The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-10-28

nv ~. one lie IL ne was TO Keep
~ ~ ms mental vigor and good health.
ne sometimes wondered whether the
eAlra hours that Miss Blair had Tn
work-fsr she always stayed at her
post whenever he was at the office
were not telling on her, too. But she
never murmured and she seemed al.
ways In the pink of condition.
one day Bolton began wondering
ABOUT Alice Blair. He wondered whv
she did all this for him-whether II
was just the result of her training MUS
= Keen mind-was it induced entirely
oy the forty dollars a week that she
uau demanded! Perhaps 1t was. But
.ne erect 1t produced was the same
IL really did seem as If some one cared
now and that, after all, Bolton con-
eluued' was what made the big differ
ence. Still he kept asking himself, did
MISS Blair care? How did she keen
ap ner strength and courage for the
long hours? There were hundred
petty nome and social duties that
usually distracted his women en-
pioyees-had Miss Blair none Of
those?
Mr.. Bottoms last question was an
swered one day when he CHANGED to
look through the carbons for the ont
gong mail of the day, when he had
returned unknown to her, after din
ner at night. He came upon the dupli-
cate OF a letter of personal nature,
YET before he had realized what he
was doing he read it. 1t was simply an
oruer TO one of the morning papers for
the insertion of a help wanted" ad.
Vertisement. This was the advertise
ment:
Wanted: A young business woman
wants to get in touch with a young
woman whose duties will be similar to
those of wife to busy man. That
is, she must be an educated, agree
able young woman with the willing
ness to take seriously the task of maxi
Ing small apartment real home.
She need not do the actual homework
put she must see that it is done with
OUT confusion and without complaint.
she must have the instructive knack
or attending to the little things com
blned with the ability to be interested
In the really biz things. For such u
young woman Il good home and a fair
remuneration will be given.'
Mr.. Bolton read then re-read the
What occurred to him
hrst was that it contained perfect
description of his own ideal of what
a wife should bc-and it was Alice
Blair's ideal. Only il was Alice Bair's
Idea of the companion she wanted, not
the companion she wanted to be. Still,
she understood. She at least realized
that with such an ideal woman at
nome man or woman either might
endure the strain Of business worries
that would otherwise be uncomfortable.
the letter advertising for
such companion had gone out. Boil
ton wondered what results would come
Of 1t. He almost wished that he, too,
might secure the wife he was looking
for In some such quick man.
ner. Then he decided to speak to Alice
about it--perhaps, perhaps, she cared
enough
Bolton came to the point rather alb
'uptly.
II had thought the most important
hing In the world was to have a per-
feet secretary" he told her the next
lay when he had called her to his
office. Now l have decided that
perfect wife Is much more important.
Pardon me for reading your adver-
isement-I see you understand part
# my own ideal for such companion
she must be a real companion,
Alice" he said, changing from his alb
'upt business manner to boyish,
pleading tone that Alice had never
deserved before.
Alice blushed and the blush seemed
o tell Bolton that she really did care
or something beside the forty dollars
week.
us II only because | would be
0ngenial companion, and good house
pife-only because I'd keep the wheels
unning smoothly In your home as l
ave in your Office, Is that all?"
Then suddenly Bolton wondered how
had ever aeemed as though those
hlngS cou' really have been para
Mount. IN he could see was the shad-
W that lurked beneath Allce's down
asst eye, the delicious curve of her
rs and the graceful lines of the
mall, determined little chin.
"Allce. he said little huskily, 'Fd 4
'ant you to marry me if you were the
,orst housewife In the world. Some
ow see now why so many men do !
larry the women they dol suppose
ley love them as love you"
And so in spite Of the first develop I
rents of the year Bolton filled the
acond half Of his resolution instead
the first.