Palisadian., 1923-09-14
Behind the
Mask
By JANE OSBORN


GO, 1928, by Mcclure Newspaper syndicateo
do you know anything about chem
istry?"
"Dear me, no. 1 studied chemistry
In college, but l barely passed. L
didn't know a stenographer had to
understand chemistry"
The question was asked by the
head of the Office Workers Employ
ment agency and answered by Corinth
West the day she applied for Job.
"Well, if you have had any chem
istry at all you will do," said the en-
ployment expert. "Over at the Ston-
ington research laboratory they want
a stenographer--want one that had
had enough chemistry to know how
to take down chemical formulas.
Miss Fisher was going. In fact they
had taken her, but something hap
pened and she's let us know she can't
be there. SO Pm anxious to send some
one over there right away. You'd
know how to take formulas-wOuldn't
your
Il guess l could manage"
II hope So"
Corinth West agreed and arrange
ment was made that she should report
at once for work. Then as she was
leaving the office the woman at the
desk called:
"Just one thing. Your work is in
the laboratory, you know. They're
making experiments with some sort
of gases or something and you'll have
to wear a mask. Sometimes the doc
tors don't bother. They just wear
goggles. But it would be a shame to
darken nice complexion like yours
They'll give you the mask when you
get there"
Corinth went to the laboratory, con-
suited the middle-aged woman who
had charge of employment, told her
she was the new stenographer to work
forthwith assigned to locker in the
womens dressing room, given mask
and directed to one of the small lab
oratories on the top floor
you're to work with Doctor Pol
lard" she was told
That was the setting--a small lab
oratory on the top floor Of the Ston-
ington foundation, pretty, young
stenographer with mask that COW
cred her from neck to the top of her
fair hair, and thirtyyear-old doctor
in goggles, very much interested In re-
search work that would ultimately
contribute to the relief Of human suf-
fering.
I'm glad you wore the mask" ex-
planned the doctor when Corinth ap-
peared. you'll have to stick around
while I'm working to take down notes
and to read the formulae for me- You
might get pretty bad sunburn. l'm
used to 1t and it doesn't matter so
much. Funny, I thought your name
was Fisher or something like that"
"No, West-Corinth West" said the
girl behind the mask. But she didn't
explain that she was not the stenog-
rapher that had been interviewed pre-
vi9usly for the position but substi-
tsfte chosen at the last minute.
"And you know something about
chemistry. Pm glad of that" said the
doctor and Corinth did not explain
that of all subjects in her college
course she had Jared worst in chem
istry.
Corinth had a desk at one end of
the laboratory and there she might
easily enough have removed her mask,
but 1t was not easy to adjust the mask
without some one to help and Corinth
did not want to have to ask the doctor
for help While he was working at
the other side Of the laboratory he
called to her frequently for help
Then he would give her quick die
tation, mostly formulae, which Corinth
managed to take down with perfect ac-
curacy but which really meant moth
ing to her. Then he would ask her to
read formulae to him as he worked,
and Corinth surprised herself by be-
ing able to decipher the chemical alb
breviations quickly and nuently. That
much she had remembered from her
freshmen course in chemistry.
SO they worked diligently, Corinth
catching from the young doctor much
Of his enthusiasm, though as mat
ter of fact he seldom took the trouble
to explain what the experiments were
all about. He seemed to take it for
granted that she understood Almost
never were there Interruptions, for
there was little call for anyone to visit
the laboratory. A laboratory boy came
and went when the doctor rang for
him to do certain perfunctory work,
but this was not very often.
So Corinth and the doctor became
well acquainted-only Corinth felt
that she was much better acquainted
with him than he with her, for she
knew the features of his face and he
had never caught even a glimpse of
hers. After the first day or so Corinth
purposely tried never to appear un-
masked.
She knew that she was pretty. be-