The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-09-12
SYDNEY Holt, B. A.

stool as he peered short-sightedly for the
handle.
shout from Leigh made him pause just
A. he was closing the door. Stop minute.
What name did you say?"
Holt Sydney Holti" he said, opening
| the door an inch or two and shutting it
again.
"Poor chzp!" be muttered. as be made his
way down the steep stone staircase of the
fiat. But IFS just the thing for Sydney.
| I'll 90 round there now
Morris Holt was one of the most obliyious
and absent minded men in the world, but he
| had fund OF kindness within him when he
remembered TO use it, and on this cold, wet
November evening he went nearly a mile
ont of his way tnat he might convey the
news OF employment TO his young relative
at ouce.
1t was dingy street into which he turned,
and the house at which he stopped Was one
of the dingiest Of the row. An uutidy ser
want girl admitted him, and stood aside to
let him 60 up to the first floor.
! Mr.. Holt stumbled up the dark staircase
and knocked at the first door be came to-
Come in cried a voice from inside, and
/ he turned the handle and entered The room
was like hundreds of others n cheap J. ondon
/ AgAeAbS -1OAEfNs lAt ihlullhIB VAS hDEU
and shabby, the ceiling discalcr red, and the
widow-panes dirty; but there were a few
/ touches here and there which showed that
the occupant was person OF refinement.
A girl, whose curly hair was cut short
over her head and whose pale face showed
the marks of overwOrk, threw down her pen
and rose to greet him with a smile
Why, Cousin Morris!" she said, al
have NOT seen won for weplsiD
No, my DEAR" said MT. Holt, sitting
down in the chair she pushed forward FOR
him F" ] have been out Of town. / was at
The Museum yesterday and to-day, but
did not see you, Sydney. Where have you
been?n
At home, said Sydney, rather mourn
fully. Or, rather, ! tired myself out yes
terday going to three different schools in
want Of teachers; but they were all filed
up before got there"
] am sorry j have not been able 10 help
you more" said Mr. Holt, with a little re-
morse in his tone. But it is next door to
impossible, everything is so crowded. How
ever am forgetting what i came to tell
you, and j must make haste, because am
going out Of town again tomorrow, and am
very busy. A friend of mine who is writing
book has had an accident, and can't use
his eyes for time. He is worrying him
self 10 death about it, and wants 10 get some
one TO help him. 1t must be someone up
in the classics, because there are lot Of
Greek quotations; SO i suggested you, and
he would like you to 80 round tomorrow
afternoon. There's the address," He threw
q card on the table as he spoke and got up
to 20.
"But shall be able 10 do what he wants ?r
said Sydney, doubtfully.
"Oh! yes; / told him all about you, You
I know, and he thought you would do.
There were many other things that Sydney
wanted TO ask, but her cousin was in a hurry
20 be of, and she could not detain him. She
stood for long time with the card in her
hand after he had gone, as though it could
tell her all things that he had left unsaid.
"OLIvER LEIGH,
Lincoln Gardens"
That was all. She had never heard the
name before, and it conveyed nothing to her
mind. But she had no doubt about e. ing.
for her funds were SO low that it seemed TO
her sometimes as though starvation was not
far OF. Her hopes had been very high when
she got her degree and started on a career
IN London, but as she learnt more and more
of the overstocked condition Of the teaching
world, they had sunk lower and lower Her
cousin had no influence there, but he had
procured her few pieces of literary hack
work nom time TO time, which just kept her
head above water.
She set out about 3 o'clock the next after
noon and made her way to Lincoln Gardens.
1t was as dull and damp day an the pre-
eious one had been, and she debated within
herself whether she should not do her dress