Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-09-20

IHc DiiN were SURFING, she OIIcl
had a sense CT s~uffocation, the wall.
were so close to her on every side
Sometimes, too, she felt as if she were
a prisoner in her niece's house, fol
she did not dare venture out without
a guide: the streets were a labyrinth
she would not try to tread alone.
She found Westbcro very quiet and
uninteresting. But II e could put on
her wraps and walk to the post office
or go on errands for Mrs. Driscoll as
freely as if she were in her OWL
home.
On the morning of the last day OF
her two weeks in Westboro she was
out of bed as soon as there was light
enough for her to dress. Grim deter
mination was written on her face.
i've been dilly-dallying long
enough" She sco!ded 10 herself. "and
the thing is going 4 be settled he
fore breakfas:.
$50 far as the money goes" she
unused, Il guess Lucretia needs it as
much as Helen does. though she
wouldn't own it. My: my, How
dreadful expensive it is to live in the
city.
My room here is bigger and pleas
anter than the one l had at Lucre-
tia's, but that doesn't really count.
for | don't want to make a sitting
room of it. There's much to see anG
learn in a city. and I've been so shut
up all my life hat I've grown into az,
ignorant old woman though I
wouldn't say so to anyone but myself.
Anyhow. now I've got the chance to
see a little of the world, / believe it
is my duty to myself to take it. III
write to Lucretia right now and have
it off my mind. I'll tell her to ex-
pect me back Monday, and that will
give me three more days here in West
boro.
MY dear Lucretia," she wrote, then
stopped and looked meditatively at
the words.
81 shall be rather sorry to leave
Helen" she thought, for to tell the
truth, she's considerable more agree
able company than Lucretia, and a
better cook. But there! 1t almost
looks as though I vas beginning ali
over to decide it, and my mind is quite
made up"
The bamboo box standing on a table
in the middle of the room caught Miss
Roxana's attention, and she immedi-
ately felt the necessity of terrifying
herself for the task before her with a
peppermint drop. She slipped her fin
gers under the lid and exposed to view
a bit of rumpled tissue paper, nothing
more.
"Well, 1 declared" she gasped, I'D
no notion that the piece of hoarhound
1 took to clear out my throat last
night was the last bit of cough medE-
cine L had to my name. It's lucky L
didn't have a spell of coughing in the
night. 1 certainly thought there a
enough in the box to last till I got
back to Boston, supposing l decided to
go back. but 1 guess those children that
were here yesterday found the box and
helped themselves. The candy habit is
dreadful harmful, spoiis the teeth and
stomachs. If I had any children they
shouldn't know what an attack of dys-
pepsia or toothache meant, and they
shouldn't know a caramel from a piece
of mofasses candy!"
1t vas impossible to finish the letter
with her mind so 6isturbed; she de-
cided to let it wait-until after break
fast.
Coffee and bacon failed to soothe Miss
RoXana's irritation into the calmness
demanded by the difficulties of CORE
.spondence. A brisk walk through the
sharp winter air over the hubby side
r-a1Ir ~ A. Ts%&Ta e,A,-ha- 4---
the tonic she craved, and on the way,
so she planned. she would pass the
neat looking bakery where Helen
sometimes bought buns, for one-half
the tiny shop was a confectionery
store.
Everything is fresh this morning,
ma'am,' confiGed the young saleswom-
an, looking crisp and bright enough to
be mistaken for a bit of her wares.
"We have it right from the factory
twice a week." continued the girl,
weighing out the mixture of choco-
and various favored waters that
her early customer had ordered. "Mr.
owns the factory and a big
in Boston, besides half a dozen
places like this scattered through
the different towns, but he is more par
what is sold here than any
else. You see. everybody in
knows him, because his home
is here, and when his friends buy candy
intends they shall have as good as
can make. That big brick building
there across the field is the fac
In the privacy of her own room Miss
Investigated the contents of
bundle, and echoed the praises
girl had lavished on her stock of
trade. She had never before eaten
delicious creams or such pun
geant p~eppermints. The cough drops
she had bought in Boston had been
tasteless chips in comparison.
1t was noon before h appeared to
family again, and she brought in !
her hand a letter stamped and sealed
ready for mailing.
I've been writing to Lueretia," she
announced. Il hope she won't be dis
appointed when she finds out that 7
decided to stay here. The CITY is
rery interesting. and I mean to spend
fortnight there after I pet
started for home in April, but tbinps
are more hemelike and natural To mo
here. Do you suppose your husband
will remember to mail this If 1 hand If
% him? l am very anxious to have it
each LueretiS tomorrow morning. I
it before breakfast, but I wasn't
n the right frame of mind for writing.
30 1 let it wait. Did you even see
.uah a ahiftleas old woman haFora |