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The Romance of a Busy Broker

Name: The Romance of a Busy Broker
Author: O. Henry

by O. Henry · graded reader

2 chapters
915 words
about 7 min
short story

Harvey Maxwell is the busiest man in New York. Every minute in his office is full of telephones, letters and money. Then one spring morning, the smell of flowers comes through the window, and he remembers something very important.

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Harvey Maxwell is a broker in New York. He buys and sells money for other people. He is a very busy man.

Every morning he comes to his office at half past nine. This morning he comes with his young typist, Miss Leslie.

"Good morning, Pitcher!" says Maxwell. Pitcher is his clerk. Maxwell runs to his desk. There are many letters on it, and he starts to read them at once.

Miss Leslie works for Maxwell. She is his typist, and she is with him for one year now. She is very pretty. Her dress is gray and simple. There is a green and gold feather on her black hat.

This morning Miss Leslie is very happy. Her eyes are bright, and she smiles a lot. Pitcher sees that she is different today.

She does not go to her desk at once. She stands near Maxwell's desk for a moment. But Maxwell does not look at her. He is not a man now. He is a busy New York broker, like a machine.