Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1900-08-09

neT eAClteIucut Us uu dTtirt WIZ was
perfectly sure she had discovered
something luminously novel interfered
with Miss Lidy's enjoyment Of her pa
per bags. She was quite sure that
everything was going to be perfectly
lovely" In spite of pabney's opposition
to her scheme-"if only" she said, look
ing timorously around, that superb
wreck shouldn't mistake my door for
his ownw on the strength Of which
possibility Miss Lidy made nervous
tour Of inspection Of her new premises
to satisfy herself that no one could get
In without her consent.
Miss Lidy's occupancy Of "A-Floor
g. had not lasted week before she
pronounced fat life the most demoral-
izing thing In the world. She was
ashamed of her intimate knowledge Of
her neighbors' affairs She knew ex-
actly when Colonel Gerault went out
In the morning and when he came back
In the evening. Then she excused her
self to herself:
"The door is never open when he Is
at home, and 80 long as that dear child
thinks asked her to leave 1t open be-
cause l am lonely she'll do 1t faith
fully"
Miss Gerault's amiable concession
came about in this wise: She and Miss
Lidy had been ''opposites" for three
days only when. turning her head as
she had done on that first day, she
found her neighbor's door stretched
wide open and Miss Lidy hard at work
with her pencils. The little artist sent
one Of her disarming smiles across the
hall.
"It's awfully hot, isn't itY'
Miss Gerault sent back an inconse-
Quent apology:
Mother likes open doors. We've had
the whole floor to ourselves all sum-
mer. But now It's different"
She laid down her work and moved
toward the door. Miss Lidy guessed
her intentions.
"Oh, please don't shut itw
The girl hesitated. From hidden
source In the Gerault fiat gentle voice
sounded:
LET the door be. daughter. Perhaps
the lady is timid in a strange house"
Now. Miss Lidy's proudest boast was
that she wasn't afraid Of anything on
earth, but she was quite willing to owe
her opportunity to transcribe that
graceful head and lovely face to Q
feminine misapprehension Of her char
acter. A double fat affords unrivaled
opportunities for rancorous hatred or
the mellowest friendships. Miss Lidy
found her tender little heart overflow
ing with sympathy for her neighbors
One morning when she chanced to open
the dumb waiter door at the iden-
tical moment Miss Gerault opened II on
her side they smiled at each other
across the narrow shaft. Miss Lidy
was much nearer tears. The bag Of
rolls for the Gerault side was so small
and the little pitcher OF milk 30
meager. She hoped the girl didn't
think she saw them She lifted her
own well filled market basket with a
sense Of remorse. theu blurted out hys-
terieally.
-Do wait, my dear. I've got some.
thing to show you, something NICE"
She withdrew her head abruptly.
When she came back, the waiter had
descended and the Gerault parcels dis
appeared. Miss Lidy handed piece
Of cardboard across the shaft:
Look at that"
The girl looked, and her soft eyes d.
lated with pleased surprise.
THAT was never intended for my
ugly face. You have made me entire
" too pretty"
'yToo prettyl My dear. your coloring
Is exquisite. and, IL ever you have TO
do anything for living. you go for an
artists model You'll make good liv-
ing"
Thank you. You are very kind"
The picture was back in Miss Lidy's
hand. and the door to the dumb waiter
closed with click before Miss Lidy
comprehended that she had given Of
fense.
"My. but IL looks could freeze I'd
have a congestive chill on the spot! All
the same. wish Dabney could see her.
He could do her Justice. This Is
daub."
She walked pensively back to her
front room and replaced the daub In
the rack over the mantelshelf from
which she had hurriedly snatched II.
hoping to give that strange girl q
pleasant surprise.
The shutting OF that dumb waiter
door seemed to shut Miss Lidy out
from her "opposites" socially as COM
pletely as II wall had been built be-
tween them-no more smiles across the
narrow shaft at accidental meetings.
no more open doors, no more meetings
by chance In the yestibule or upon the
common stairway.
"And really would have liked to
have the girl for friendw she sighed
mournfully.
However, having come to the city to
pursue her literary and artistic avoca-
tions. Miss Lidy had no time for senti-
mental regrets.
She had been fat dweller a month
when she received a delightful sur.
prise. In her mornings mail there
na mo n nate 80 In