The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-11
TIE EVENING STOR r
Nanted-A Reader.


Jean Draper waltzed into the shah
by little room with copy OF the
morning paper in her hand ..Inere!
she cried exultantiy. Read fnal-|
read it aloud, child
The "childs was much older and
larger than the young woman VINO al
dressed her, and far more sedate. she
had another name=A1ary Brandon
but it had fallen into 'innocuous8
desuetude" since the advent Of Jean,
who mothered everyone, from the
1niikman's boy to the minister.
You read it, Mary said, my
! throat is like nutmeg-grater this
morning"
The animated look faded from
jeans face and the distracting little
! dimple in her left cheek stopped work
fully, II forgot your cold! You can't
/ do it after all just listen to this:
'Wanted-An educated elderly lady TO
read aloud to young man. Apply
1 2171 Dale avenue. 8 to 10 a. M
Since when" she said, has your
/ child become an elderly lady, Jean2'
"Oh, I know you wouldn't do as you
are, but you make up so beautfully+
| Remember when you were Barbara
| Frietchie at the Whittier social? You
/ have that wig now, haven't you, child
But you're hoarse. and So
And so you can apply, Mary inter-
rupted her.
"I? You know what a miserable
reader I am-galIoping along one
page and baking on the next. If
| could choose my own book-'Easy
/ Stories Of One and Two Syllables, for
| Beginners or something like that, ] d
think 1t no sin to deceive the unSus-
| pecting youth. I believe Ill do it.
| they really don't need me now at the
/ 'ChIropodist'S Parlor'-Dr. Gray init
mated as much yesterday"
Mary laughed derisively. Try it. if
you like, she said. There may be no
necessity for an elaborate makeup; if
he needs a reader it's probably because
his eyes have given out-glasses, my
/ wig, an elderly manner, and there you
are! Nothing viii give you away, I'M
less it is your laugh, Jean-it sounds so
young! But you haven't laughed much
/ lately, I've noticed" Mary looked
steadily into her friends soft brown
eyes Come now she said, . TESS up,
dear, that you care more for DR.. Tom
| on coming here to earl your living
poor, little living! If you had it to do
over. wouldn't you
Never mind what II do. child" Jean
said quickly, the warm color flooding
! her tell-tale face. What you are about
| to do is of more importance now. Be
hold your lay figure! Make of me what
you WILL
A half hour later a trim, elderly
lady went forth to seek a position as
reader. Two hours later the lady re-
| turned. She fairly flew into the room
and sank on the old couch, laughing
and crying in the same breath.
Mary laid down her work. Didn't
you get the placer she asked. Aren't
you engaged p
Jean laughed Historically. Yes" she
said yes, I'm engaged"
We'll. then, why are you crying?
Where is your wig, and
Jean stopped her with little gesture.
Child child.'' she cried, you'll
I never guess who advertised didn't,
even when I saw his signI Whitney is
not an uncommon name. you know"
DR. Whitney," Mary gasped. Tom
Whitney in this city? Oh, Jean! What
did you do?'
Went in, of course. A maid ushered
me into din1ly lighted room where
man sat in a reclining chain. with a
/ bandage over his eyes. He was big and
/ broad-shouldered with a little wave in
his hair, that reminded me of Tom.
/ When he turned to speak to me, saw
that it was Tom, but SO Sad-faced and
subdued that could have cried to see
him.
Luckily he didn't ask my name, and
fear of detection changed my voice, so
| that my own mother wouldn't have
recognized it. Please be seated he said
| quietly, my eyes have been badly used,
and are on a strike at present-I'n
4 under orders to humor them for a few
1 weeks.
'.Then he lifted a book from the table
at his elbow and asked me to read. 1t
was a scientific work-somebody's hor-
rid medical essays. I stumbled through
the first page, and when I looked up,
my face crimson with embarrassment,
he was fixing his bandage, and the sad
look had left his face-Im sure there
was a smile hiding at the corner of his
mouth
q You needn't read any more, he
said, but your voice is SO soothing, that
I wish you'd talk.
'T-t-taik stammered, about
what?'
"Oh, the days of your youth, or any
old thing" he said with such a boyish
laugh that I knew he had recognized
me. The bandage had been moved TO
some purpopsei He needed punishment
didn't he, child?-and 1 promptly adj
rninistered it."
"Oh, what did you do?' Mary asked
Il adjusted my spectacles with a
grandmotherly air, and said, / Will tell
you of something that happened long
ago-I wasn't married then, and
My listener came suddenly to an up
right position. and said sternly. Are
you now? Tell me, are you married
NO., I cried, in a panic; NO. in
J deedl Please lie down, and Ill-pn re-
cite something
:. Yes he said, after a moments hes
itation, land there was a laugh in his
voice.. 'recite the Prisoner Of Chillon.'
you know it begins, My hair is
white, but not with yearsY Well ID
recited just that far, when he reached
out. and lifted wig, bonnet. and all from
my head. NO he cried, it isn't white
with years and then he-I mean T.
Jean laughed, blushed, and came to a
full stOD.
ssYes?' Mary said encourag fngly.
ssVhat did you do, dear2"
well. you remember I told you
| that I was engaged ?
{ Copyright, 1906 by E. c. Parcelle).
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POINTED PARAGRAPHS.
IFrom the Chicago News.l
Words of a silent man are never re
peated III court.