Show The Evening Telegrams Telegram's Daily Short Story THE USELESS ORNAMENT By ANNIE HINRICHSEN Copyright In 1013 1913 b by the McClure Newspaper Newspaper News News- paper Syndicate But governor IO protested Gerald Devon De De- von von I dont don't w want nt a woman In this department department de de- You will h have to have ha one olle answered the tho governor Helen Belch Norris Js Is H K dau daughter daugh daugh- 1 ter of or the late Jato Senator Norris orrl In his day dayona one ona of the greatest men In the part party She he has been loft and Is 18 compelled to support herself For her fathers father's sake bake I 1 shall Khali give her an excellent lo position In one of ot the tho state slate departments derailments She blie Is In Inexperienced In- In experienced never r ne cr has lias worked She Is young oung beautiful and nine charming I I want beautiful us useless les young joung omen V In III this department persisted De De- Devon Devon von They The art are more Interested In themselves themselves them them- selves and in the men In trio the office than the they are arc In their thelt work They Ther are arc a nul- nul sonco And governor an Inexperienced girl will be sure jure to make mako a serious break and und j kot ket of us all nil Into trouble See to It that she makes no breaks You wilt will bo ho responsible for her Train her Perhaps she sho will willet set get et man marrIed led suggested suggested sug suJ- Devon Davon hopefully Those pretty useless girls never r work 1011 long bong They marry marry mar mar- r ry I hope one of or our oui boys falls In loewith love lo with her hel and takes her away before she makes Q o mistake that will ruin us all The publicly publicity department was wall maintained main for the purpose of ur pla placing ln- ln before the people of or the state bj by menus means of the newspaper all he work that thatUS was US done dono b by the administration The rhe r department depart depart- ment kept the tha people of the state slate In Informed In- In formed forme of or the policy polley Of r the party part In power of or the achievements and anil personalities of or their politicians It was as an ad bureau burel J which showed tho the people the thc political po po- lives hives of the thc men nten thc they had hud elected The Tho was In charge chane of Gel Gei- aid ald J Devon Ue a n tr trained lIe newspaper per man l on DevonS greeting to to Helen I Ien Norris when slip she ll to him for work ork was ryas that of n II i host to to a wl welcome guest sue ti He lie showed her to sui an n elaborately appointed desk On the desk dek k were e popular lular novels novas and andu anda u II box bo of or cand candy 1 In it II few minutes minute she sl she c the mc to him When hen do o 1 t Mn bc-Mn be h wOrk wOrk she ehe hc naked asked Be Be- Ben Beneath n neath julet courtesy of her voice there r was wan A t note nole ot You are arc arc imol upp ed ll to work he- he J Jp Pr- p- p von xon an answered III You ate affi to 10 ornament the derailment lilac Ili 3 Norris walked to her her- dell pigged picked up the books booke and th the box bov b or of oL candy brought ht them n to Deon's ons desk dropped and them Into tho waste paper piper b. b bat t When do I go to sha repeated ed quietly Devon th the determination In h hn her whit It pleasure ho raid ld voice olee nit It t will ill b hI br mv my m fa to Instruct t rot ou Immediately in him your our II new duties dunce For n a month Helen Norris lied had 1 been Inthe in inthe the publicity depatt lc rent rentI I Mill Hili Insist Gerald D Don on sold saM to her he that you ou Ou should bo hn tI nn an ornament tin not nota a a wor worker cr You II af am doing I he added hastily a an ill her hor lips lightened tight light ened with unmistakable Indignation j You me nta a R a ter You o la learned the i hw h 3 and well nut But ut 1 I ont don't want you jou In the department I J want ant want m I you jou OU hl hia keen e eves ec s c-s II had lost their r hardness hard hard- ness and his hili firm lips were ere Very ven gentle gentle- I f want you jou OJ in ht mv rimy own home ham as m my wife I love lov you jou OU Helen Helem I have have- lo loved you c ever sins elne e a you jou ou canto came here I r 1 J I Dont speak to me me Her Tier face was as white She toad stood before him her hands bands clenched tI tightly at her al aide Ide fee Dont Dot I r nyer voi 1 tell me that you vou love Io inc me me meShe She spoke slowly lowly with an nn emphasis which made malle each word a distinct command Before Before Borore Be- Be fore rore h he could answer she had