The Opelousas courier., 1885-08-15
AN UNPAID BILL.

Thirteen and seven are twenty
and nine-oh, dear me! / wonde
what that noise in the basement hal
is! 1t sounds just like some one cry
ing"
Miss Comfort Walker laid down TIT
pen whereWith she was industriously
adding up her household accounts, ant
metaphorically speaking, pricked VI
her ears.
at is some n crying r she said
to herself. "Oh, dear, dear what {
world of tears and tribulation this is T
Miss Walker had been penniless ant
unprotected at the age of 20, but sht
was not n of the "drooping ivy
kind that takes to needlework and tn
bercles on the lungs. So Miss Com
fort went boldly ahead, opened a first.
class clearinghouse and made money
This was the history of the brisk lit.
tie woman in Il brown debage dress
and cherry ribbons at her neck, who
hustled down stairs to see what could
be the meaning of the vague, indeti-
mite sobbing Sound which now became
audible.
"Oh, it's you. is it?' said Miss Com
fort Walker, as she perceived Ellen
O'Brien, the Washerwoman, in the
basement hall.
Eyes, It's me. worse luck. Miss Com
fort" whimpered poor Ellen.
"And what's the matter?"
e'It's me bill UP stairs, Miss Comfort
the bOarder in the second story
front. with the gay goold shirt studs
an the green and yellow stones in his
sleeve buttons! Nine dollars and siy-
inty cents, Miss Comfort-six weeks
washing and ironing-and now, when
] makes bouId to AK him would he be
pleased TO pay me, he tells me 1t isn't
convanientl And when I tells him
how sort I need the money he ups
and gets mad, and says l shan't have
1t at all"
Miss Comfort stood listening, with
knitted broWs and troubled black
eyes.
aHave you got your bill with you,
Ellenf" said she, after a moments
hesitation.
Jimmy wrote 1t out. all nate and
proper faltered Ellen. producing a
crumpled slip Of pale blue paper from
her pocket.
Give it to me-" said Miss Comfort
Walker. Sand come here this even
ing at 5 o'clock, and you shall have
your money
She went slowly up stairs with the
little piece Of paper in her hand.
"It's a shame" said Miss Comfort.
Leotard Carlyon was Miss Comfort
Walkers best boarder, with the single
exception that, up to the present mo-
ment, his twenty-five dollars a week
had been is future.
Now it so CHANGED that one reason
for her reposing so much confidence in
MI. Leotard Carlyon. the new board
Ell, was that he was the nephew and
heir apparent Of Caleb Carlyon, the
rich banker from whom she rented her
brown stone house, ait the trifling CON
sideration Of three thousand dollars
per annum.
80 she went braveIy up to MI.
carlyon's room and tapped at the
door.
"Come In" he called out. .oh, it's
you, Miss Walker. Is it?"
Miss Comfort advanced ~valiantly
with the bin in her hand to where
Leotard Carlyon reclined languidly
amid q heap Of sofa pillows, with a
newspaper III his hand.
Don't you think you could settle
this little account. hi. Carlyona' she
asked. sThe poor woman needs ID 50
very much
Leotard Canyons handsome black
brows darkened.
She has been 20 ron with her story.
has shsg snaried he. mo, I can't
settle y. And / wouldn't il i could
So Miss Comfort tied Oh & little
brown velvet hat she had trimmed
nth scarlet peoples and brown au-
tum leaves. and set out brayely for
che Mount Orient Bank.
Tho clerk stared al her j little curl
oslsiy ~ sac was shown into TIE prest
dent room Is the back, where Mr.,
CaFlyan VI, straight ana uprigh, With
blue gaa Ike j falcon and halr sllrhs
zpzlakIM With gEaz