Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-25

young lady, to fill position Of trust and respon-
sibility. Must have auburn hair good figure, pret-
w. fond Of music and cards. Must not be super
stitious. Only young women Of the most ire
proachable morality need apply Best of refer
ences given and required. Light duties and lib
eral remuneration to right party. Answer in
own handwriting, giving description of personal
appearance age, Accomplishments, etc, etc.
Lock Box 333, New York City,"
"Wel, now, Keno kamp, will YOU tell me what
you think Of that2' the girl exclaimed, proceed
ing to gil her tcalSettle from the toilet pitcher on
the washstand "What do you suppose he wants,
anyhow
Keno did not answer. He rarely ever paid
the slightest attention to Kates deferential CUES
tions, unless, perchanoe, to utter meaningless
OATH but on this particular morning, having Just
breakfasted, and being accordingly, in excellent
humor he did not deiqn 30 much as n word. Keno
was Kate's husband" "the best and only kind
of husband to have" she was often quoted as
saying, together with long list Of humorous, not
to saw sarcastic, reasons. Keno was parrot
As for Kate, she was a bachelor girl, doing light
housekeeping Extremely light housekeeping it
was-of the bedroom variety; the Kind one reads
about in magazine stories, which sounds coser
in print than it is in real life.
Zone thing certain Keno Kamp, we've got to
scare I'D story somewhere. Funds are getting
low, Keno, and this Personal does sound in.
teresting. It's positively enticing" She picked
up the newspaper again. -
"Onlv red.headed girls need apply. H-ml
What's the matter with my applying for the JOB
mvself." stroking her long, copper-tinted bralds
"And must not be superstitious! All, keno!"
She ate her rolls and drank her tea in pro-
found meditation, not even once speaking 10
the bird. 1t was as she said Work had not
been so plentiful with Kate as 1t ought to nave
been. Special features for the Sunday papers were
growing scarce It was her third year in metro
politan journalism, and, she now began to
realize her fund of ideas once so abundant, was
now practically exhausted.
'I'm tired of this free-lancing, anyway, arent
YOU. Keno?" she finally said, draining her Dres-
den cup and jumping up brsky. IL ieast TO-
day and famine tomorrow, or, to be strictly nt-
eral Keno, the famine is right on now.
Thus the girl kept up constant monologue,
the while she washed her breakfast things. The
big hluehowered bowl on the washstand served
the double purpose of dishpan and face basin.
Kate did not have the time nor the convenlences
to be fastidous about non-essentals like that. Be-
sides the exigencies incident to two years OF more
or less precarious domestic arrangements had
served to overcome culinary prejudices generally.
Her original New England housewives conscience
was dead and so, having despatched the break
fast dishes. she emptied the dishwater, rinsed the
howl. reflled it with clear, cold water, dashed
with cologne. and then proceeded to wash her
pretty face-without qualm. After which she
sat down and wrote on her best monogramed
stationery:
clock Box 333: If the lady or gentleman who
inserted the enclosed Personal in this mornings
naner will address Miss Kate Kamp, 135 East
Steenth street. New York city, he or she will
no doubt be able to make a satisfactory arrange
ment Miss Kamp believes herself to be posses
eod of all the qualifications mentioned therein,
and can furnish the best Of references as to char
acter and ability. Miss Kamp awaits an early
reply"
Which note Kate sealed addressed, and stamp
ed Then she walked over and surveyed herself
in the mirror. every qualification, haven't l,
Keno? can't help knowing that, can II"
She proceeded to finish her toilet. She brush
ed her copper-colored hair and piled it high on
her shapely head. She powdered her tiptilted
rose. and jumped into smart black tailor gown.
For no difference how limited her resources, Kate
always managed to be one smart street costume
ahead It was a part of her stock IN trade, as
much SO as her lead-pencl or her typewriter.
H.
Ten o'clock in the morning, two days later,
found Kate Kamp stepping off the elevator on
the fifth floor of a fashionable apartment house
in that locality which can here be only vaguely re-
ferred to as the ''West Seventies" Pushing the
electric button at the door of "Sute IT," a maid
appeared and ushered the caller into a handsome
" furnished drawing-room, there to await the ap-
pearance of that mysterious parsonage known as
vet by no other name than Lock Box 333. The
reply to Kate's note had given no clue to either
the identity or the of the advertiser. The
mystery was cleared in at moment, however, by
the approaching froufrou of silken skirts sweep
ing down the long, dark hallway. The beaded
draperies parted, and tall, elegantly dressed
woman advanced.
miss Kamp, I believe" said the lady in
voice of sepulchral quality, motioning her visitor
to pink brocade divan. She was, indeed, more
the apparition of a woman than reality Kate
thought as the tall, slender figure of her hostess
sank, with svelte movement into the chair OPP
posite Very, very tall, and very, very thin
emacated, she was-and dressed in deep, rich
mourning. Looking out from delicate-featured
face of exceeding pallor, two great, deepset black
eyes burned eagerly. II was face cataloguabe
in literature as spirituelle.
The woman looked into her visitors eyes search.
ingly, as if to read any signs of deception that
might have been there; then she began, in
voice sngularly low and solemn
'AIiss Kamp, I shall be very frank with you
and explain, in so far as it is possible for me to
explain such a delicate matter, the strange adver-
tisement which is responsible for our meeting
to-day Miss Kamp, am not tiattering you when
say that I am much pleased with your appear
ance / have looked into your eyes, / have look
ed almost into your soul, and I cannot believe
that nv intuitions are very far wrong. / be-
lieve you are woman TO be trusted, and wheth.
er you do or do not accept the position which
/ shall offer you, / feel / can rely upon your
honor not to reveal the substance of this inter-
view. For, as you will readily understand, if
the newspapers should ever get hold of this they
would make a most unpleasant sensation out Of
it. and if there is one thing abhor, it is any
sort of newspaper notoriety."
Kate WINGED. The lady coughed deicately
''Indeed it was account of the fear of any
possible publicity that did not use my anne in
replying to your note. believe i can now safe
ly dvulge it. You probably have heard of me
before. am Mrs Townsend, Mrs. Felicia Town