The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1899-07-28
WilheIl17ina.
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yN ing mousse well-edu-
over so years of age
isn't it mean. don't seem to fit in
anywhere. Young girls and old women
are in demand, but "a girl of % is neith-
er young nor old; drug in the mar
ket.' Wilhelmina Thurston looked dis
gusted.
You would just fit in there, WILL"
said her sister, refectively.
WilhelmiEa went to the mirror and
took the pins from her luxuriant hair,
which was rolled back loosely from her
face and coiled on the crown Of her
head. She parted the hair down the
middle and drew it back plain, braiding
it and dressing it low. 1t was unbe-
coming, for her rather severe type of
beauty was rendered stern by the
change.
81 have made up my mind" said Will
helmina, going to the closet and taking
therefrom her darkest gown, dull
gray, ''to apply for that position. With
a stiff collar and no color to brighten
me up, l shall look antiquated enough
to escape detection. 1t will injure no
one But myself, and 1 want work badly
enough to add eight years to my age.
shall claim to be 31.''
Alice Thurston laughed. "You are
desperate, Will, and no wonder; but l
fear one lie will not suffice; you are not
an adept in daceiving.'
you wait was the answer.
Sidney Spencer sat in his private
office. with bored look on his face and
pile of manuscript at his elbow. Out
side in the main Office the clerks
nudged each other and Uttered, as
young men will when the proprietor is
out of sight.
"Another antiquated femalew whis-
pered John Stanwood to his neighbor,
as light step on the stair was heard.
A moment later Wilhelmina was ush-
cred into Spencer's offic,
"How old are you:' IS the first
query.
"Thirty-one," she said, bravely.
"What experienced"
"Ten years in newspaper office"
This was true, for while a mere child
she had assisted her father on the
Daily Bulletin, now among the missing
Journals. Spencer looked intently at
the applicant. She seemed more prom
ising than the rest. Are you sure you
are 81? You look young, very young"
Wilhelmina rose to the occasion. Her
assumption of offended dignity would
have deceived keener man than
Spencer.
TIN sorry, sir, to have troubled you;
perhaps you require a certificate Of
birth. Unfortunately I have none.
Good afternoon"
''Wait moment! Pardon me. You
do not understand why l am SO partic-
ular in regard to age. There are
dozen young idiots in my employ who
waste their dime in attentions to a
younger woman. Harmless enough, I'll
admit, but this is not courting school,
and the work requires undivided atten-
tion.'
81 understand. I was young once
myself" She sighed. There was an
awkward silence.
"Thirty-one is not DID, said Spencer
enoouragingly. SIT only seems old to
fellows in the twenties.
tsThirty-one is respectable age and
needs no apology" was the tart reply.
Her gray eyes snapped and she looked
fierce.
She'll do,'' said Spencer to himself;
.'there will be no flirting" Aloud he.
said: @Can you stay this morning and
help me out with this?" indicating the
pile Of manuscript.
II shall be glad to begin at once,''
was her reply. A half-dozen times dur
ing the morning Wilhelmina caught
her employer looking curiously at her;
she wondered if he suspected her de-
ceit. At night he said pleasantly: 81
am we'll satisfied with what you have
done" So she was engaged.
Much as she longed to appear her
(. own pretty self, Wilhelmina dared not
put aside her dark, unornamented
gown and tightly drawn back hair.
With these she assumed dignifed,
old-fashioned manner Of speech and
action that kept her youthful cowork-
ers at distance.
Her desk being in spencer's office,
and the fact hat much of their work
was done jointly, placed them on
familiar footing. 1t was agreeable
work, and had she not been acting
part Wilhelnaina would have thorough
Iy enioyed it. A date in an article one
day led Spencer to tell his age, %.
After this she felt still more uncom-
Portable, saying to Alice: y wonder