Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-02-11

WITHOUT.
''Yes, pretty hard" he admitted
Then it all at once struck him that a
call under such circumstances and at
this unusual time of the evening might
need explanation, and he went on !:
"You see, L happened to be passing on
my way to the club and-and l heard
the other day that you were here
and-and I thought I'd just stop a
few minutes to see how you were"
''Thank you," was her only reply.
1t was source of deep shame to this
woman that she was alta great loss for
something to say, as if she had been q
schoolgirl. Finally his eyes lighted
upon the tiny table, which she in her
haste had forgotten to hide in some
way, and he said, with great show of
ease:
"Oh, please, Mrs. Morley, make me
some tea-it's decidedly chilly out,
you know"
"Who would expect man of his
wealth to know?" asked poor Mrs.
Morley to herself, as she set about
her task with trembling fingers. "rm
afraid the alcohol will give out before
the water is even warmed, and the
sugar-and the va 'ers-oh, dear I"
and two big tears rose so unex-
pectedly that the fine, blond bearded
face across from her became all at
once blurred.
Mr.. Orr saw the tears, noted with
quick terror how palely tho little bue
flame burned, hasty glance at the
plate before him revealed only three
little waters, and he was kind enough
to turn his head away so that she
could slip the cover over the low sugar
bowl to hide its emptiness.
The bachelor showed remarkable
grace for one of his kind, for he smil-
ingly declined her invitation to one of
the three thin waters with the re-
mark:
'Tm not actually hungry, you see.
L dined downtown. She knew he
was prevaricating.) 81 just wanted
to see you working with your pretty
things"
Mrs. Morley nodded back at him
gratefully, and had half mind to
confess that these bits of china We're
the last relics of her old home, and
that she had been wondering half
hour before he came how much they
would go towards paying the rent,
which was now two weeks overdue.
But, some way, she couldn't just bring
herself to it, and he heroically slipped
at his weak, savorless tea, and didn't
blink m eyelash when she looked him
fairly in the face and told him that
she had finished her evening meal be-
fore he had come in.
AS conversation Jagged, Mr.. Orr
finally folded his hands over his knee
and fixing his eyes on the fast-dying
fire, said:
"Do you know that do not like to
call you Mrs. ?"
The little widows pale cheeks light
ed up with an encouraging glow as
she replied:
''lt is ever so much better than to
be Miss, you know. It's vastly bet
ter to be 'Mrs. than Miss at twenty
six. I prefer to be widow to an old
maid"
Mr.. Orr's lips set moment in
fierce effort to keep back his thoughts,
but Mt last he answered, bluntly:
''Perhaps so if one doesn't mourn
for the late departed"
A glow, half of shame, half of anger,
few to her very eyes, but his strong,
steady gaze conquered her, and her
chin began to culver.
81 see that you know me" was the
low reply, "and am glad of it. I am
not sorry TINT Mr.. Morley is gone.
While he lived / was loyal in deed and
thought, although l knew then that
you-that all my friends-pitied me.
Still, 1 was true 10 him in spite of all,
but now that there is no further use in
it l will not be hypocrite enough to
pretend that | love his memory. /
think that you will hate me less to
know that l no longer sham than to
think that 1 am so blind as to love
such a failure of man as he. Life is
unbearable in many ways, but it at
least has the charm of being no longer
a farce. Pretense is over. Yes, it is
relief to quit shamming, but I've got
to so to work, you know, and that
isn't very funny"
A sudden light of hope flew into
Orr's sympathetic eyes, and he asked
eagerly:
"That is an excellent idea--a little
work will take you out of yourself.
What can you do?"
Nothing" was the nervous reply,
as she held out two empty white
hands. 'I'm absolutely useless. I've
tried and tried, and everybody wants
typewriters and stenographers, and l
can't see bit of sense in all the little
scratches and dots and things"
& &"That's true" granted the man,
ambiguously, as the vision of the
pretty woman opposite him bending
her dainty head all day over some
dull-clicking maohine in smoke-cir-
cled downtown Office rose before him.
"You mustn't think of working among
men, you know"
"But there isn't any demand for
china-painting, and 1 can't find any
old lady who wants companion"