Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-01

W ~ t tsst I f sn h sss Wife Wifi
find existence a dreary thing among
strangers. L think the inconsistencies and
loneliness that surge over the heart amidst
the noise and hustle of large city are
harder to bear than actual illness, for
which one may find remedy though the
dose be never so drastic. My first journey
into the world came near ending my career
through a severe illness caused by home
sickness. and since then l have felt pc
culiar interest in young girls who have had
to go among strangers to make a living.
l don't believe it matters much whether
one is young or old, or whether it is ones
first venture, the last one of long years
of annual forays into undiscovered lands,
inconsistencies is like NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
tered every time finds ones self out
side familiar bearings for any length OF
time So, Sara il you will look after Miss
Neville for me, and see that she does not
succumb TO NAL du pays, you will be doing
a Christian deed and adding TO the oDHSa-
tons of your friend
L was rereading some of my letters one
day last week when that passage IRON
one received in July greeted my astonlShed
gaze. / had forgotten the request as COM
pletely as though it had never been made,
but l lost no time in calling at the address
inclosed. The house was in the fashionable
northwest, the usual press-briCk front, with
bay windows to the top of the fourth
story, and ITO Rent" sign hung by red
ribbons from the middle sash of the first
floor front. The door was opened by an
untidy maid, who invited me with a broad
display of worries to Il seat in de recep-
shun pahlah'
1t was the regulation parlor; the carpet
several colors too SaGdy, and the chromos
a trifie too giddy for the solemn array of
black haircioth furniture, but supported in
part by the addition Of two or three pieces
upholstered in brilliant colored plush.
There We're two bargain counter vases on
the mantel that We're velueless as orna-
ments and equally valueless for any practi-
cal purpose; a.cabinet bookcase in one cor
ner held several government reports; a
plated cigar get adorned the center table
in the laco-curt6iRed bay window, and e
basket of artificial flowers stood on n
Cket in the corEer, lanked by case of
wax flowers. which might have been wor-
SHIPPED without SHINING. ] had just time to
take in my Surroundings when the grin
ming maid came back with my card, and
said l might Ego up
LoncIy Girl.
Miss Mary say you go right up, cayse de
lady dun got de headache an amt gone
out dis mawnin', so she knows she's to
home"
l followed her to the top floor mentally
noting the gradatons in the money value
of the furnishings, ana remari<ing to myself
that the owner of them must actually
haunt auction rooms. on the top floor the
maid pointed down a dark narrow han, ana,
with a nod of her head, indicated the room
en- the right as the one of which | was In
quest To my knock there was umid
come in" and | opened the door to lind
the object Of my search doubled up on the
narrow bed in her narrow room. the cur
tains down and the air heavy with am
mona, salts and camphor. She sprang up
with a startled apology as i entered. aad
offered me the only chair in the room, Il
plain, low rocker. then threw up the blind,
letting in bit of the gloomy outside light
to the further detrinlent of the auction
house furniture, which looked forbiddinS
enough before.
When | made myself known to her and
mentioned the name of our mutual friend
she gave a little gasp that ended in a
curious click in her throat, and with cry
that rounded into a moan dropped on the
floor at my feet and buried her head in
my lap, sobhing as though her heart would
break. Tie things L thought about myself
and my objectionable negligence as / let
her have her Cry OUT were not nice, |
assure you. There Is no lash so singing as
the knowledge of duties neglected. good
left undone. l, in my negligence, had near
ly lost an opportunity to help a deliCatcly
Eurtured girl buffet the waves of the
strange new sea upon which she had but
recently launched her boat. How l did hate
myself for moment or two! It's bitter
dose. but a salutary one, to hate yourself
right enegetcally once in n while.
Not n Cordial Welcome.
ooh. it was so good of you to Gomez
said the weeping girl at last. smiling up at
me through her tears, which candor COM
pels me to remark did not improve her
wan face in the least. gar in the will
derness never thirsted for water as l have
for a friendly face the last four months.
have been utterly alone"
But have you made no acquaintances,
no friends in Washington" 1 asked her.
Plenty of acquaintance, but friends
not one. I do not make friends readily my
misfortune rather than my fault, but true
The girls in the office kind, but they
have their own duties and pleasures, in
which they have never seemed to care to
include me. and l doubt if l would care to
be included, for We have not many tastes
in common. Life is too serious a thing to
fritter away but in my desoateness l have
been soreiy tempted TO do many things that
would make my mother ashamed of me-
My friend had written me that Miss
Neville had brought letters from her pastor
and several others, so 1 asked If she had
presented them.
"Oh, yes" she responded with a little
laugh, as she got up and perched herself
on the bed, but the pastor was Just going
away on his summer vacation, and / pre-
sumo he has forgotten them. He certainly
has forgotten, me. Z attended the Bible
class few times, but being a stranger, /
| attend church, but il is cold and unsatis-
factory, for in all these months not sin
gle member has ever spoken to me or no.
ticed me half as much as they would
CLEAN of sunshine that cast an unbecoming
light upon them coming through the STAIN
ed glass windows. We may not be so cul-
tured, but we do things in a kindlier way
in our churches at home. Our pastor
knows, at a glance over his large congrega-
ton, whether there are strange faces in
the pews, and if he thinks that he cannot
greet the stranger at the end of the ser
vice, he sends some member in his stead
1t Is a courtesy that may not always be
welcome, but oftener is than not, l think.
Then, If l made any friends, how would l
entertain them? l am expected to receive
my callers in my own ROOM That is tho
fashion in most of the boarding houses
here"
A Common Case.
Much more Miss Neville told me, for 1t
seemed as though the very act of talking
relieved her heavy heart, and 1 made UP
my mind that her idea of mission work
was about correct. She Is earning fair
salary, and her savings are iudiciously in
vested so that money matters are not
troubling her as they do so many hun
dreds of girls who have that added to their
other burdens but she was actually starv-
ing, as she said, for ComDanonship, and
human sympathy. That is the biggest pit
fa of al in a civ like This Most of tho