The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-07-16
THE EVENING STORY
sylvia's Romantic Year.
BY Gerald Prime.

BY Gerald Prime.)
On her twenty-fifth birthday Sylvia
Brough stood face to face with grim
necessity for the first time in her life
She sat perfectly still and helpless in
the big leather-covered armchair in
old Judge Buchanan's private office
the spot in which the dismal reve1a-
ton of her poverty had come to her
a crushed and bewildered little figure,
dainty as flower even in her distress.
| "Cheer up, SYLVIA consoled the
grizzled old lawyer, her dead hus-
bands and her own. since earliest
childhood. You are young and the
very best of life is still before you All
the unhappiness of this cruel day will
| be blotted out and the sting of your
sudden affection will grow duller with
the passing of time. Believe me. dear,
! friend. You will even be happy again"
Should it happen as you predict"
she said. with a pitiful attempt to ac
cept his cheerful augury as something
prophetic 81 shall recall how impos-
sible it seems to me today
1t was Sylvia's great problem, and
her lack of preliminary training left
her helpless to solve it. When she
tried to take stock of her possible re-
sources she could settle on nothing
that was likely to prove available. She
could play and sing in an amateurish
way. She had rather a pretty knack
at composition, but was lamentable
| speller. She was unskilled in house.
wifery because she had never kept
house and she was not an adept with
her needle. Clearly, she had reason to
doubt her capacity to become a sue
cessful breadwinner. and that is pre-
cisely the alternative to which she was
reduced. There was not even time to
hesitate. SO urgent was the need.
In her depression she searched the
newspapers, and made lists of every
thing that suggested the barest hope,
and of many things which did not.
Then she turned her courage to the
highest note and set out on her novel
errand. The first advertisement in
| her collection was for a private Sec
rotary for the head of a mammoth
concern which collected news from all
parts of the globe and sold it at bar
gain prices. Sylvia knew that there
were such factotums as private secre-
taries, but of their qualifications and
duties she was profoundly ignorant.
! That was the reason she made her
way to the office of the advertiser and
asked for an interview with the presi-
dent. At first sight of him she came
| to the conclusion instantly that she
had blundered. He was a young man
| of about her own years, giant in
stature. with a face and figure of re-
markable perfection. but with an ex-
preston and manner that made her
shrink from him before he had spoken
| a word.
Are you another applicant for the
vacancy in my Officer he asked her
| in tone civil enough, but suggesting
Mount Olympus.
Sylvia was too uncertain of her
voice to'speak, but she nodded slight
| ly and tried to recover her self-pos-
| session
What is your manner" he continu-
ed, with look in his great blue eyes
that was so eloquent of superiority
| that she could answer him. only in a
froro111ora half whiSnlr
Have you any well-defined reason
| to suppose that you could be satisfac-
tory to me?" he demanded loftily.
At that she rallied, her indignation
I'm quite sure 1 shouldn't she said
| firmly.
She looked at him, and as their eyes
met she fancied that his seemed less
insistently azure; still they were the
bluest she had ever seen and she did
not like the color.
would you mind telling me why
you are so sure?" he asked, and for
the life of her she couldn't tell wheth-
er his manner was the reflex of imper-
thence or the honest expression of
desire to be informed.
I'm afraid I'm not competent"
she said, giving him the benefit of the
doubt. 81 have had no experience"
He smiled frigidly. TT is possible
that you underrate your ability" he
SAUL GU are the 0ISI OI All w no
have applied for the position to pro-
fess lack of confidence in your capa-
city. That, of itself, II noteworthy.
will give you a trial.
Without giving her the opportunity
to say yea or nay, the extraordinary
young man touched a bell, and to the
slight, dark young man who appeared
instantly from an inner office he pro-
ceeded to give this amazing order:
This young woman will act as my
private secretary until further notice
You will instruct her as to what is
expected of her and arrange the SAL
airy. I am going out of town and
shall not return until Monday
So saying, he turned on his heel
without SO much as glance at her
and left the room.
Sylvia could only stare at the re-
naming young man with a look that
besought enlightenment. He had seated
| himself at the table opposite her. and
| with amusement and polite interest
First of ALL" he said, with a little
| laugh that dissolved some of the gloom
| that had fallen on her, you are not to
| take our president too seriously. He is
SO Few to the business that he isn't
properly adjusted yet. Until very re-
Gently he was a postgraduate student
| at the university. His fathers death
! put him at the head of this great con-
Germ without warning. His father in
vented this system and made it what it
is. Gen. Maitland was a wonderful
man."
| Sylvia did not say a word, but she
wondered IL the son had inherited his