Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-12-31

sensitive, scented patronage.
81 amt going to tell yer" she said
Then, with swift contradiction, "his frs
name was Charlie"
"Was he handsome?" asked Polly
pinching her neighbor under the table, SC
that the latter, high-colored, coarse.
looking girl, gave little squeak.
81 never see anybody better looking,
said Liza, with promptitude. "He wasn't
any of your pink, dolly men," (Polly's
favored suitor happened to be fair
He was dark and his nose was straight,
like gentlemans, and his teeth was
white, and" eliza warmed to her sub
iect) "he used to wear q red silk tie, with q
pin in it And, she went on, ''he always
gave me lots of presents-lots, and he
loved me SO, as he couldn't bear me out
of his sight. Oh" she cried excitedly,
che did love me, and we was so happy,
keepin' company, and he was a-goin' to
marry me- She paused abruptly.
Indeed, her shrill voice had got almost
beyond her control.
"What did he die of" asked one of
the girls, with genuine compassion in her
tones.
Liza looked at ther-gasped- -hesitated
moment-then rose and pushed back
her chair.
THAT don't matter to no one," she
said, in a hard voice that yet had a catch
in it. "He's dead, and that's enough;
and you needn't any of you ever talk to
me about him. So there! And she
went back into the laundry.
There was moments silence. Miss
Calender sat looking thoughtful; then
she rose and followed Liza into the next
room, closing the door The other girls
regarded one another with some surprise.
Liza was usually silent and was consid-
cred morose, but her affliction had made
them kind to her in their rough way,
though she was certainly not favorte
among them. But now that they real
lied that she had romance in her life
the love of sentiment, which is in every
woman, made them feel a sympathy for
| her hitherto unknown.
Liza was standing by her washtub,
and she had already plungedi in her hands
and begun to vigorously soap one from
the heap of towels she had to wash. Her
lips We're set tight together, her bosom
was heaving, and tear had rolled down
her cheek and dropped off it on her
coarse apron. She put up her arm, her
hands being soapy, and laid her elbow
across her eyes for a minute.
ELIZA" said soft voice, in accents
more tender than she was wont to hear,
SO that her name sounded quite musical.
She looked up.
"Eliza," said Miss Calender again
and then she came close up to the girl
and drew her toward her.
Liza was unused to any such demon
stration. Perhaps that was why sh,
half-pulled herself away.
My DEAR" said Miss Calender, awe
must be great friends. you and l, for W,
have sorrow in common. Nothing
binds people So close together as to b,
linked by mutual trouble. Two year
ago | was engaged to be married, and h,
who was to have been my husband was
was shot, in Afghanistan."
"Oh, Miss l" cried Liza, " Oh, Miss =
$50 you see," said Miss Calendel
softly, "you and must be comfort tc
each other"
Liza did not speak. She began tc
pull at her apron-strings, then getting
them into u knot, busted herself undoing
it.
at don't seem us could do anythink,
she said presently. "You always seems
happy and bright-like. You're mostl,
smiling. don't see how you can be i
when any one as has cared for yer has
died"
"God helps me to be happy, said Miss
Calender simply. "Besides, l have
many things to be grateful for"
"Ah, there yer are," cried Liza, al
most passionately; "you amt poor ant
lonely and hugly. You could have love
if yer wanted to; you don't go longin
and longin', and pain in your hear
mostwhiles. l wouldn't tell any O
them" pointing to the door "for they
wouldn't understand, but you amt lik,
| them, and you won't make mock at me
but there's times, specially in the even
ings, when | ache for some one to say
{ quite gentle-like to me, "Liza, and Just
to look at me bit lovin'. Why shouldn't
| have what others do? Cause | amt
pretty? Amt my heart as good as
Polly's there? Wouldn't be truer than
her? Maybe | won't mind later on, but
| amt so old now as all that come to.
| anu hhlul hululy Nlltlutl W. lG luultS
or poor girls Amt it nat'ral to want
to be lovedT'
"NIost natural, dear" said Miss Cal
lender to whom Liza was just then q
revelation.
"Then," went on the girl, emboldened
by the sympathy which was rather in
manner than words, "when folks are
kind to me it's mostly pity as makes EN- /;
and hate to bo pitied. 1t amt be-
cause they wants me with em; there $
even some, | suppose, as wouldn't care
to keep company with me in case folks
should stare. And, oh, I'm proud, am
I'm awfully proud. There's mono so
proud as them as is dcspised, you
know"
81 don't dcspisc you, Eliza" said Miss
Calender, spontaneously. "And I'm
sure others don't"
"If thought YOU liked mo q bit, not
because you pitiel me, I'd be uncommon
glad" said Liza, shyly. al s'pose, she
went on, half-ashamed at her own conf
dcnces, ait wouldn't make no manner o.
difference to you, me likin' you?"
" Indeed it would" Miss Calender an
swered, and she bent forward and kissed
Liza on tho forehead.
Liza turned away quickly. 81 reckon
I'd better get on with my work, she said,
huskily.
And at that minute tho door was open
ed, and the others camo trooping in. Miss
Calender exchanged II few words with
them and then went back to get her
things.
| From that 1ny bennn n new ern for