The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1888-11-15
The Wall Street World
CHAPTER XVII.
AGNES IN A BOARDING HOUSE.

hundreds OF distracted or curious Of hmm
dent faces, and reflected that it was llpbr
such people that her future support and co|if
fort would depend. She tried to discover ii
some conntenance the impress of kindly
beneNolence;-no that sh. proposed to risi,
so much as question; but it was her FIRST
experience with the busy world AMI, she
wished TO observe its ways, when neither. II,
la&onsalp nor personal interest was in
vowed, Small encouragement shs would
hay5 feit to approach any that She met
Men OF middle-age walked by as III dreams,
cold, unObservant, liStless; the younger ones.
fuller OF life, strobe on with high heads, and
Ringing glances that were harder to bear
than stony Indifference, even. Ladies'
clothed in costly furs scanned the pretty face
under the mourning bonnet with prying eyes,
or tossed her hasty, scornful look Shop
girls giggled and stared. Boys rushed, by,
rudely jostling Every passenger. A sorry
world Agnes thought it. In the country she
had been used to receive kindly bow or a
civil "Good-morning" from every person she
met; and the isolation of the individual in
the city was to her something unnatural,
even appalling.
She had cut out some boarding house adj
vertlsements from the daily papers, and her
first care was to find home suited to her
slender means. She had a long hunt and an
unpleasant one, but at last fortune favored
her. The landlady, kind-hearted woman,
was in mourning for her only daughter, and
with the first words she heard she felt her
heart drawn to the lovely and soft-voiced
stranger Without any offensive inquiries.
Agnes was at once received, and an upper
room assigned to her. After sending for her
trunk, she dressed for dinner.
The table presented specimens of all the
Familiar characters of clearinghouse.
Down the long row Of faces Agnes looked
umldly, and at length fastened her eyes upon
a lady III mourning like herself There is
no physiognomist like the frank, affectionate
young man or woman who looks to find ap.
probation and sympathy. Is is not neces.
sary, for such purpose, to speculate upon
Greclan or Roman noses, thin or protruding
lips, blue, gray, or brown eyes; each soul
knows its own sphere and the people that be-
long III it; and a sure instinct or prescience
guides us in our choice of friends Alice at a
glance became conscious of an affinity. and
quietly waited till circumstances should bring
her into associations with the woman whom
she hoped to make friend
1t was not long before the occasion came
Not to make any mystery, it was our old &C.
quaintance, Mrs. Norcross who attracted
the gaze of Agnes, and who soon became
her kindly adviser. Never was there a more
motherly woman; and as she was now al
most stranger in the house, she attached
herself to Agnes with warmth and an I'M
obtrusive solicitude that quite won the girls
heart Agnes lost no time in procuring such
work from tailor as she felt competent to
do, and applied herself diligently to her task;
but very short trial convinced her that
at the starvation prices" then paid for
needlework, she could not be able to earn
even her board. Then came in the
thoughtful friend, who, after gently drawing
out the facts III the case, furnished her with
sewing on which she could display her taste
and skill Day after day new employment
came through the same kind hands. until
Agnes wondered how one wearer could want
such quantity of the various nameless.
tasteful articles in which all women feel SC
much pride 1t was not until long after, that
she learned how the work had been procured
by her friends active, but noiseless energy.
Not many days after their intimacy com.
menced, as Mrs. Norcross sat watching Agnes
at her work, it occurred to her that there
was look of tender sorrow, all unexplained
melancholy, which her recent bereavement
dld not wholly account for Not that the
glrl was given to romantic signs or tragic
STARTS, or that she carried miniature for
lachrymose exercises; but it was evident that
she had what we term "a history" She was
frank and cheerful, although there was pal.
pably something kept back, and her cheer.
Iulness was something like the mournfu]
beauty OF flowers that blossom over graves
NO sympathetic nature could refuse conf
dence to Mrs Norcross, and it was not long
before she discovered that Agnes had passed
through the golden gate to which all foot
steps tend, and from which no one comes
back except with change that covers all the
after life
And so you are in love, poor child!n said
MIS-. Norcross, compassionately.
Il have been" with gentle emphasis).
An, you think you are past it now, [ sup.
pose"
81 shan't forget soon-I could not. if !
would; but love is OVERCOME like yesterdays
sunshine"
but the sun shines again to-day
"Well, IT you prefer another comparison. -
said Agnes, smiling falntly-"gone out like
yesterdays fire."
fire turks long time in the ashes unseen.
my dear"
Agnes dropped her needle and looked
steadily at her companion.
Il am young" she said; "yet I shave
outgroWn the schoolgirl period. The cur
rent OF my life has flowed in a deep channels
the shallow little brook may fancy its first
spring freshet to be a Niagara; but nv feel.
lngs have swelled with no transient overflow
l gave my utmost love and devotion to a man
thought worthy He treated me with neg.
lect, and at last falsified his word in Offering
ms hand to another. 1 do not hate him. /
have none OF that alchemy which changes
despised love to gall But I could never for.
give him, nor trust him again And if he.
who seemed always SO frank. so earnest. 50
tender, so single in his aims-if he could not
be trusted, do not know where I could rest
my heart and say, Here am safe, whatever
batidenn
1t was strange thing for Agnes to speak
III such an exalted strain, and she trennbled
as she tried to resume her sewing. The
thread slipped and knotted; the needle broke
and pricked her finger: and then, feeling her
cheeks begin to glow, she laid down her work
and turned to the window.
Don't lose all faith, Agnes; there are trpe
Eclrts In the world. Perhaps this lover of
yours, now has repented and is striving to
fINd YOU. Or YOU NAV have boaD ,,,ic;,,