The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-07-11
SHE FELL AMONG FRIENDS.
The Happy Conclusion of a Poor Girls
Bitter Experience.

Bitter Experience.
She was a quiet little woman, with a
very pale face. Her serge gown was
worn and shabby. The blue had faded
into sort of heliotrope She wore a
pink shirt waist which had also faded,
and was streaked, but was scrupulous-
ly clean. The shabby shoes and the
frayed gloves carried out the general
impression of poverty.
She walked to small table in the
corner and sat down with certain
grim determination in her manner.
The very way in which she pulled her
chair up to the table was full of deci-
sion The very way she dragged off her
shabby gloves and laid them to one
side suggested desperation. She read
the menu card over and gave her order
to Pierre, quite distinctly though in a
low tone. Then she leaned back, her
lips, which lacked the ruddiness of
health, drawn closely together.
''Queer-lool1ing girl, that, remarked
the artist to his wife, as he tossed up
salad.
Eyes, isn't she?" remarked the art
lists wife, nibbling an olive
''She doesn't Took like the bohemian
sort" pursued he.
'She looks like-a-well, a teacher,
as far as her face goes, and starving
milliners assistant as regards clothes
and air" commented Mrs Artist, crit
ically.
''She does seem hard up, that's a
fact"
Meantime Pierre placed the tureen
before the hungry-looking girl. The
aroma of soup fioated on the air The
girls transparently white face was suf-
fused with color for an instant as she
carried the ladle toward her soup plate.
Then there was little crash, little
cry, and soup was trickling down the
shabby gown. The pale-face girl had
tainted.
They bore her to the little parlor
and Mrs. Artist, who was a recognized
authority at the cafe, because she al
ways dined there, unfasteDed the
frayed, stiffiy-starched shirt collar and
ordered some sherry. The white-faced
girl revived beneath the stimulant and
drew long-drawn, shuddering sigh.
Then she INCREASINGLY took more of
the wine the golden-haired woman
was forcing upon her. When she had
recovered somewhat the wise little
wife of the artist forbade her to speak
when you have drunk this broth, :"
she said, in the voice of commander
in chief, you may tell me all about it."
The girl drank the broth obediently.
''Now," said the artists wife, what
does it all mean?"
The pink flush suffused the white
face again.
II hadn't had anything to eat for so
long that l was faint" whispered the
girl. And | didn't have money to pay
for my dinner, and-hunger-and-
fear-made me-
Eyes, see," nodded Mrs Artist, as
though to be starving and swindler
were natural occurrences. Il see,
but how did it happen? Tell me in
just few words"
I'm music teacher" faltered the
girl, land music student. Alone in
New York. Home in Ohio. Boarded
on Tenth street. Lost my pupils; lost
my money. Couldn't write home;
they're poor. Stopped taking my
meals in the house Did chamber work
to pay for my room. Finally didn't
have a cent. l couldn't borrow or beg
for money and couldn't earn any. 1t
i'll hadn't anything to eat for
three days and l made up my mind to
have one dinner if l was put in Jail for
it,
II underst and perfectly" said the
artists wife, in the tone of one who
had frequently experienced starva-
ton. Now come out and dine with US,
Miss"
Miss Wylie," said the girl, blushing.
''My dear" said the artists wife that
night, you are going to paint a pic
ture of a thin, pale, spiritual-faced,
shabby young woman teaching a
round, rosy little cherub the violin.
You are going to call it The Music
Teacher and sell it to old Mr.. Van
Fanceer, who likes you, for two hun
dred dollars or SO. And you are going
to give Miss WyIie a hundred of those
dollars for being such perfect model
for the subject. Then she's going to
spend the summer on an Ohio farm.
Do you understand"
Perfectly, my love-" replied the
docile hus band.-N. Y. World.