Evening journal., 1899-08-05
WAS CAUGHT AT LAST

Weu-euucdlcu WOudns must DC ONtI oV Jehth
Of age
W1helmina had looked over all of the
ads. carefully, and among all of them she
could find nothing that just suited. Either
she did not suit the ad. or the ad. did not
suit her, and now here was this one, which
would be just the very thing for her, but her
age didn't suit. She was stall seven years
from thirty, and it was hardly probable
that the position would wait seven years for
/ her.
Isn't 1t mean. don't seem to fit in
anywhere. Young girls and old women are
IN demand, but a girl of % is neither young
| nor old; drug in the markell" Wilhelmina
Thurston looked disgusted.
"You would just fit in there, win. said
her sister, rehectively.
Wilhelmina went to the mirror and took
the pins from her luxuriSnt hair, which was
rolled back loosely from her face and coiled
/ on the crown of her head. She parted the
1 hair down the middle and drew it back
plain, braiding it and dressing it low. 1t was
/ unbeco1ninR, for her rather severe type Of
beauty was rendered stern by the change.
Il have made up my mind" said VIII
helmina. going to the closet and taking there
from her darkest gown, dull gray, ITO APP
i ply for that position. With stiff collar and
no color to brighten me pp, shall look
Participated enough to escape detection. 1t
will injure no one but myself, and / want
4 work badly enough to add eight years to my
age. / shall claim to be b.
Alice Thurston laughed "You are des-
perate, VIII, and no wonder; but fear one
lie will not suffice; you are not an ndept in
deceiving."
"You wait" was the answer.
/, An hour later Wilhelmina Thurston was
ready to tell the lie she had decided upon.
As she left her home to 80 to the Office Of
the publisher she really looked the age she
} wished 10 impersonate. The dull gray gown,
which she had always detestcd, the stiff col
lar, the lack of all the bright colors she had
always worn, added even more than the
needed seven years to the otherwise youth
ful face and figure. 1t would need an musu
ally discerning man to detect the fraud that
(, was to be practiced upon the unsuspecting
! publisher.
'If looks count for age" said her sister, as
she left the house, you should certainly sue
ceed, but l still think you win betray your
e. self in some way, If not now at some future
time, and then you will regret the decep
ton you are playing
Sidney Spencer sat in his private Office,
= with a bored look on his face and pile of
3 manuscript at his elbow. Outside in the
t main Office the clerks nudged each other and
Uttered, as young men viii when the pro-
. prietor is out Of sight.
"Another antiquated femalel" whispered
s John Stanwood to his neighbor, rs a light
+ step on the stair was heard. A moment
later Wilhelmina was ushered into Spencer 3
Office.
''How old are youg" was the first query.
"Thirty-one," she said bravely.
+ "What experience
|. "Ten years in q newspaper Office" This
i was true, for while a mere child she had
Il assisted her father on the Daily Bulletin,
Il now among the missing journals. Spencer
: looked intently at the applicant. She
e seemed more promising than the rest. "Are
v you sure you are 81? You look young, very
n young"
J. Wilhelmina rose to the occasion. Her as
J. sumption Of offended dignity would have de
d celved keener man than Spencer.
dl ~Pm sorry, sir, to have troubled you; per
10 haps you require certificate Of birth. Un
j. fortunately have none. Good afternoon
e ''WMt momenti Pardon me. You dc
not understand why / am 30 particular II
regard 10 age. There are dozen young
idiots In my employ who waste their TINT
in attentions to a younger woman. Harm
~ less enough, I'll admit, but this is not
10 .courting school, and the work requires un
= divided attention"
n I understand. was young once myself,
10 she sighed. There was an awkward silence
. '"Thirty-one Is not old, >" said Spencer, en-
IL couragingy. 1T only seems old to fellow
/. in the twenties."
Y "Thirty-one is a respectable age and need
/. no apology" was the tart reply. Her gra.
rs eyes snapped and size looked fierce.
,- "She'll do" said Spencer to himself
ia "there will be no flirting" Aloud he said
"Can you stay this morning and help pme on
~ with thisw indicating the pile Of manu-
script.
Il shall be glad to begin at once" was he
reply. A half-dozen times during the morn
ing Wilhelmina caught her employer look
)r in0 curiously at her; she wondered If be sui
70 pected her deceit. At night be said pleas
le antly: Il am well satisfied with what 20
n. have DONE" so she was engaged
le Much as she longed to appear her ow
IN pretty self, Wilhelmins dared not put qsid
TX her dark unornamented gown and tightl
~ drawn back hair With these she assume
OF a dignifed, od-fashioned manner Of speec
or and action that kept her youthful coworker
er at distance.
Her desk being in Spencer's Office, and tn
fact that much of their work was don
Jointly, placed them on familiar footing
g. II was agreeable work, and had she not bee
h, acting part Wihelmina weuld hay
y thoroughly enjoyed it. A date in an artiel
y one day led Spencer to tell his age, 2S. Aite
ln this she felt stih more uncomfortable, sayin
az to Alice: 81 wonder how be likes workin
with his Grandmother
One morning when Spencer came in W.
helmina k>ew something had happcneS
y Tn the months they had worked together sh
re had learned to note every change in his e..
prossive countenance She had also learne
TO care deeply for his good opinion; the j
she had told him weighed heavily. Sh
s- found herself wishing that he knew she wa
IL only %; five years younger than himsel
a Would it make a difference!
es This morning he looked at her so intentl
IN. that she blushed Then he said abruptly
IS "What makes women so seoretive in regaI
IN 10 their ageg Are added years a crime
or You are the first one have met who COZ
fesscs to 3i you are really younger lookin
and are brave not to lie about it,
Poor Wilhelmina Without thinking