Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-01

81 think IL IS the CTaZlcSt
ever saw, and I've seen some pretty
crazv onesp' DR.. Jared Miles pale blue
eve. peered over the top of the paper at
his friend the Author. who paid no atten-
ton to the remark. "Any one who would
write such an ad as that should have
guardian" continued the doctor. slammng
the paper down on the desk and pointing 10
the offending line in the want column.
wanted" he read aloud jeeringly, by
author, a private secretary, who must DC
woman proof; references required; Call
mornings"
"Weu. now, what is the matter with
that?" demanded the Author. Ihat IL
Just the kind I want.
MATTER with 1t? It's crazy! wanted
a secretary; woman proof! You-you-h
an insult to your daughter that's what
It Is! 'Woman-proof! as if she could oreak
into a secretary"
"Perhaps II you were Roses father ana
had to go through with what l 90 WIN
secretaries-and Rose-you'd be ht'ie
calmer," said the Author. 'Why' man,
I've had four in a year. -Four! All y.
'em capable. bright fellows. And mere
am with none at all. ana TINS pooh 70 a.
ready overdue ,.r.
az presume that is your daughter Iauit'
sneered the DOCTOR .,
Maybe not, but It's my misfortune;
ssIf I were you I'd shut her up. Some
day she might fall in love and be married.
"Rose? Oh. no! No such luck. IA oe
glad IL she'd marry any one Oh INC yoI u
fellows she fools with. but that not ,, az,
way She insists that she fell IN love WIFI
a fellow over in Paris and doesn't even
know his name, and until he turns up sLe
won't marry any one else. Shes III -
that's all there Is to IT, ana soou oi &C. of;
II know one why don't you lahe hei oii
my hands?" .,o. nm 70
me- l know 1 was an old fooi' put say s .
nm all thought of winning her when She
told me of the man over in Paris. for her
sake / hope he turns up.
"F'or nv sake 1 hope the same thlng
though I'm no. fool enough to believe .neue
cant, Whew! He isn't bit AFRAID 10
ring the bell, is he? Stay and see me ex-
anime into the condition of his heart
Miles" But the doctor was rolling towaro
the door, and turned back. .
ITS painful spectacle to me, sir 10
see an old friend make 1901 OF hiiisei!
he shouted, and disappeared by one oo ess
as the tenth applicant appeared at the
other. 49, ,,,.hor
looking sharply at the visitor. Inc young
man bowed, but did not speak as ne came
forward and placed a visiting card on the
desk. MIR. Jerome Welton. read the Au-
Eyes, sir. and should like to become
your secretary. >
$50 have nine others this morning I
presume you have provided yourself Win
first-class references? ,.,
For answer the applicant placed httie
packet of envelopes on the desk. Inc Au.
thor waved him to a chair ana opened al
the letters, one after the other. very
good" he said when he had finished, as
TO character and ability. 1 don't see any
references as to the other requirement.
"As to my being woman-proof? can
only ask you to believe me when l say
that the only girl ever wanted or tno oond
her yet, nor recovered. Ihat 10 al Ca"
s"of course 1t was indiscreet of me to
Author explained to DR.. Jared that even
ing but I believe In the fellow; and by
the set of his jaw Miss Rose will have a
good time all by herself, and no one TO
notice it,"
Rose watched at the front window for the
arrival of the new secretary the next morn
ing but he walked up the path quickly with
his head bent and soft hat pulled wen
over his eyes, so that she could not see his
face at all. Nothing daunted. she ran into
her fathers study. stopping short when
"Ohy' of surprise. Then she said II beg
your pardon" and retired slowly. The sec
rotary who sat with his back to her, did
not turn his head, and her father grinned:
Rose was interested in the advertisement
and what 1t might have brought forth: only
the night before she had been talking 1t
over with Fanny Crosby.
Now you see," she had said. with an en-
gaging frankness which was one Of her
best weapons with the men, but which
failed to move Fanny. you see that the
mighty must fall. don't want to seem
egotistical, Fanny, but really. when young
man appears and Is indiscreet enough to
announce himself as woman-proof. 1 must
show him that he isn't, or shame my sex. y
Fanny. whose father chose his assistants
with care. Maybe he'll be short and fat.
and wear side whiskers."
There was DR.. Jared" reflected Rose,
and Fanny was forced to admit that a
mans foolishness Ovas not limited to his
years.
her knees, that II a man says he is
woman-proof no smile may enter or curl
distract. He has such unlimited confidence
in people and things. There's his old safe,
for instance. He thinks that dinky little
safe is fire-proof and thief-proof and that's
another thing i must show him he's mis-
taken about. I'm going to get into 1t some
night and take out some of my trinkets and
things and keep them until he misses
them"
The next morning she again entered the
ROOM meant to. She thrust her head
through the curtains of the library and
looked about. The Author and the new Sec
rotary were on their knees before the safe,
and the Author was teaching the secretary
the combination. "A foolish thing to do
thought Rose. And then another thought
entered her mind. Here was the oppor-
tunity to show her father about the safe.
Selling a pad Of paper and a pencil she
slipped behind the great screen which stood
partly across the library door. There she
calmly took down the combination num-
bers the Author told them off. Then she
slipped out again, and in three minutes
was heard coming through the library sing
ing gayly. She entered the study still
singing.
The Author looked up and grinned, but
the secretary. who was still his knees
in front OF the safe. did not even glance
over his shoulder. He smiled a little as he
kept turning the combination until 1t
was clear past the opening point. He real
tied that he was being tried Rose stayed
in the room for fully five minutes and then
making a face at her father she retired
At l o'clock the Author faced his daugh-
ter over the luncheon table. Entirely sat
isfactory. Thirty years old and knows his
business. Woman-proof. too. You noticed
that didn't you. Rosie? l saw him smile
as you went~out. You can't fool him; he
guessed In minute that you came In just
10 have look at him.
why. father. how acute you are get
ting"
The Author looked at his daughter quiz
ideally.
Haven't heard anything OF the one I'M
known. have you. Roster