New-York tribune., 1891-03-01

be in good order for the evening
The carriage rolled away through the mud
and sush and Rowcna mounted the steps. Her
cheeks burned and her eyes sparklcd
Mrs Jarvis came to the paror door, which
was always open into the hall. There was al
most Difference in her manner.
Wasn't that Miss Phillips ?" she inquired.
"Ycs"
81 didn't know she was a friend of yours.
I've see her preside at different meetins, woman
suffrage and 50 She's great reformcr, !
expect"
Mrs Jarvis looked at Rowena as if hoping
she would explain.
she isn't n friend of mine. / never saw her
! before. She was at the studio l don't know
WHY she brought me here
Rowcra thought she would be dishonest if she
did not say this.
"Shr must he very kind" remarked Mrs Jarvis,
BEGINNING TO whisI her fcathcr-dustcr again
As Rowcna climbed the stairs, she said to her
self that Miss Phillips did not seem exactly kind
70 her And yet the girl had not resented the
questions. nor the incisive abruptness Of them.
Hv sumner time Rowena told herself she was
SETTLED" and felt as il she had been occupying
that attic for months She made tea and boiled
cocs on the top OF her kerosene stove. She dipped
a tough-looling substance from a tin can labelled
cup. She had some bakers rolls and something
she had bought for butter. She had really begun
to room-keep"; she was doing light housckccp-
ing.
Even the dcXterty and the thrift of n New
England country girl cannot make it cOScy or
hOme-likc to get ones meals on the top of small
oil-lamp stove There is certain dcsOlatlon
about boiled egg that has been hopping up and
down in a saucepan over that fame.
ROwena was conscious of the dcsolation, even
in her triumph that AllestPe would give her
lessons. Besides, her eggs were stOrc-eggs and
had forgotten that they had once been laid by
real hens She wished she had not spent her
money for them but had eaten corned beef from
her trunk, she had done for dinner. But, for
some unknown reason, even cOrned beef, if You
have brought it in trunk, loses the original
delicacy of flavor which so endears this dish to
the rural nhabitant.
Rowena had made ont her supper" as her
mother would have said, and was pensively trying
to stir second wad of condensed milk into
second cup of tea. She was thinking that she
had been very rcmss in not asking at the very
first the price of the painting lessons She
lSo trying not to think about that old house she
had left the day before. She was impatient 10
become hardened All those girls downstairs
who were coming and going through the hall
they were hardened, of course. They were not
hOmesicS.
She sat long in front Of her stove The door
open and she conld look in upon the bright
Goals She did not light her new lamp. All at
once she found that she was sobbing and the
tears running down her checks.
Somebody knocked at the door. Rowcna went
and opened it, glad that her room was so dark.
There was a rustling of black silk as Mrs.
Jarvis in her best gown, entered.
Il was afraid you had forgotten the sca-ants,"
she said. I'm expecting Madame Van Ben.
thuyscn every minute. Most of the friends are
here"
Mrs Jarvis did not say that she had told the
friends that her new lodger was a particular
friend Of that Miss Phillips"
Rowcna went timidly down the stairs behind
her hostess. who had waited for her to make her
piteOusly simple toilet
At the last step Mrs. Jarvis suddenly was
| aware that some very nervous fingers were clutch
ing her arm.
Remember" hurriedly whispered Rowena, 81
won't be developed. / wouldn't be a medium
for the whole world"
She shuddcred violently Before any reply
could be made the outer door, directly in front
of them, was opened and young man entered fol.
lowed by tall lady in gray fur circular IL seemed
10 ROwcna that the ulster of the man familiar
the way it Topped about the ankles recalled
something to her. The next instant she knew
that it recalled a pac-pinS neckte and bread
crumbs and coffee drops
Mrs. Jarvis rushed forward 10 greet the person
in the circular. The two women kissed each
other loudly They talked in a mumbng, rapid
way for a moment, while the young man took
of his hat in pointed manner to Rowcna, who
still kept her place on the lower stair. She could
hear the murmur of conversation from the parlor.
She had thoughts OF flying back up the stairs
The young man appeared to suspect that she had
such thoughts, for he moved around behind the
two and whispered, with deprecatng look"
Don't go; you'll find it great fun
ROwena forgot how very improper it was 10
speak without introduction
If do stay" she said in the same voice."
won't be a medium
Then she bushed painfully, and knew she had
Cone very wrong.
The young man flushed up with pleasure because
she had answered him. He was going to say
something more, when Mrs. JARVIS turned and drew
rnc girl forward, saying:
This is my young friend, Mlss-I didn't quite
catch your name, my dear"
"Tuttie" said Rowcna.
"Oh, YES, Tuttlc. You see she is a sensitive
subject, open to influence
Madame Van Bcnthuyscn not only tall but
large and her circular made her almost immense.
She had dark face, with hcavy-ldded eyes, and
thick. black eyebrows.
She took ROwena's hand with Of her own
and put the other arm over the girls shoulders.
\ great fold OF the cloak nearly envclopcd the
slight figure
My dear child, | am truly glad TO see you.'
said Madame IN a rolling, Wctous voice that
was indicative of great good nature and enormous
sclf-estcenl. The conditions are lovely tonight.
| knew IT. as We came along in the hOrse-car:
said 10 my nephew. Fcrdinand' said |, i feel
that the conditions were never more proptlous
than tonight
The speaker pronounced proptiOus as if il
were spelled "prOpishuous," and she uttered the
word with such an air that EOWena almost
thought that she herself had always been mis- |
taken about that word.
fo hone