The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-27
WilheImina.

=
''WANTED-In a publishing house, 9
weil-educated woman; must be over 80
years of age"
Isn't it mean. I don't seem to 1T in
anywhere. Very young girls and old wo-
men are in demand, but girl Of q Is
neither younr nor old; a drug in the
marketP Wilhelmina Thurston looked
Disguised.
You would just fit in there, WILL said
her sister, refiectively.
WHhelmina went to the mirror and took
the pins from her luxuriant hair, which
was rolled back loosely from her face and
coled on the crown of her head. She
parted the hair down the middle and drew
1t back plain, braiding it and dressing
It low. 1t was unbecoming, for her rath-
er severe type Of beauty was rendered
stern by the change
Sidney Spencer sat in his private Of
fee, with a 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 femalei" whispered
John Stanwood to his neighbor, as light
step on the stair was heard. A moment
later Wilhelmina was ushered into Spen-
GERS Office.
How old are your" was the first query.
''Thirty-one," she said. bravely.
What experience?'
Ten years in newspaper office" This
was true, for while a mere child she had
assisted her father on the Daily Bull
letin, now among the missing journals.
Spencer looked intently at the applicant.
She seemed more promising than the rest.
Are you sure you are 81? You look
young, very young"
Wflhelmina rose TO the occasion. Her
assumption Of offended dignity would
have deceived q keener man than Spen-
Ger.
I'm sorry, sir, to have troubled you;
perhaps you require a certificate Of
birth. Unfortunately I have none. Good
afternoon"
wait a moment! Pardon me. You do
not understand why I am so particular
in regard to your age. There are dozen
young idiots in my employ who waste
their time in attentions to younger wo-
man. Harmless enough, I'll admit. but
this is not counting school, and the work
requires undivided attention"
Il understand. I was young once my
self, she sighed. There was an awk-
ward silence.
"Thirty-one is not very Old" said spen-
Ger, encouragingly. 1T only seems old
to fellows in the twenties"
III ty-OHc Is d Respectable age ana
needs no apology" was the tart reply.
Her gray eyes snapped and she loked
fierce.
She'll do" said Spencer to himself.
''There'll be on 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
the reply. half-dozen times during the
morning Wihelmina caught her employer
looking curiously at her; she wondered
II he suspected her deceit. At night he
said pleasantly: "I am very we'll salts
fed with what you have DONE" so she
was engaged.
Much as she 1onged to appear her old
pretty self, Wilhelmina dared not put
aside her dark, unornamented gown and
tightly drawn black hair.
Her desk being in Spencer's office, and
the fact that much of their work was
done jointly placed them on a familiar
footing. 1t was agreeable work. and had
she not been acting a part. Wilhelmina
would have thoroughly enjoyed it. A
date in an article one day led Spencer
to tell his age, IS. After this she felt
still more uncomfortable, saying to AL
Ice: 81 wonder how he likes working
with his grandmother"
One morning when Spencer came in Will
knew something had happened.
In the months they had worked together
she had learned to note every change in
his expressive countenance. She had also
learned to care dearly for his good opin-
ion; the lie she had told him weighed
heavily. She found herself wishing that
he knew she was only 90: five years
Younger than himself. Would il make a
difference?
This morning he looked at her so in
tently that she blushed Then he said
abruptly: what makes women so secre-
i've in regard to their age? Are added
years a crime? You are the first one
have met who confesses to 81; you
are really younger looking, and are brave
lot to lie about it,
Poor WIlhelminai Without thinking Of
he consequences, she said. hurriedly: 81
lid lie. I am only g. I expected to be
taught some time, and I'm foolish enough
% step into the trap. Shall I leave this
norning?"
Spencer rose and closed the door into
he outer office. BY this time Wilhelmina
vas gathering up her belongings and |
them helter-skelter into her
gag.
What's your hurry" Spencer asked, |
quitting a OBTAINING hand on her arm. VIII |
lelmina looked up into a face so full of |
and tenderness that the tears |
# vexatiOn on her lashes mirrored the |
IN her eyes.
81 want you to stay, little girl, because |
well, because, I can't live without you /
Wilhelmina concluded to stay.