The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-02

dark-haired girl on his right. who was
quite pretty. He put on her cloak for
her when they came away l caught
sight of them all in the hall as we came
out; but Jack~was rushing about trying
! to get someone's carriage, and did not
see US. We had to wait quite a long
| time for ours.
We'll, did you enjoy to- father asked
And l told him it had been delightful.
| Father left me at my door How cold
and squalid my little room looked when
/ got back, And that fire was out again
I wondered if Jack had gone to supper
anywhere with them
The following day an irresistible de-
sire came over me to see my own dear
home again. 1t was now almost two
months since 1 had left it. Two months
two whole months of living by my
self and for myself. How miserable
lonely old age must be to one who has
not managed to form ties in youth
! Ties that neither fading beauty nor
tagging spirits and failing health will
loosen. Yes, love is what we ought to
earn and hoard in youth; it is better
provision for old age than is any bal
ance at the bankers l would go and
/ &c <Auii( -pOOI Aunt JANE. 1eT-
| haps 1 had wronged her She had not
much to live for; it was exceedingly
natural that she should be disagree
able
| How familiar it all looked when
James flung open the front door, The
rush Of warm air from the
! spacious hall, the big doors with their
carved wooden handles, the soft carpet
| on the broad, shallow staircase-how
| familiar it all was.-and yet how
strange. / felt as if / had been away
lifetime. And now L was in the
dear old drawing-room again. with the
screens and pictures, and the piano,
and the easy chairs, and the blazing
fire, and-and all my fower-vases
empty! Not a flower in the room.
Aunt Jane received me with her
customary duplex kiss.
L am glad you have come, though
you have been a long time making up
your mind to do it. However, L can
well understand your reluctance"
| Now don't scold me, Aunt Jane"
We'll, in my opinion, it is just a
good scolding you want But as 1
have promised-I mean, well-let us
change the subject"
! But / was too occupied in covertlv
/ looking round at everything to heed
what she said. There were but few
changes, little things I could easily
alter-but of course they would never
be altered.
| Aunt Jane gave me some tea. She
was using the wrong settle little
Dresden one that l thought too small
! for comfort.
Then some other callers came =
friends of Aunt Jane's-and seemed to
| take her position quite for granted, and
| hardly noticed me. 1 went away soon
| after. and was sorry 1 had gone at
| all.
| When l reached my lodgings that fire
was out again, and the place looked
horrid. 1 felt too tired and depressed
| even to ring and have the fire relit.
| The bell would summon only Alice with
smudged face and cap askew. Still,
! it was stupid of me to sit down and
| cry; and it was more stupid of me.
after l had cried for one hour by the
clock to battle my eyes and go for
walk in the gathering dusk, in order to
! let the cool air cure my headache Did
all reformers feel as wretched as [ felt
| that afternoon? l hurried along one
of the broad walks of the park. with
the lights Of Park Lane dancing behind
| it's ratings, and felt that | could not
go back to that wretched. hateful lit
| tie room. / bought some flowers from
/ a woman who was standing with
basket at a street corner. You can
always have touch of mystic refine
ment when you can possess flowers
The woman had a baby in her arms
and child clinging to her skirt.
| Are they both yours?' l asked in
voluntarily. She seemed little more
! than a girl
THE one is, miss" she answered.
smiling down at the sticky infant in
/ the shawl; but that"-glancing coldly
at the little shivering child-"is
lneighbor's. She left it,
Left it?"
| some ladies got her place. and she
pays me to keep it," 1 put some money
| into the little childs cold hand. and she
| looked up at me with big, wonderful.
grieved eyes
| | hurried on to a deserted corner of
| the park 1t was now raining fast.
and the path was deserted. | did not
put up my umbrella, fN had forgot
ten it, l did not mind getting wet:
did not mind catching cold There was
no one who would care I sat down on
a seat under a tree, and watched the