The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-03
Bx MELBOURNE cowLEs.
|M THE LATIN QUAR- TER

She climbed the five Aights of stairs wearily and panted as she drew the Dig key to her little room from her pocket. It was rather difficult to hold two rolls and q letter in one hand while she unlocked the cumbrous door with the other. She was always tired after her days work in the ''ateiier,' and tonight she seemed to be more so than usual. but her supper and the letter would revive her. The precious let- ter! It was late--perhaps the stormy weather had belated the mail steamers.
 The concierge had smiled quite hu- manly when she gave it to her. The concierge had . heart after all hidden underneath her stern manner and somewhat soiled neckerchief. Anne had wondered before if she had any softness about her; she was always 60 grim and forhidding even in her hah- itual poltteness. Now she knew she had. for she had smiled with actual gentleness when she gave Anne the letter, and poor. lonely little Anne could have kissed her hands in grati- tude.
 The little room was icy cold and Anne put the letter on the mantel. wferc she could look at it while she built her hre and prepared her tea plain tea. At drst she had had sugar and milk in her tea; then she found that thin slice of lemon was much nicer and cheaper. After awhile she discovered that sugar was a useless luxury, and shes,had finally come to the conclusion that tea was more strength ening without the lemon.
 The letter was in a blue envelope. a dear blue envelope. and the writing was firm and showed strength of char acter. Anne emlled at the French ad- dress. She knew that 'Madamoiselle" was used for her amusement. so. Of course. she was amused. The letter re- ally seemed to smile back at her from the mantel. and she crossed the room to lightly kiss the envelope his lips had sealed. Her pale cheeks filled with color for an instant. and she turned shyly back to the little fire where a copper tea kettle had begun to boil with a sembiance of cheerfulness.
 She ate her butterless rolls slowly and slipped her tea deliberately. This was Annn's way. to be childishly impatient for her letter, and then when 1t came to save it and hoard 1t, putting off the great pleasure of reading 1t in order to prolonS the delight. The arrival Of those missives from over the sea had marked the red letter days in all the months she had lived in her little room
 in Rue Servandoni. Tn the sumn,er time she had usually taken the letter into the Jardin due Luxembourg and
 read 1t over and over again there in
 the soft twilift. No one in the garden ever spoke to Anne or disturbed her
 Perhaps because her clothes were toe
 shabby and unattractive. or. more
 proba bty. because there was nun-like
 steadiness in the gaze of her deep gray
 eyes that diSarmed the needless students who are wont to tease unat-
 tended girls. For even the American
 comes in for her share of good -natured
 comment in the Quartier Latin.
 At last Anne was ready to read hei
 letter. She sank down before the tiny blaze of her open fire and unsealed il with deliberation. commencing slowl, and gradually reading faster and taste until she finished 1t in almost teverisl haste, whereupon she began at the be- ginning again and read 1t over care fully. dwelling in particular on on' paragraph;
 When think of the apparent hope iessness of our engagement. l feel tha can't in honor bind you to 1t. M, struggles here in my profession have as yet barely gained me a meager live l!hood. and the time when l can offel you even the simplest of homes scent desperately distant. With the oceaI stretching between us it Is difficult tC discuss this vital matter, but, Anne darling. I want you to know that al dearly as love you I will not be self ish enough to keep you to promis' that was generously made when hop' shone more brightly upon us. If thu thought of me interferes with your ar or arrests your study in any way pu me from your mind. I can't bear t' feel that l should be hindrance or { drag to you" Here Anne stoppe' | reading because she could no longe discern the written words through tn mist of tears that had gathered ove her eyes. She felt blindly about for 1 handkerchief to SraVciy dab then away. that she might SC on with tn
 letter. which continued in the tenderes Thursday. "A COSMOPOLITAN cE