The Dolores star., 1924-11-07
Or. Syntax Was
Stern Student,
but Milly Won
BY ELMER PHILLIPS

10. 1874. Western Neu.,,.T


bowed beneath the weigh, 80 ~
reconcile investigations.
When Aloysius Benton. his frIord
ana colleague. died, ten years hefore
leaving his twelve-year.oId daughter
TO Doctor Syntax, 1t was the most nor.
ural thing in the world that tho Lind
" OLD doctor should take the child
INTO his household. After old Lame,
died. Milly quite naturally became tho
doctors housekeeper.
And now certain persons had wbis-
pered that 1t was not proper far IN
unmarried man, even a professor, to
i've alone in the house with the girl
Doctor Syntax had been in love
"hen he was young man. The oh.
Ject OF MS devotion had married an.
other; but, though he had long ceasad
10 tfihk OF her. the memory of that
hrst love had dung around him like n
radiant cloud, softening his spirit and
hitting 1t for high Ideaism. Some.
times the thought Of Mnly had, of
late, revived that memory.
But when the ultimatum went forth
that society considered Milly ought to
be relegated to another sphere, the
professor had ridiculous dream. If
was absurd, to hope that Afilly, the
belle of the little town and he
an old fogy Of forty!
AT any rate. he must tell MIlIy.
And he did so. when he met her in
the library after dinner which the
professor always took alone.
My dear" he said, 81 have an un.
pleasant thing to say to you. 1t is
problem.
Cant you solve 1t by algebra?" in.
qulred Milly, looking at him with
twinkle in her eyes. You know, you
always say everything can be solved
by algebra"
And so 1t can, my dear" said Doc
tor Syntax.
"You remember how you found your
spectacles," pursued Mllly mIschiev-
ously.
But this is serious, Mllly," said
Doctor Syntax. Some people in this
town have apparently been putting
their heads together and have come to
the conclusion that it is not right for
q single girl. even an adopted daugh.
ter, to keep house for an old bachelor
like me. 1t is a prepOsterOus idea,
but the force Of public opinion is like
the symbol X, always handed when 1t
Is not wanted and never translatable
Into precise terms until the final sOlu-
ton"
well, have come to the same CON
clusion myself" said AIilly calmly.
What" exclaimed Doctor Syntax
He had expected scene, strife, war
and here was Mllly calmly acquiescing
In his decision. But what are you go
Ing to do, my dear?" he continued. Il
cant bear the thought Of losing you
"You needn't lose me-" said Milly,
her plate. But even then there was
a mischIevous twinkle in her eyes.
This Is very strange, my dear"
said Doctor Syntax. you have ac-
cepted the public opinion as TO the
inadvisabiity of your remaining here
as my housekeeper, and yet you say
that l need not lose you. Logically,
that implies that you could propose to
remain here In some other capacity;
and yet l fall to see what that could
be, or how It could affect public opin'
ion"
(which we have designated X" said
Milly, raising her eyes to the profes-
sor's for one feetlng moment ana
In that moment the professor feit
strangely disconnected, and YET
strangely glad. Unconsciously ne
threw back his shoulders.
well, my dear, suppose the vari-
ants are and T." he said. Nov we
have an indeterminate equation. y
EQUALS Y or z multiplied by the un-
known factor which shall be NJ
"why not make 1t UP asked Mlliy
"Make 1t U, Mllly? The letter U Is
never used In mathematics except
when the other letters Of the alphaoet
have been almost exhausted.
Il SnOulu Ttdiis PiSieA
It u" persisted Milly.
"yery well. U 1t shall be, theh'
said the professor.
"Oh, I'm afraid that would never
do" said Mllly. But, seeing that tne
professor was only staring at her In
perplexity, she resigned herself. very
welll Go on" she said.
at is obvious, then, that X equais
VII or ZU," said Doctor SyntaA'
warming to his task.
"YU," l think" said Milly graVely.
"In that case" said the professor
Y tbe unknown factor, equals ui-
vided by U. Now, algebra heips us
M more unless we can state U IN posi-
tive terms. Now let E be the posi-
bilitv of your remaining here In the
conncity of-secretary, let us say ana
n the possibility of becoming-let US
us say my stenographer Then
equals" .r
"YF," said MIlly, triumphantly' .No
"EbY, asked Doctor syntax. NO.
INV dear 1t couldn't equal 1F' De-
causa-"