Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-07-15
I'm THE CAFE.

She was quiet little woman, with
very pale face. Her serge gown was worn
and shabby. The blue had faded to sort
of heliotrope. She wore pink shirt waist
which had also faded and was streaked,
but was scrupulousV clean. The shabby
shoes and the frayod gloves carried out the
general impression OF poverty.
She walked to n small table In the cor
ner and sat down with certain grim do
termination In her manner The very way
I'm which she pulled hor chair up to tho
table was full Of decision. Tho way she
dragged off her shabby gloves and laid
them To ono sido suggested desperation.
She read the menu card over and gave her
order TO Pierrc quite distinctly, though III
a low tone Then she leaned back, her
lips which lacked the ruddiness OF health,
drawn closely together.
"Queer looking girl that, remarked the
artist to his wife ms he tossed up salad.
Eyes; isn't shes' remarked the artists
wife, nibbling an oliye.
"She doesn't look like the bohemian
sort" pursued he.
'She looks like-a-rwell, teacher. us
far as her face goes, and n starving mil
liners assistant rs regards clothes ana
air." commenced Mrs. Artist critically.
"Shc does seem hard up, that's fact.
Meantime Pierre placed the tureen be-
fore the hungry looking girl. The aroma
OF soup 1oated on the air. Tho girls
transparently white face was suffused 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 faced girl had tainted.
They bore her to the little parlor, and
Mrs. Artist, who was recognized au-
thority at the Mazarin, because she always
dined there, unfastened the frayed. stlflly
starched shirt collar and ordered some
shorty. The white faced girl revived be-
meath tho stimulant and drew long
drawn and shuddering sigh.
Then she unresistingly took more or
the wine the golden haired woman was
forcing upon her. When she had recovered
somewhat, the wise little wife Of the art
ist forbade her to speak
"Whcn 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 tho artists wife, what
does it all mean?'
The pink flush suffused the white face
again.
81 hadn't had anything to eat for so
long that was faint, +" whispered the girl.
And 1 didn't have money to pay for my
dinner, and-hunger and-fear--made
me-
"Yes, / see," nodded Mrs. Artist as
though to be starving and a swindler were
natural & ,currences. 81 see. But how
did it happen9 Tell me in just few
words.'
VIm music teacher" faltered the girl,
"and 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 tax
ing my meals in the house. Did chamber
work to pay for my room. Finally didn't
have cent. I couldn't borrow or beg for
money, and couldn't earn any. lit
I hadn't anything to eat for three days,
and made up my mind to have one din
ner If I was put in jail for It."
II understand perfectly" said the art
lists wife in the tone of one who had fire.
quently experienced starvation. 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 picture OF
thin, pale, spirituelle faced, shabby young
woman teaching round, rosy little oherub
the violin. You are going to call 1t The
Music Teacher, and sell 1t to old Mr.. Van
Fletcher, who likes you, for 5000 or 80.
And you are going to give Miss Wylie
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 understands"
Perfectly, ny love, replied the docile
husband. York World.