The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-07-12

| go in, and not caring much in her per-
plexity where she went, there came out
of the building, among crowd Of people
| one whom she was quick 10 recognize -
Arthur Carroll. Only word and all her
perplexities and apprehensions might
have been put away. But she pressed the
little lips firmly together and turned her
head aside so that he might not see her,
and declared essentially 10 herself:
| I'D rather ask anyone else in the
world Why, / might a. well tell him
at once I'd been all wrOngr'
| And 50 Arthur passed by, unaware Of
her proximity, and Bessie, having will
| fully lost the chance and being deter
| mined as TO her movements by the en-
counter went on her way into the hall.
|. OF all the mechanism there displayed
do not imagine she saw much, and though
she spent an hour or more in the place it
| was mostly employed in fruitless reverie
before the Coriiss engine, NOT about the
| engine, but concerning her own affairs,
which, as the minutes went by, seemed
| all the more uncertain and discouragiDg.
| Along toward three O'Clock, when she had
| at length sauntered in q weary and spirit
less manner out of the hall, the thought
occurred TO her that she might as well
walk over to the :. Transco1tilental" and
secure room for the night. Bessie's no.
| tons as to the transaction and how it was
10 be done were rather vague, but it would
| be at least a diversion in the day, now
grown so monofonous to the girl, and sat
| isfy her mind as 10 the immediate future.
Aud so making her way to the exit, she
was on the point of passing through the
gate when it rushed upon her that once
out of the grounds she could get back
| only by paying fifty cents, which she
didn't have. And this became the last
drop in Bessie's cup of woe! Not that il
was 50 bitter in itself except as it filed
| her With sense of constraint and impris-
onment, but that, added to her disappoint-
ment and WEAKNESS aud hunger and the
apprehensions of her mind, It depressed
Bessie's spirits almost 10 the last degree.
At half-past three O'Clock, she vas
crowding through Memorial Hall without
so much as looking at picture At half
past four, feeling now very little sense oil
obligation to the Association or its prin-
ciples, she found herself in the American
Department Of. the Main Building. AT
| five, she was seated on one of the benches,
utterly 1Ororn, faint with hunger and IA
tigue, and the whistle of her departing
tain sounding In her ears. And then the
poor girl, fiinging away all allegiance to
the Association and mentally destroying
her cherished declaration, leaned her arms
upon the back of the seat, and her head
upon her arms. and, regardless of the
passers-by, cried as though the foolish
| little heart would break.
| And. of course, as everyone is doubtless
expecting, j. was at this crisis OF her grief
and humiliation that consolation came.
Why, Bessie Elgin!" she heard "a
miIiar voice say. ITO think of all per.
sons in the world should see your
| Her face, as she raised it to meet his
astonished glance, was scarlet with con-
fusion and moist with tears: and yet scar
let and tear stained as 1t was Arthur Car
roll thought he had never seen u prettier
face in the world.
Excuse me-" he said sympathetically
but was so bewildered at seeing you
in such a plight that ] couldn't help ex-
pressing myself rather informally. Do
tell me what is the matter, Miss Bessie ~
His tone was so kind and friendly, and
it was so good in him, she thought, not to
bear malice against her, that whatever re-
luctance she might have entertained
melted quite away.
"Im SO hungry" half sobbed Bessie,
land | haven't got any money. and l
can't get home to Ponkeag tonight"
Arthur wondered if anything could be
more fortuitous than his coming up just
at that moment.
You poor childi" he said, compass
sionately. Is It's bad enough to be hungry,
without anything else. Wen go right
over to the 7rois Freres and get some
thing to eat before we discuss the other
woes. Do you imagine you can walk
there, Miss Bessies"
But. Mr.. Carroll, -"
Well. Miss Elging"
=" / can't get my money till six o'clock.
It's locked up in the cloak room, and I've
lost my check"
"Oh, / see, observed Arthur. "Well,
we've just time between now and six
O'Clock to have some dinner, and LII lend
you just as much money as you want
providing you aren't too independent to
borrow, Miss Elgin," looking at her
amusedly, as he thus qualified his offer.
Bessie's heart gave quick throb as she
made up her mind that instant to express
her new-found penitence.
I" You won't think badly Of me II tell
you something, will you, Mr.. Carrollw
she added hurriedly, as though the de-
termir alton might escape her.
Il couldn'. think badly Of you under
any circumstances, Miss Elgin," seri-
ously.
"But mean-you won I misunderstood
what say? / want to set myself right,
MIR. Carroll, and then let things go on the
same
;. can't promise abnut the THINGS Misc