we’re all a little bit worried now that Richard’s gone into the marines.”
“Well, he’s like some of the other Stuarts, I guess. If there’s a fight, he’s got to get into it.”
“Well, you know what’s happening over there. The marines have been in the thick of it.”
Amos nodded, and he knew she was exactly right. The First Marine Division had fallen into some of the hardest fighting in the war. They had advanced on the “punch bowl,” a volcanic crater lying about twenty-five miles north of Inchon. Fighting had congealed into a fierce slugging match, and the First had taken heavy losses. Amos was apprehensive about his grandson joining up so young, and he said as kindly as he could, “I’m sure God’ll take care of him. He’s got lots of prayers going up. I got a phone call from Lenora yesterday, and she said she’s fasting and praying for Richard even now while he’s in basic training.”
“Dear Aunt Lenora!” Lenora Stuart had been crippled in a riding accident in her youth, but from her wheelchair she practically ran the Salvation Army unit in Chicago. “I’ll go by and see her.”
Amos leaned back and said, “I know you didn’t come just to chat. What is it you want, Stephanie?”
“I want to go to work for you, Grandpa,” Stephanie said instantly. “I want to go to Korea as a war correspondent.”
Amos laughed, his face wrinkling and his belly quivering. After all, the Hearst organization was one of the largest in the business, and for an eighteen-year-old to walk in off the street—“Well, I’ll give this to you, you’ll never go wanting for lack of gall!”
“I’m serious, Grandpa. I don’t want to go through three more years of college. I want to go to work now. I want to be where the action is.” Her eyes sparkled, and she leaned forward, making a most attractive picture. For some time she argued, but her heart sank when her grandfather simply shook his head. Then Stephanie grew indignant. Standing to her feet she said, “All right! I’ll go across town and go to work for your competition!”
This threat startled Amos, and he shook his head and held up his hand. “Now wait a minute! Don’t fly off the handle.” He looked at her fondly and said, “You’re just like I was when I was your age. I had to have my own way right when I wanted it. I mostly didn’t get it, though,” he said. “All right, Granddaughter. I’ll give you a try.” A thought passed through his mind, and a wicked light of amusement touched his eyes. “You won’t last long, though.”
“I will, too!”
“No, you won’t. I’m putting you with the toughest reporter I have. He’s got no use for women. Well, not exactly. He likes women a little too well—good-looking ones, that is. It’s just that he doesn’t like female reporters.”
Stephanie smiled brilliantly. “Thank you, Grandpa.” She came over and kissed him again, which pleased him inordinately.
“You always were an affectionate girl, but don’t be kissing around on Jake Taylor.”
“Who’s Jake Taylor?”
“He’s your new boss. Come along. I’ll introduce you to him.”
He got up out of his chair stiffly, for he had rheumatism in his knees, and led her through the outer office into a narrow hallway. There were four doors there, and he moved to the last one. Opening it without knocking, he stepped through and held the door for Stephanie, who came in and saw a man sitting behind a desk, a hat shoved far back on his head.
“Jake, this is my granddaughter, Stephanie Stuart. She’s come and pestered me for a job as a reporter, so I’m giving her to you. You have my permission to run her off if she can’t handle it. You two get acquainted. Afterward, Stephanie, you’re comin’ home with me for dinner. I assume you’ll be staying with your grandma and me at least for a while?” He stepped out and shut the door and chuckled. Jake’s mighty mean—but that granddaughter of mine, she has a mighty firm look in
“Well, he’s like some of the other Stuarts, I guess. If there’s a fight, he’s got to get into it.”
“Well, you know what’s happening over there. The marines have been in the thick of it.”
Amos nodded, and he knew she was exactly right. The First Marine Division had fallen into some of the hardest fighting in the war. They had advanced on the “punch bowl,” a volcanic crater lying about twenty-five miles north of Inchon. Fighting had congealed into a fierce slugging match, and the First had taken heavy losses. Amos was apprehensive about his grandson joining up so young, and he said as kindly as he could, “I’m sure God’ll take care of him. He’s got lots of prayers going up. I got a phone call from Lenora yesterday, and she said she’s fasting and praying for Richard even now while he’s in basic training.”
“Dear Aunt Lenora!” Lenora Stuart had been crippled in a riding accident in her youth, but from her wheelchair she practically ran the Salvation Army unit in Chicago. “I’ll go by and see her.”
Amos leaned back and said, “I know you didn’t come just to chat. What is it you want, Stephanie?”
“I want to go to work for you, Grandpa,” Stephanie said instantly. “I want to go to Korea as a war correspondent.”
Amos laughed, his face wrinkling and his belly quivering. After all, the Hearst organization was one of the largest in the business, and for an eighteen-year-old to walk in off the street—“Well, I’ll give this to you, you’ll never go wanting for lack of gall!”
“I’m serious, Grandpa. I don’t want to go through three more years of college. I want to go to work now. I want to be where the action is.” Her eyes sparkled, and she leaned forward, making a most attractive picture. For some time she argued, but her heart sank when her grandfather simply shook his head. Then Stephanie grew indignant. Standing to her feet she said, “All right! I’ll go across town and go to work for your competition!”
This threat startled Amos, and he shook his head and held up his hand. “Now wait a minute! Don’t fly off the handle.” He looked at her fondly and said, “You’re just like I was when I was your age. I had to have my own way right when I wanted it. I mostly didn’t get it, though,” he said. “All right, Granddaughter. I’ll give you a try.” A thought passed through his mind, and a wicked light of amusement touched his eyes. “You won’t last long, though.”
“I will, too!”
“No, you won’t. I’m putting you with the toughest reporter I have. He’s got no use for women. Well, not exactly. He likes women a little too well—good-looking ones, that is. It’s just that he doesn’t like female reporters.”
Stephanie smiled brilliantly. “Thank you, Grandpa.” She came over and kissed him again, which pleased him inordinately.
“You always were an affectionate girl, but don’t be kissing around on Jake Taylor.”
“Who’s Jake Taylor?”
“He’s your new boss. Come along. I’ll introduce you to him.”
He got up out of his chair stiffly, for he had rheumatism in his knees, and led her through the outer office into a narrow hallway. There were four doors there, and he moved to the last one. Opening it without knocking, he stepped through and held the door for Stephanie, who came in and saw a man sitting behind a desk, a hat shoved far back on his head.
“Jake, this is my granddaughter, Stephanie Stuart. She’s come and pestered me for a job as a reporter, so I’m giving her to you. You have my permission to run her off if she can’t handle it. You two get acquainted. Afterward, Stephanie, you’re comin’ home with me for dinner. I assume you’ll be staying with your grandma and me at least for a while?” He stepped out and shut the door and chuckled. Jake’s mighty mean—but that granddaughter of mine, she has a mighty firm look in
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