Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-03
THEORY ABOUT
WOMEN TESTED
A Queer Experiment and Its
Happy Result.

Good gracious. mamma" said Miss
Louise Hewlett at the breakfast table.
'just listen to this:
"Wanted.-A woman twenty years old,
with artistic tastes. capricous, fond or
golf lawn tennis and dancing. to act as
secretary"
singular" said the mother thought
fully, that the advertiser, whom l
about beauty"
Since Miss Hewlett was looking for
a position she answered the advertise
ment and was invited to call, which
she did In the company OF her mother.
She found man Of thirty-ive, seri-
GUS, reticent and apparently In his
right mind.
~ need ALSO" said the advertiser.
Mr.. Dudley Vinton, "a housekeeper
II Mrs. Hewlett viii take up her resi-
dence here with you in my apartments,
filling that position, l will pay each
handsome salary"
The offer was accepted, and mother
and daughter went to live In Mr.. VIM
toms apartments. From the FIRST he
treated them as guests, though Miss
Hewlett was occasionally called upon
to write a note or letter or copy
some papers relating to property. At
the end of the first month Mr.. Vinton
paid the salaries and said that he
would be glad to continue the ar
rangement indefinitely. Louise pouted.
She filed the terms of the advertise
ment
Another month passed. Mr.. Vinton
was absent occasionally, sometimes by
day. sometimes in the evening. Once
or twice he was away several days to-
gether What called him, where he
went or what he did he never told.
Louise was piqued and delicately hint
ed that some reference to these alb
sences would be at least civil. She did
not like to be treated as child or an
entire stranger Mr.. Vinton failed to
satisfy her curiosity. whereupon she
tossed her head and declared that 1t
was high time such n ridiculous ar
rangement was terminated. Mr.. Vim
ton made no comments upon her ac-
ton Indeed, he seemed to be rather
pleased with 1t. egging her on to more
of the same kind. Finally she became
angry and ended the interview in tears.
One morning a delicate little missive
came for Mr.. vinton which fell into
Louise's hands. She took 1t to him
and watched him while he read 1t. His
countenance was not to be read. Plac-
ing the note In his pocket. he went to
his bedroom, and soon after Louise.
who was watching him from a win
dow, saw him go out with a suit case.
"Just what l expected" she said.
"That note contained an invitation.
He's gone to the country to visit some
girl he's in love with"
vinton remained away a week, When
he returned Louise asked him when he
intended to be married.
81 am not engaged" he replied.
They were sitting in the library at
the time, and Vinton took up book.
Louise tried in vain to keep her tongue
In her head. Finally she could endure
the silence no longer and asked a
I number of inadmissible questions.
Some of them Vinton answered, 9TH
ers he parted, while others he re-
| ceived In silence But not for a mo-
ment did he manifest any dissatisfac-
ton with her for attempting to pry
into his affairs. Finally he told her
that he had been to see an invalid who
had died during his absence. Louise
arose and strobe silently out of the
room. Winton called her back.
"If you don't mind" he said, "I am
curious to know what has offended
you"
"You have led me to believe what
| was not true"
She stood waiting for him to con-
tInue the debate. but as he only said.
THANK you very much" she went out
and spent the rest of the day in her
room with the door locked.
At the end of the year Vinton in
| vited mother and daughter into the
library and announced to them that he
desired to terminate their present ar.
| rangement
"And now" he continued. addressing
Louise, II will satisfy your curiosity.
| A year ago l wished to make a very
advantageous match. The lady's char
acteristics described in my advertise
I, ment. l am a theorist and have a
theory about women. 1t Is that If a
man wishes to know what a woman
will do under certain circumstances he
must infer that she will act exactly
~chhhhJ " What NC WOulu C4pcCt.
desired to test this theory, and IL It
proved a law / would apply 1t to the
lady I wished to marry and thus en-
hance my chances of success. During
the past year 1 have applied the test
| to you seventy eight times, and you
have fulfilled the conditions sixty-nine
times. You will readily see the ad.
vantage Of having two women Of like
characteristics, the one to practice
upon. the other
AT this point In the theorists exposi-
ton Of his methods Louise rose from
her seat and was sailing majestically
out of the room when vinton caught
her about the waist and held her.
Darling" he said. changing bis
tone, there is one result of the expert.
ment yet TO be told The practice
piece became the object piece. and the
object piece has passed from the prob
lem. The invalid who died while
was away was the girl was endeavor-
ing to win. We never became more
than strong friends. and while was
planning for the advantages that
would have accrued In marrying her I
was falling In love with YOU"