left the room J An II hour later A clerk came to her desk dez I I 1 have come for tho the COP copy that is Js to go 0 to the thc afternoon papers he said Mr 11 1 Devon said ald It was on your oui desk Helen felon handed him him a large envelope elope elope The Tho afternoon exploded a bombshell bombs bombshell bomb- bomb shell i. i ii s c In the political Party part that ruled the state The Tho announcement was made malic that tha the tho governor O had determined to Introduce certain measures in the legislature The legislature was not In to session and would not be for several months The announCement announce announCe- ment was equivalent alent to a declaration that tha the chief executive e Intended ed to call a special cial session to enact the measures The Ink was not dr dry on the tho r papers before be be- fore rore the entire state was 38 wondering wh why a 8 special session of the legislature was MIS I to be called Who Is i expansible for or this announce announce- ment The Tue governors governor's vole voice had the ring and his eyes had the tho color of or cold steel I I 1 am your our excellency I II am amu u guilty t p pf criminal carelessness You outlined to I me your plans pluis for certain legislation to be enacted at next t winters winter's session J I write the plans and laid thorn thol aside to be hp I used us-ed next winter wIntel roda Today Instead of or the II story t 01 on other othel mattei matter which I had prepared prepared pre pre- pared for or the Papers papers I gave Savo them b bj by lIc accident your our clans Accidents D Don Devon on arc are never nc forgiven ell In the publicity department The he man who makes a break like this never nO has the opportunity to make makr another I know it It your jour excellency e J 1 01 ca came me prepared d did to offer offer uffer you vou m mv my resignation You did It Il y urs f Devon on It was not Oll one of or your clerks The Till fault was teas mine The the ThC door opened Helen i. Norris walked t no n 0 to 10 to the Ihl governors governor chair chali Governor OO Ha Hashe she said maid I 1 have lu come t to tell Yon jou that thai I am to blame blam for the story that Is IR In hi the pa papers Mr It Devon on often ellen Fovea elves s me I the he copy OP for final corrections hC he- he fore It grip nes in to the th papers I I 1 knew that the Iho legislative ton story was to 10 be bo held heir bark harIe I t gayo It Il bv I mistake to the clerk cIeri who gays It tf th the I papers Mr 1 on Do says ho he did it It It lie IIi did not tit t ln 1011 it it The fault was mine amine The Tho is mine The h Manic I Is mimic broke In Devon DC Miss Norris had nothing wh whatever Cr c to 10 do with It It The governor o looked from one to 10 the theother other HIS HI HP Iles twitched This lu question Is for you von O two to settle nettle Time Tilt accidental I of or my mr plans plane means a teni- teni t Mii- Mii Dor r t to mo mime but It has not 1 enu caused d serious Tho The person who w WI ns to 10 bl blame will till not riot br Ie punished h did you jou ou take tako the thc responsibility of pt m mv my carelessness lichen Helen demanded when thou thov t he- he had hl returned to the 1 publicity I am Rm accountable accountable- for all errors made ninde In lily deportment department he hC answered ans ered You h II ll that the governor would dl ml f the person Did ton vou take time tho 1 blame blenie just t to spare pitre mo me Did Didou you ou It II because bE did not want mo inn In eel cr t Into trouble I II tell you why I made mado th Ihl mistake T T. T was waR wretchedly I r refused you jou because e c you 1 raid you vou did id not want ant tn me In your OUr de- de a R mix leas ornament nt a nuisance nul- nul sance only In myself anti and the themen themen men in the ornet You said von vou hoped some omo ono In would ninety me mc and take me aWa away Tho The first t tiny day T i was wa here you jou OU treat trtat p PI er 1 mo nit If you vou considered me a simpleton simple simple- ton I 1 hated you vou And Ad I T loved If YOU xou and amid 1 T wanted watell 16 mar mary you vou and T I would not iwaS I Iwa waS wa so o unhappy because I could not forget for foi- get my anger anJer and say yes jes es that I hardly knew w what I was doing when I gave o tho the clerk the tho cO copy nut But I am not angry with you jou ou now nowr now now- arter tor r what whit vou sou told to the governor IM and I 1 im un useless I In your OUr o But Rut In our your home home In In your home I will 11 not be II I shall marr marry and nd leave the department Just as nit you jou OU said I should |