The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1897-05-27
THE AMBITION OF EVA. !

6Vo N0EIluBtOu luScTpeQ ner l0lCD
key into the keyhole of a Bedford
Square boarding house, and entered
Il was q dismal, windy, rainy Novem-
ber evening, and ever since lunch che
had been padding about London,
climbing grimy stairs Of newspaper OF.
fees, and talking to people who did not
seem especially pleased to see her,
Her sldrts were wet, and q wisp OF
damp hair was tumbling over her eyes.
On the hall table, disclosed BY the
Aickering gasjet, were some letters.
"A year ago to.dayi" said Eva to her
Salf - she closed the door against the
Wind. HAS he written, or has he for.
gotten1"
He had not forgotten. Eva picked up
the letter from the hall table, looked
quickly round at the closed hall door,
1t the closed dining-room door, and at
the boize door that led to the kitchen
stairs-and kissed It. Then she went
upstairs to her bed-sitting-room with
the letter in her hand and Joy in her
heart.
Hateful little roomi" she murmured
10 herself, az abe struck match and lit
the ssA -But it's the last time, thank
The room was not really bad; bed
IN tho corner, awash-stand, wardrobe,
here and there q picture on the walls,
and 3 table by the window, rather rick.
ETY., on which lay heap Of manuscript
"a ha1f-fnished story.
II will burn that before 20 to bed
to-night" said Eva, as she caught sight
of it.
Y 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 form governess,
who now and then asked her favorite
pupils to tea, even said she might be
head mistress one day. To Eva this
oeemed absurd. But when, at the age
OF 20, she gained guinea prize for a
story IN weekly paper she began to
think thet at least she might be great
novelist. At any rate she felt sure that
somewhere ahead of her stretched
career; and as her 21st 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
Is have been common of late in the
homes Of England, wherein the parents
play the part of the apprehensive hen.
the daughter that of the adventurous
duckling. The duckling invariably
gains its point; and so it was with Eva
FNoryington. Having refuted argument
ovnd scfo <cs,
number of weeks, Eva obtained grudg-
ing consent to her departure. The
townspeople knew not whether to ad-
mire OF disapprove. But they had read
in novels of young ladies who took their
lives and latchkeys into their own
hands, became famous, and married re-
specially after all. So during the
weeks of preparation for her campaign
Eva became something of figure in
local society, and more than one din
ner party was given inSher honor, as
well as plentiful advice as to the neces-
sary precautions against London guile,
and many recipes for guarding against
the colds induced by the fogs that in
fest 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 London to
make a name for herself, promptly Of
fered her his own for substitute. It
was good enough name, and at the
foot of check it was generally respect
cd, as Allan Craig had lately stepped
into his fathers business as estate
agent and was prospering. Eva was
disturbed, but she turned not aside
from her project. Eva had mapped out
her life and Allan Craig was not in
cluded in the scheme.
As she sat lingering her letter in her
bedroom, she went over the parting
seene 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 r0re that
IT. deserved to be rolled on the tongue
and not swallowed in haste. 1t was al
q dance on the night before her de-
parture-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 unkindly
Of Allan, though she might resent his |
intrusion into her scheme of life. She |
remembered how there had been silence
between 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 SO you are quite determined to
leave us?" said Allan.
"Of course" replied Eva. "My boxes |
are all packed"
"Full of manuscript novels and other |