Evening star., 1922-02-19

what But they suggested that they
were ready to do the most dread
full things imaginable: that is. If
they were well paid for it, While
your letter was SO different. Come.
The dinner here isn't much, but per-
haps you can stand it,"
k>* + y
T. JUST about could. Perhaps you
know the sort of food and serv-
Ice you get in one Of those meals
included" joints. If that's really the
American plan then I think we ought
to have another amendment to the
constitution that would prohibit
tough mutton, limp lettuce salad and
thin lemon pie. made Of cornstarch
navored with acetic acid. However
we got through it and escaped to a
corner or the ladies' writing room.
Now. my dear" began Mrs. True
man. tell me all about yourself"
All right" says I.
But I didn't. 1 sketched out a few
details and then switched by asking
about her. You're from out of town
aren't you?" I suggested.
She nodded and sighed. Every.
body seems to know that" says she
80 may as well tell you at once
that I'm from upstate. The city
doesn't matter. hope?"
mot to me-" says I. THAT is, un.
less you want me to go there with
you?"
Back home!" says she. Never
That is what 1 am escaping FROM
'Oh. yes!" says I. But if you are
stranger here I can't see why yor
should need social secretary"
''My dear" says she, neither car
I. hardly know what a social secre.
tary does anyway. I've Just read Of
them"
Then what sort Of a secretary de
you want?" demanded
II don't know" she admitted. "Bu
I want some one-like you. I'm sure
Ito help me-"
Help you do what?" insisted.
Just live" says she, "and--ant
have a good time"
I suppose I was gawping at her
but came out of 1t soon enough
II have a tunch, Mrs. Trueman," say.
I. that we shall make trade. Yo,
don't mean. though. that you haven
been living before, do you?"
That seemed to be the cue for her
Inside of two minutes I was hearing
the whole story. Maude Muller haG
married the Judge. Only she hadn'1
begun as stenographer in Judge Hi.
ram Trueman's law office, after fin.
ishing law school and six-montt
course at q so-called business college
She confessed that her shorthand hat
! been poor and her spelling weird, but
that the Judge had been very nice
about 1t.
"Widower. wasn't he?" I asked
Eyes, they usually are. And you mus
have been very good looking at nine
teen or twenty. Mrs. Trueman."
Would you guess that now?" she
asked.
stT WOULDN'T even need to be told.
1 says I. 80 you were promoted
from the Office to the double-breasteG
brick mansion on upper Main street?'
"Cayuga avenue" she corrected
And it was a greenish gray lime.
stone house."
with jig-saw work under the cave.
ond a ,r,,DoIo 9n aaked
"You-you've seen it? she gasped.
mo, but I've seen plenty of sam.
ples," I told her. There were two
parlors, with white marble fireplace.
and marble-toppedc center tables. eh? 2
She stared at me and nodded.
"And hung in one parlor," 1 wen
on, was a crayon enlargement of the
judge. while in the other was 6
similar atrocity Of Mrs. Trueman No
I. 1s that another good guess?
"They were both hung in one room,
she said. HE had Lincoln and Nc.
Kinley in the other. But the parlor.
were seldom used-when we were
entertaining a bishop or circuit
Judge. or having donation party fol
the minister. That was my annua!
spree-the donation party. Then
could see and talk with some of the
younger folks or married people
nearer my own age"
"But you weren't shut up for the
rest Of the year. were your" asked.
Practically" said she. III wasn't