee, it — a vaccination on a graven image. must- be wonderful to be dumb! __ ‘But won’t you miss the excitement of the business world?” put in Cora, the cute little comptometress. _ “ Miss it!” 1 oe disdainful. “ Miss what? The morning ‘subway jam, three hours of snarled shorthand and dumfoozled dictation, a chocolate eclair and a cup of coffee, four hours of manicuring the boss’s so-called English and being addressed like a golf ball, then home again to a rented room to recoup for the next installment. And we women calls that a career! “Well, it may be all right for some,” I | concluded; smug, “ but thank Heaven Tm through with it in another hour.” I looked at the clock with satisfaction, while my andience Sat, awed. “ In one hour! ete peated. — Here ‘the switchboard Sarah rue with the announcement that I was desired as Sacre = PA MEANS y Uy) a AAA i i! Lf a ae eR COM 507 (EO) Ss micboo (eo) a es