The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-04-25

be sure there was no reason why she
should not have gone To the landlady and
explained her situation and been sure
of proper treatment, but they had been
i'll the house but few days, and had
been taking their meals out at a neigh
boring restaurant. Bessie's mother
had been called away to visit a
sick sister who was i'll, and she had
left her little girl alone, not without mis-
giyings, and the night before Bessie had
lost her purse or had her pocket picked
coming from dinner; at any rate it was
gone, and with it the money which was
10 have bought her food for the next two
days. A practical woman would have
done the obvious thing and interviewed
her landlady. But Bessie was even more
than most women sensitive about going
to strangers when in trouble, especially
about money matters, and feared TO en-
counter Suspicion; 50 she went without
her breakfast, and at lunch-timc wa
ravenously hungry. What curse a
good appetite is at tines Then it oc-
cured to her that she had heard hel
cousin Tom Joke about his "uncle," and
she knew that he was alluding to a
pawnbroker. What a horrid thing 4
pawnbroker must be? A kind of a crop
between "Shylock" and 'Fagin," she
thought, and they would ogle her per-
haps Oh, mol. She'd starve before she
would go there. But as the afternoon
wore on and hunger increased, and with
it her perpIeXity, she began to cry. But
CRYING didn't hel p matters any; on the
contrary, the pangs Of hunger rather in
creased, and with them her determine
ton to find her cousin Toms "Uncle." "
She resolved that no one but herself
should ever know of her perplexity, "not
even Mamma, nor of her visit to the
pawnbroker' s-never that"
From under a mass of ribbons and
laces, artificial flowers and dainty lace
handkerchiefs, tumbled into a bureau
drawer, she fished out a small box and
drew from it queer old locket. 1t was
a carved head of Christ, surrounded
by a brilliantly enameled snake with
ruby eyes, and on the back the ini-
tials NJ. f., and underneath V. ID. V.
"Poor old grandma; how mortified you
would be if you only knew, and hadn't
been dead these ten years" she said to
herself softly, as she put the locket back
into its case, and ran down stairs in the
late summer afternoon.
1t was a long walk down Broadway,
the payements were hot and 9corched her
feet, her face grew flushed with exertion
and her black curIs clung dampl y to hel
white forehead. Besides, she was weak
from long fasting. She thought at last
that she did not know where she was go
ing, but she mustered up courage to ash
4 policeman. He eyed her curiously
but told her civilly enough where to 60
Hot waves of crimson dyed her lace and
neck as she passed in at the doorway un
der the trio of golden balls. And stood
at the counter. She heard poor woman
next her refused the amount she begged
for on an old shawl. 1t was moth-eaten
and they did not want it at any price.
Then voice said:
"WcIl, Miss"
She produced the lockct.
How much?' After a hurried exam
nation she was much relieved to see tha
the man took to her novel situation cool
ly enough, and she spoke for the frs
time.
"Ten dollars, please"
The money was counted out; she be
slowed one dollar of it on the poor womM
whose shawl had been rejected, and wh'
still stood in a dazed way on the side
walk escane6 from her thanks into
Fourth avenue car, and was soon bath
ing in her cool room, and forgetful, nov
that she had money, Of her hunger.
Just then a note reached her:
"DEAREsT BEssIE-Do come over an'
dine. Fred. and | are in town day 0
two. In haste, thine. MARIE.
"No. % West Forty-fourth street"
"Put money in thy purse, and tho
shalt be invited to dinner" thought Bes
sic, as she mentally resolved to go at ono
TO her old school-fellow and her husband