The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1920-12-28
JEsslcA
BY H. LOUIS RAveoLD.
q. Isao. by MecIure Ncwspaper syndieste.l }

= tVh issV. by mcclure Newspaper Syndicete,D
So this was the answer! Jessicu
folded the bit Of paper, her lip curled
scornfully. Well. any one who mixed
up her letters In such careless fash.
Ion certainly needed secretary. Here
she had been waiting ana waiting for
a reply to the long letter she had sent
her aust. and now had come this brief
note addressed to Oithe head OF some
vocational bureau asking said head
TO "Ilcase secure me. as soon as pos
sible, an efficient secretary, not too
prcpOsscssing lit appearance"
Jessica hud spent her life In a tiny
western town with her invalid father.
Released by his death from years Of
tedious II aIrectionaic devotion. she
had followed his last wishes and writ
ten To his sister IN New York. from
whom-le had not heard In many years.
a note requesting secretary! Efli-
cient-but not prepoysessing. That
was an odd requirement. mused Jes-
sca. Aunt Louisa had no sons.
Startled at the idea which occurred
to her. she jumped up, ran to the
dresser and leaned toward the mirror,
undOing with rapid fingers her gold.
tinted. softly curling hair.
Two weeks laterAunt Louisa, q Wig
Orously intellectual woman, sat In her
library interviewing n simply gowned.
sOber-eyed young woman who had pre-
sented herself us applicant for the
secretarysllp.
''Tne only trouble" said the aunt
us that when you smile--wcll, you
show possibilities. TO be quite frank,
my dear young lady, l am through
with attractive secretaries. With me
lives my ward, the son OF an old friend
and although an cstimable young man.
may say that he has an eye for bear-
ty. Ny last secretary was one Of those
fiighty. blue-eyed-er-baby dolls, as
they say. and-but you understand
what am getting at"
Never before had Jessica been so
happy as she was In the days that fol-
lowed.
Then home came Slade fremont.
And IL Aunt Louisa had seen possibili-
ties in Jessica, no less did Slade.
II say, Miss BOardman. why don't
you wear your hair m0re--mOre fluffy
or somethlng?" he asked the second
morning Of his arrival.
"Please do not be personal, Mr.. Ire
mont" said Jessica. coldly. For the
first time In his young life Slnde was
hard hit.
The afternoon that Slade announced
his intention of running on to Boston
for day or two her aunt also de-
cided to visit friend who had mod
ell farm in the country. Jessica, left
In charge of the house. yielded to a
sudden whlm to forget for moment
that she was the very plain Deborah
B0nrdman.
Going to her room, she took out her
one frilly, feminine gown. and laid It
OH the bed. Then, her eyes sparkling,
she did UP her hair, not as she had
worn 1t in the old days. but in the
latest, most daring coiffure she had
observed in the fashionable city.
All. this animated woman with the
smiling lips, the soft throat rising
from the lace fichu-this was not the
unprepossessng Deborah-nor vet tile
old JessIca This was quite new per-
son. touched with the magic wand Of
lovel
Jessica ran lightly down the stairs
and out into the garden. She drank In
the permeatins fragrance. lifted her
head, and looked straight into the eyes
of Slade fremont!
"I-I beg your pardon--why, Miss
Boardman--you y The look Of surprise
on Slade's face became one of puzzled,
but happy bewilderment. "You won
derful. wonderful girl. I got as fur
as the station and came back to tell
you loved you. And adore you !"
Jessicas eyes filed with happy love
then fell.
"Aly darling" said Slade. "My dar-
ling Deborah"
"Otherwise Jcssica," interrupted q
voice dryly
"You" cried Slade.
"Just me-" said Aunt Louisa. 81
came home for something l had for.
gotten. / found more than l expected
--wait!" She lifted hand to ward
Oft Jessica's rushing explanations,
"But not more than hoped. My ward
has given me several uneasy moments
Yes. you have. Slade-tfnd when you
Jessica, wrote to me, It occurred to me
that you might be just the wife for
my ward. But how to tell If you were
So tried that little ruse Of apparent.
~ mixed letters. Thought to myself
II the girl Is worth anything and clev.
er. she'll see the chance and take ad.
vantage Of 1t. and I Will get light on
her real self. Didn't you ever wonder
why you didn't hear again, or why the
position wasn't filed before you
came?"
"Yes," murmured Jessica, "of course
| but"
Exactly" continued her aunt. "Al
so. wanted Slade to see you under
| the lenst favorable circumstances. If
then. he fell In love. l would he sure
II wasn't just with pretty face al
| though yours Is pretty enough" she