The Meeker herald., 1910-09-24

On her twonty-nfth birthday sylvia
Brough stood face to face with grim
necessity for the first time In her
life. She sat perfectly still and help
less In the big leather-covsred arm
chair in old Judge Buchanan's prf
vate once-the spot in which the
cisr.al revelation of her poverty had
come to her-a crushed and bewh-
aersd little figure. dainty a. = flower
even In her distress.
! Cheer up. Sylvia" consoled the
grizsled old lawyer. her dead hus-
bands friend. and her own. since
earliest childhood. "You are young
and the very best Of life 10 still before
you. All the unhappiness Of this
cruel day will be blotted out and the
sting of your sudden afiiction viii
grow duller with the passing Of time.
Believe me. dear friend. you viii even
be happy again"
Should 1t happen ~ you predict"
she said, with pitiful attempt to
accept his cheerful ausury ~ some
thing prophetic. II shall recall how
impossible 1t seems to mo today"
1t was sylvia's great problem. and
her lack Of preliminary training left
her helpless to solve 1t. When she
tried to take stock Of her possible
resources she could settle on nothing
that was likely to prove available.
She could play and sing in an anna
flourish way. She had rather q pretty
knack at composition, but was Ia
inevitable speller. She was unskilled
in housewifery because she had never
kept house and she was not an adept
with the needle. Clearly. she had rea-
SOL to doubt her capacity to become .
successful bread-winner. and that Il
precisely the alternative to which she
was reduced. There was not even
time to hesitate. 10 urgent was the
need.
In her depression she searched the
thing that suggested the barest hope.
and Of many things which did not
Then she tuned her courage to the
highest note and set out ON her novel
errand. The FIRST Advertisement In
her collection was for private sec
rotary for the head OF . mammoth
concern which collected news from
all parts Of the globe and sold It at
bargain prices. Sylvia knew that
there were such factotums ~ private
secretaries. but Of their qualifications
and duties she was profoundly ignor.
ant.
Tha. was the reason she made her
way to the ONCE Of the advertiser
and asked for an interview with the
president At Arst eight Of him she
came to the conclusion instantly that
she had blundered. He was = young
man Of about her own years, = giant
in stature. with q face and figure Of
remarkable perfection. but with an ex-
shrink from him before he had spoken
. word.
.Are you another applicant for the
vacancy In my ohlce!" he asked her
in . tone civil enough. but suggesting
Mount Olympus.
Sylvia was too uncertain Of her
voice to speak. but she nodded slight
~ and tried to recover her self-posses
sion.
What il your name!" he continued.
with q look In his great blue eyes that
was 20 eloquent Of superiority that she
could answer him only in 4 tremulous
half whisper.
Have you any well-denned reason
to suppose that you could be satisfac-
tory to me?" he demanded. loftily.
At that she rallied. her Indignation
Developing slowly. but very certainly.
"I'm quite sure l shouldn't" she said
firmly.
She looked at him. and a. their
eyes met she fancied that his seemed
less insistently asure: still they were
the bluest she had ever seen and she
did not like the color.
Would you mind telling me why
you are 30 sure?" he asked. and for
the life Of her she couldn't tell whether
his manner was the reflex Of imperti-
nence or the honest expression Of de-
sire to be informed.
I'm afraid I'm mot competent" she
said. giving him the benefit Of the
doubt. Il have had NO experience"
He smiled friSidly. ut IL possible
that you underrate your ability" he
said. You are the first Of all who
have applied for the position to pro
fess lack Of confidence in your capac-
ity. That, Of itself. II noteworthy.
will give you a trial"
without giving her the opportunity
to say yea or nay, the extraordinary