The times., 1897-05-02


1t was shabby red brick On the shady
side OF fifty, the paint on its porch was
ulistered, and sparrows Rested iDits caves.
In its second story frontsa woman sat cry
ing She wasn't much Of a woman 10
look at, and she was perfectly dreadful
To hear. She was a II old maid: size had a
young sister TO support she tad Just lost
her place in the Treasury. and she wished
that she was dead.
The young sister was with her, but In
stead OF crying there was in her voice
that ring of jubihtion that comes 10 youth
when it sees a chance for a change.
ION, Matilda she cried out, uneaunt tel
by the fact that siiehad been keeping it up
right along withoht success ever since
Miss Darrel's head had fanensf,y the Of
fetal axe two days befuIef sdo let us
make a break and go. ydonst ask you to
pack, nor nothing just give ME the
| money"
Likely" retorted the dismissed one,
with a tear choked sob ef ecnten,pt. Il
would as soon trust a baby with matches :
That's what 1 call burning shame;
but even allowing that l wasted the money,
! we would at least indulge in new set Of
woes There's nothing like variety in
'Dnt UnstkitSs anu II sp6
would trust me 1 would buy two tickets
rigHs away"
The freight flickered for moment ON
Mss DaTreIrs riyuleted face as she lifted
| it from the sofa.
Tickets for what? Tickets for wherc?''
Anywhere" answered Anne, the in
dondtable, with generous circle of her
arms as though to scoop in the universe.
would take us that far
s'Did ever
mo, Matilda, you neverl If you had
ever done anything else but plod on in
that old rut Of an office you wouldn't
be crying yourself into a Niagara because
you are out of your rut today Serves
you right for not marrying Jack when you
had the chance Oh, you needn't moan
and wriggle like that, Teddy, it's true,
every word, and you know it. )"
Miss Matilda raised her head again, aud
thistime her face flushed dark, tempestu-
Gus red 1T wasn't freight, either.
Even so you are not the one to reproach
me. If kept to my rut it was because
you had to be raised and cared for; and
now that l am unnerved from-from my
trouble, you can sit there and taunt me
with your own superior sense. Wait
until you have done something to prove
your superiority before you begin to brag.
Oh, my head, my head''-and down it went
again among the cushions.
"You don't consider my head, nor my
heart either, to go on in that unfeeiing
fashion-yes, it is unfeeling, Matilda, when
you know hate to see you suffer so, for
nothing
Nothing? Good Lord!''
II suppose" and with persistent cheer
fulness the girl sat bolt upright and pro-
ceeded to check her facts, II suppose half
| the world would swap livers with us this
minute. Just think OF the beggars in the
street and the sick folks in the hospitals
and the crazy folks in the asylum, and
"And then look at us-two women with
one month s salary between US and starva-
tion. The contrast is dazzling-ughl''
She willfully ignored the small bank be-
| hind the clock, hut Anne, wise from ex-
perence, suffered the omission in silence.
| 1t was so like her nervous-strung sister, to
struggle on like Spartan, and then sturn-
bic at last into the slough of dispondency
with helpless splash, that she cfept over
| the sofa, and administered on the half-ex-
posed cheek, a series of those carressing
| little dabs that go such a long way toward
soothing woman's deepest troubles.
When the storm of tears had lulled into
irregular and rather childish sobs, Anne,
with her cheeks flushed and her voice
vibrant with eagerness, began again:
"Oh, Teddy, do let US go. II we were
among strangers we could be no worse off
than we are here If we were starving
tomorrow, do you know soul we could
go to for penny? dom land am SO
dead tired of this one room aud old Mrs
Beel's weak tea and that Tommy Tolson
incoming at me from his side'of the table
.But where could wego and what could
| we do when we got there
| Anything everything. Teach, sew
Miss Matilda shiveredfron head to foot.
"And, If necessary..scrub.'
Miss Matilda screamed.
| Anne laughed out in fashion slightly
boyish, but wholly delightful, because she
enjoyed it to the last echo. and hen sprang
| to her feet with stiddenness calculated
| to set her Teddy wild. /" =
III arrange everything everything, >