Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1885-10-29
An Unpaid bill.

Thirteen and seven are twenty; and
! nine-oh, dear me! / wonder what
that noise in the basement hall is? 1t
sounds just like some one crying
Miss Comfort Walker laid down the
pen wherewith she was industriouslv
adding up her household accounts, and
metaphorlcally speaking, pricked up
her ears.
1t is some one cryingH she said to
herself Oh, dear, dear! what d world
of tears and tribulations this is
Miss Walker had been penniless and
unprotected at the age Of 20, but she
was not one of the 'drooping ivy kind
that takes needlcwork and tuberclcs on
the lungs. So Miss Comfort went bold
ly ahead opened iirstclass boarding.
house and made money. This was the
history Of the brisk little woman in a
brown debage dress and cherry ribbons
at her neck, who hustled down stairs to
see what could be the meaning Of the
vague, indefinite sobbiny sound which
now became audible.
oh it's you, is it?' said Miss Comfort
Walker, rs she perceived Ellen 0 Rrien,
the washerwomun, in the basement
hail.
Yes. it's me, worse luck, Miss Com
fort, whispered poor Ellen.
And what's the natter
It's mo bill up stairs, Miss Comfort
tine boarler in the second story front,
with the gay gold shirt studs, and the
green and yellow stones in his sleeve
buttons Nine dollars and sventy cents,
Miss Comfurt-six weeks washing and
ironing -nnd now when ] makes bould
to AK him would lie be pleased to pay
me, he tells me it isnt convenient
And when | tells him how sore Iced
the money he ups and gets mad, and
saws | shan't have it at all.
Miss Comfort stood listening with
knitted brows and troubled black eyes.
Have you got your bill with you,
Ellcn?' said she, after moment hesl-
tation.
Jimmy wrote it out, all nate and
proper fAltercd Ellen, producing a
cruml'Iel slip of pale blue paper from
her pocket.
Give it to me- sail MISS Comfort
! Walker. 'And come this evening at
| S O'Clock, and you shall have yonr
money.
She went slowly up stairs with the
little piece of paper in her hand.
It's shame, said Miss Comfort.
Leotard Carylon was Miss Comfort
Walkers best boarder, with the single
exception that up to the present mo-
ment his twenty-five dollars week had
been IN juturo.
Now it so chanced that one reason
for reposing so much confidence in Mr.
Leotard Carlyon, the new boarder, was
that he was the nephew and heir ap-
paraut of Caleb Carlyon, the rich bank
er from whom she rented her brown
stone house, at the tritling considera-
ton of three thousand dollars per an.
| mum.
So she went bravely up to Mr.. Carl
yon's room and tapped at the door.
Come in, he called out. oh, its
you, Miss Walker, is it,
Miss Comfort advanced valiautly
with the bill in her hand to where Leo
tard Carlyon reclined languidly amid
a heap of sofa pillows, with newspa-
per in his hand.
Don't you think you could settle
this little account, Mr.. Car'yon:' she
asked. The poor woman needs it SC
very much.
Leotard Carlyon's handsome black
| brows darkened.
She has been to YOU with her story.
has she?' snarled he. No, l can't set
tie it. And | wouldn't if I could
| So Miss Comfort tied on little
brown velvet hat she had trimmed with
scarlet poppies and brown autumn
leaves, and set out bravely for the Mt.
Orient Bank.
The clerk stared at her a. little curl.
ously as she was shown into the presi-
| dents room; at the back, where Mr..