Life — August 3, 1905 — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

gr Ae oa KITTY ON THE WIRE. o'clock. Mr. Herbert Van atin his stenog- rapher on cach side of him, a telephone at his elbow, a stock ticker in his rear clicking nerv- and a pile of mail on his desk that he w slicing with traordinary skill ced by long practice. Mr. Herbert Van Slater was doing the thi man can do. ous) open and celerity in about all once that a sat He was dictating al- ternately to each stenographer, Ie was 1 king over the wire. Tle was mail, Oc reading his usionally he would stop to tear open a telegram that a boy brought in Withal, he is movements were rapid but pre- Ile wasted no was outwardly calm. words nor Tt was evident that he was clement in his He was doing the thing that he had trained himseli to do and he was probably doing it better than any other type of man in the world could do it. In a word, Mr. Herbert Van Slater was an American and a hustler Ilis office nished. A se tables, was fur- mahogany desk and several antique ru luxuriously s, dark ex- quisitely lined leathern walls relieved costly oil paintings of a by two famous yacht and a still more famous horse, tic harr eye, after the garish ef served to produce an artis ony that was a relief to the ts so com- non to a major of American offices. “I pass one-third of my life in my office,” said Mr. Van Slater, “and there is no reason why it shouldn't be home.” s decent a spot as m The door opened noiselessly and there entered Mr, Harry Penton, Van Slater’s most intimate friend. Mr. Penton was entirely different By Appisox Fox, JR. He swung a stick nonchalantly in his hand. His clothes had been put on carefully. In his face there seemed to be much room for that weariness that idleness fosters, but anxiety. Mr. Harry Pentoi man about town, He lived on his He had nothing else to do. lello! Harry,” chipped out Van Slater. “Glad to see you. Sit down. No time to stop. What’s up? Make right ahead none for was a money. yourself at home. Don't mind me. Penton sank into a chair. "he exclaimed. “This is the ¢ I come to that I simply because I hate like the bore my friends. G feel at you don't mischiei to case in, you icel you don't I ve to let up. Keep right on ; : Am [ busy?” exclaimed Van Slater ever was busy (Hello, hello! Who is it? This you I sce. ighths, Yes. Good-by.) It’s Can't let up a Cortright? Forty-one and fiv Good. All something right fierce! (Miss Smith, get that wire off to Chicago at once.) No time for anything but work. Seen body lately?) Anythi Birdseye, look at the what Copper is doing.) moment any: (Miss and sce loing tape Haven't Too much rushe seen a soul myself, Penton crossed his legs and lighted a cigarette. w Kitty Clayton yesterday,” he said. “She's off for Eur “The devil!” Van. Slater vele scoped. opening: <n: around. “Off sand swung square “What's that!” he exclaimed to Europe? Mustn't go! Can't That's a nice thing to do, isn’t it He made a familiar gesture to his two. stenographers, and silently they him and his disappeared. iend alone wok here, Harry leaving is it true? Are you sure?” (Continued on second page following.) “Oh, yes—positive! She's going for a rest. Why, 1 didn't think that would make any difference to yor 2 Slater went on with the mail. it does—heaps, I'm in love with that girl some time anything. an eye on her as possible “Well, she’s busy, too. She Bound to get her— to do Been keeping as much of now Too busy a little of everything. 1. rary, al, art, business—ior I she -uns her own estate herseli.” “Yes; know. Ivation. yes—I You Too busy to be made love to, T why I haven't been afraid of anyone V've kept : ing that things w That's my s hike me. see, clse. let so that I could get time t —marry her But now if she traveling around Eure Why, she may pick up a Duke, or some King in reduced cir- De, t may happer cumstances. It will never do. head her off.” “Where did you meet her, anyway, in the first place? Where in the world did you ever find time to fall T must in love with her?” “Too busy before to tell you about i. Met her last’ year in Florida Saw her for three days continuously, Goli, Walks. First. day I fell in love with her. Second day I made Third day I would have gotten her, when a wire came that the wheat corner was busted, and I had to hurry back. Since then I've just been waiting. But there's been no chance to see her. She's as busy as I am. You can't make love to a girl when she’s lead- ing a german her through a plans to get her. waiting, You can't propose to megaphone at the opera. You night after night in hopes all the rest will leave, when every single night there’s some liter- ary or art stunt in progress. Oh, it’s something fierce!” horse show or stand in line comicbooks.com