The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-07-30

ed Hulda, innocently.
well, | don't know, after all, that
it would be much good looking for him
there But artists, you know, they have
q bad name, 4" Hattie declared evasively.
She had an iustinctive feeling that this
was not a safe topic 10 handle, and she
was anxious TO drop it as gracefully as
possible Hulda, dimly divining what
was meant, wrapped herself in naughty
reserve and in spite of repeated invita-,
tions would not condescend TO further
condolences The next morning the girls
were awakened at half past 6 by the
ringing of bell. which for five or ten
minutes made an ear splitting din in
the hall Outside the rain was falling
in torrents. beating down the smoke,
which yet rose with devious contortions
through the murlSy air A deadly chill
pervaded the house, for the girls could
not afford fires in the morning, and the
poverty stricken kerosene lamp made
Just little sphere Of light about the
table, but left the dusk TO linger in the
corners. Hu]da and Hattie were both
dressing shiveringly, each behind hei
screen, and beyond rather curt Good
morning" no words had beon exchanged.
They had both finished their simple
toilets and were about to descend inte
the dining hall when Hattie, standing
with her back against the door. asked;
Are ye mad YETI"
mo, am not angry, Hulda replied
with rather a chilly intonation.
"Then let me tell ye something. III
hunt mp your sweetheart for ye il
yen let me. I'll promise to find him
before night"
But how will you do it?'
THAT don't matter but I'll engage
to find him, sure as ye live
"But you have to work. You can't
leave your office.
I'm get a day Off -
But what excuse will you offerP
"Oh, I'll invent something or other.
Ye trust me for that "
But why can't you tell me where tC
go and let me do it MYSELF"
Hattie, instead of answering, looked
for full minute at her friend search
ingly as if she We're weighing the pro'
and cons of the question.
Laws she remarked parenthetic
ally "how stunning ye arep'
Hulda, &c whom the compliment wa
unintelligible, returned her gaze with
anxious suspense and repeated her query.
"Why, don't ye see" Hattie ex
planned, 81 ain { no account, being home
ly as mud, and gentlemen wouldn't
bother me a bit, and if they did l should
know how to take care of myself, for,
tell ye l can be as cross as bear.
Gentlemen wouldn't bother me
surely, Hulda remarked wonderingly
Wouldn't they, thought Then "
don't know them. Ye would make
sensation wherever ye go, get into tn
newspapers and make no end Of trouble
for yerself But | wouldn't be noticed
at all. any more than mouse would
that slips out of one hole into another
Then, know this town by heart, an'
ye are a stranger. guess / shouldn
make a bad detective, and il woul,
have TO be a mighty smart man wh'
could cover his track in this town 81
that / couldn't nose it out "
But, then, couldn't go with your
mo, ye couldn t.
''Why not?'
Il have told ye already-because y
are too handsome.
II don't understand you at all
1T isn't necessary that ye should i
yen only trust me.
"Wen. yes, | trust you, and 1 thml
you
In order to deprive her friend Of TN
/ chance 10 reconsider Hattie hastil,
opened the door, and they went down &
/ breakfast The matron Was already seat
od at the head OF the middle table, an,
she gave them rather sourish greetinI
as they entered The girls scattere'
about at the tables sat with dismal face
/ picking at their food and slipping muddy
brown liquid euphemistically styled
coffee, whose only virtue was that II
was warm. They rose one by one al
they had finished and hurried into tn,
hall, where they wrapped themselves II
waterproofs and then plunged into the
vast, black, roaring maelstrom Of th'
city, Though Hulda had known Hattie
Halloran only since yesterday, she tel
a pang at seeing her swallowed up il
that black, tumultuoas tide of humani
", and she was conscious Of vague 10
lief at being exempt from following he
example, for she shrank from rude con
tact with men with shrinking tina
was mental rather than physical. Their
was to this child Of the quiet Morse val
ley something terrifying in the noises
the deafening turmoil, the vast bewil
dering confusion Of that gigantic mod
ern Babel on the shores Of Lake Mich
gan. She was glad TO have safe refuge
even though it were ever so poor one
from which she might contemplate an
familiarize herself with its hageneSs
It's blaekness, it, labyrinthine eomplica
tion Of its interests, its imposing, dis
tracing, alarming metropolitan aspect
TO r. COSTISUEp.
But ia Arnioa saivs.
I III. - - tka uu.rfa N,- ossfs