“That sounds like a big payroll for a paper as small as the Herald,” protested Mrs. Blair.
“I think you’ll be able to get them reasonable,” said Tom.
“In which case,” added Helen, “you’d better appoint Tom as business manager, mechanical department, and handyman.”
“And you might as well name Helen as editor, reporter and first assistant to the handyman,” grinned Tom.
“I’ve filled my positions easier than I expected,” smiled Mrs. Blair. “As publisher, I’ll stay at home and keep out of your way.”
“Mother, we don’t want you to do that,” exclaimed Helen. “We want you to come down and help us whenever you have time.”
“But what could I do?” asked her mother.
“Lots of things. For instance, jot down all of the personal items you know about your friends and about all of the club meetings. That would be a great help to me. Sometimes in the evening maybe you’d even find time to write them up, for Tom and I are going to be frightfully busy between going to school and running the Herald.”
“I’ll tell the town,” said Tom. “If you’d handle the society news, Mother, you could make it a great feature. The Herald has never paid much attention to the social events in town. Guess Dad was too busy. But I think the women would appreciate having all of their parties written up. I could set up a nice head, ‘Society News of Rolfe,’ and we’d run a column or so every week on one of the inside pages.”
“You’re getting me all excited, Tom,” said his mother. “Your father said I never would make a newspaper woman but if you and Helen will have a little patience with me, I’d really enjoy writing the social items.”