Prev | Current Page 61 | Next

Stockton, Frank Richard, 1834-1902

"The House of Martha"


The next day was Sunday, and there would be no work, and no chance to
solve the problem, which had become an actual annoyance to me; but I did
not intend that this problem should continue to annoy me and interfere
with my work. I am open and aboveboard myself, and if my secretary did
not choose to be open and aboveboard, and behave like an ordinary human
being, she should depart, and I would tell Walkirk to get me an ordinary
human being, capable of writing from dictation, or depart himself. If he
could not provide me with a suitable secretary, he was not the efficient
man of business that he claimed to be. As to the absurdity of dictating
to a mystery in a barrow bonnet, I would have no more of it.
I do not consider myself an ill-tempered person, and my grandmother
asserts that I have a very good temper indeed; but I must admit that on
Monday morning I felt a little cross, and when Sister Sarah and the nun
entered my antechamber I bade them a very cold good-morning, and allowed
the former to go without attempting any conversation whatever. The nun
having arrived, I would not send her away; but when the sub-mother came
at noon, I intended to inform her that I did not any longer desire the
services of the writing sister, and if she wished to know why I should
tell her plainly.


Pages:
49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73