The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-05-11
HER AMBITION.

ing mouse ana entered. IL was a dismal,
windy, rainy November evening, and ever
since lunch she had been padding about
London, climbing the grimy stairs of
newspaper offices and talking to people
who did not seem especially pleased to see
her. Her skirts were wet, and wisp of
damp hair was tumbling over her eyes.
On the hall table, disclosed by the flicker
ing gas jet were some letters.
"a year ago today" said Eva to herself
as she closed the door against the wind.
Has he written or has he forgottenY'
He had not forgotten. Eva picked up
the letter from the hall table, looked quick
ly round at the closed hall door, at the
closed dining room door, and at the baize
door that led to the kitchen stairs-and
kissed it. Then she went up stairs to her
bed sitting room with the letter in her
hand and a great joy in her heart.
Hateful little roomp' she murmured
to herself as she struck match and lit the
gas "But it's the last time, thank Godr'
The room was not really bad-a bed in
the corner, u washstand, wardrobe, here
and there picture on the walls, and ia
BILE by the window, rather rickety, on
which lay heap of manuscript-a half
finished story.
81 will burn that before go to bed to-
night" said Eve rs she caught sight of it.
Then she took off her hat and cloak,
drew the only easy chair under the gas jet,
and sat down. lingering the letter, she
did not open it ut once. Now that happi-
ness stretched in front of her it was pleas
ant to linger on the confines of misery,
to look back on the life she was to leave.
sit is not every one," said Eva refleo-
lively, "who can make experiments in life
without expense"
Eva Norrington had been the pride of
the provincial town which gave her birth.
At the high school no girl could stand
against her Her former governess, who
now and then asked her favorite pupils to
tea, even said she might be a head mistress
one day. To Eva this seemed absurd But
when, at the age of 20, she gained a guinea
prize for a story in a weekly paper, she be-
gan to think that at least she might be a
great novelist. At any rate she felt sure
that somewhere ahead of her stretched a
career, and as her twenty first birthday
approached she announced to her startled
parents her intention of going to London
in search of it. Thereupon ensued series
of domestic scenes, such as have been com
mon of late in the homes of England
apprehensive hen, the daughter that of the
adventurous duckling. The duckling in.
variably gains it's point, and so it was
with Eva Norrington. Having refuted
argument and resisted persuasion for o
certain number of weeks, Eva obtained a
grudging consent to her departure. The
townspeople knew not whether to admire
or disapprove. But they had read in nov
els of young ladies who took their lives
and their latchkeys into their own hands,
! became famous and married respectfully
after all. So during the weeks of prepare
ton for her campaign Eva became some
|. thing of a figure in local society, and more
than one dinner party was given in her
! honor as well as plentiful advice as to the
necessary precautions against London
guile and many recipes for guarding
against the colds induced by the fogs that
infest the metropolis.
Eva was almost happy, for she had the
hopefulness of youth and beauty and all
the exhilaration of taking her life into her
hands and fashioning it as she would, with
none to raise objections to the process.
She would have been quite happy but for
Allan Craig, for Allan Craig, whenever he
heard that Eva was bent on going to Lon
don to make name for herself, promptly
offered her his own as a substitute. 1t
was good enough name, and at the foot
of check it was generally respected, as
Allan Craig had lately stepped into his ia
theirs business of estate agent and was
prospecting. Eva was disturbed, but she
turned not aside from her project She
had mapped out her life and Allan Craig
was not included in the scheme
AS she sat lingering her letter in her bed
sitting room she went over the parting
scene In her mind. The details of it would
only increase the delight of the letter, for
Eva had learned during the last year that
happiness Is SO rare that it deserves to be
rolled on the tongue and not swallowed in
haste. 1t was at dance on the night be
fore her departure-her last dance, SO she
thought, before she started life in earnest
They were sitting out dance together,
for Eva was not disposed to think unkind
ly of Allan, though she might resent his
intrusion into her scheme of life She re.
membered how there had been silence be
tween them for some moments, how Allan
had leaned his elbows on his knees and
dug the heel of his dancing shoe into the
carpet
"And you are quite determined to-tc
leave us?" said Allan.
"Of course" said Eva. my boxes are
all packed"
Full of manuscript novels end things?'
Zone novel and several stories"
~ cannot understand why you want tc
go when"-
81 want to-well-to live u larger life. y
You mean you want to live in bigger
placer"
"Well-not exactly. don't think you
quite understand"
II quite understand that there is not
enough scope for you here and that l an
a selfish brute for trying TO keep you from
your ambition. Look here, Eva, can you
honestly say that you don't love me lit
tie bitf'
Allan had risen and was standing over
her. Eva looked up at him. She could
see him standing there now-big, comely
with something in his eyes that thrilled
her, half with fear and half with pleasure.
She rose and faced him.
~ shall be very sorry to leave you-very
sorry"
"Then Why
tGDa,,it 300, 500 Akono l-nn,., 7 bo,-,